diff --git a/connect.go b/connect.go
index b01ff56..08970a2 100644
--- a/connect.go
+++ b/connect.go
@@ -53,18 +53,6 @@ func NewConnection(flags *Flags) *Connection {
 	} else {
 		c.IsSender = false
 	}
-	return c
-}
-
-func (c *Connection) Run() {
-	if len(c.Code) == 0 {
-		if !c.IsSender {
-			c.Code = getInput("Enter receive code: ")
-		}
-		if len(c.Code) < 5 {
-			c.Code = GetRandomName()
-		}
-	}
 
 	log.SetFormatter(&log.TextFormatter{})
 	if c.Debug {
@@ -73,6 +61,41 @@ func (c *Connection) Run() {
 		log.SetLevel(log.WarnLevel)
 	}
 
+	return c
+}
+
+func (c *Connection) Run() {
+	log.Debug("checking code validity")
+	for {
+		// check code
+		goodCode := true
+		m := strings.Split(c.Code, "-")
+		numThreads, errParse := strconv.Atoi(m[0])
+		if len(m) < 2 {
+			goodCode = false
+		} else if numThreads > MAX_NUMBER_THREADS || numThreads < 1 {
+			c.NumberOfConnections = MAX_NUMBER_THREADS
+			goodCode = false
+		} else if errParse != nil {
+			goodCode = false
+		}
+		log.Debug(m)
+		if !goodCode {
+			if c.IsSender {
+				c.Code = strconv.Itoa(c.NumberOfConnections) + "-" + GetRandomName()
+			} else {
+				if len(c.Code) != 0 {
+					fmt.Println("Code must begin with number of threads (e.g. 3-some-code)")
+				}
+				c.Code = getInput("Enter receive code: ")
+			}
+		} else {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	// assign number of connections
+	c.NumberOfConnections, _ = strconv.Atoi(strings.Split(c.Code, "-")[0])
+
 	if c.IsSender {
 		// encrypt the file
 		log.Debug("encrypting...")
@@ -112,6 +135,7 @@ func (c *Connection) runClient() {
 		c.bars = make([]*uiprogress.Bar, c.NumberOfConnections)
 	}
 	gotOK := false
+	gotResponse := false
 	for id := 0; id < c.NumberOfConnections; id++ {
 		go func(id int) {
 			defer wg.Done()
@@ -168,32 +192,35 @@ func (c *Connection) runClient() {
 				// have the main thread ask for the okay
 				if id == 0 {
 					fmt.Printf("Receiving file (%d bytes) into: %s\n", c.File.Size, c.File.Name)
-					getOk := getInput("ok? (y/n): ")
-					if getOk == "y" {
+					getOK := getInput("ok? (y/n): ")
+					if getOK == "y" {
 						gotOK = true
-					} else {
-						return
 					}
+					gotResponse = true
 				}
 				// wait for the main thread to get the okay
 				for limit := 0; limit < 1000; limit++ {
-					if gotOK {
+					if gotResponse {
 						break
 					}
 					time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
 				}
 				if !gotOK {
-					return
+					sendMessage("not ok", connection)
+				} else {
+					sendMessage("ok", connection)
+					logger.Debug("receive file")
+					c.receiveFile(id, connection)
 				}
-				sendMessage("ok", connection)
-				logger.Debug("receive file")
-				c.receiveFile(id, connection)
 			}
 		}(id)
 	}
 	wg.Wait()
 
 	if !c.IsSender {
+		if !gotOK {
+			return
+		}
 		c.catFile(c.File.Name)
 		encrypted, err := ioutil.ReadFile(c.File.Name + ".encrypted")
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index 434f6b4..f558fa6 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import (
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
+const MAX_NUMBER_THREADS = 8
+
 type connectionMap struct {
 	reciever map[string]net.Conn
 	sender   map[string]net.Conn
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ type Relay struct {
 func NewRelay(flags *Flags) *Relay {
 	r := new(Relay)
 	r.Debug = flags.Debug
-	r.NumberOfConnections = flags.NumberOfConnections
+	r.NumberOfConnections = MAX_NUMBER_THREADS
 	log.SetFormatter(&log.TextFormatter{})
 	if r.Debug {
 		log.SetLevel(log.DebugLevel)
@@ -149,7 +151,6 @@ func (r *Relay) clientCommuncation(id int, connection net.Conn) {
 			}
 			r.connections.RUnlock()
 			time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
-			logger.Debug("waiting for metadata")
 		}
 		// send  meta data
 		r.connections.RLock()
@@ -157,11 +158,13 @@ func (r *Relay) clientCommuncation(id int, connection net.Conn) {
 		r.connections.RUnlock()
 		// check for receiver's consent
 		consent := receiveMessage(connection)
-		logger.Debug("consent: %s", consent)
-		logger.Debug("got reciever")
-		r.connections.Lock()
-		r.connections.reciever[key] = connection
-		r.connections.Unlock()
+		logger.Debugf("consent: %s", consent)
+		if consent == "ok" {
+			logger.Debug("got consent")
+			r.connections.Lock()
+			r.connections.reciever[key] = connection
+			r.connections.Unlock()
+		}
 	}
 	return
 }