diff --git a/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py b/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py
index 5c6c9cf..9d905f9 100644
--- a/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py
+++ b/src/python/oftest/base_tests.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
             reply, pkt = self.controller.transact(request)
             self.assertTrue(reply is not None,
                             "Did not complete features_request for handshake")
-            if reply.header.version == 1:
+            if reply.version == 1:
                 self.supported_actions = reply.actions
                 logging.info("Supported actions: " + hex(self.supported_actions))
         except:
diff --git a/src/python/oftest/controller.py b/src/python/oftest/controller.py
index 6fd88f5..cd7bbcf 100644
--- a/src/python/oftest/controller.py
+++ b/src/python/oftest/controller.py
@@ -254,26 +254,26 @@
                     if hdr.type == ofp.OFPT_ECHO_REQUEST:
                         self.logger.debug("Responding to echo request")
                         rep = ofp.message.echo_reply()
-                        rep.header.xid = hdr.xid
+                        rep.xid = hdr.xid
                         # Ignoring additional data
                         self.message_send(rep.pack(), zero_xid=True)
                         continue
 
                 # Log error messages
                 if hdr.type == ofp.OFPT_ERROR:
-                    if msg.type in ofp.ofp_error_type_map:
-                        type_str = ofp.ofp_error_type_map[msg.type]
-                        if msg.type == ofp.OFPET_HELLO_FAILED:
+                    if msg.err_type in ofp.ofp_error_type_map:
+                        type_str = ofp.ofp_error_type_map[msg.err_type]
+                        if msg.err_type == ofp.OFPET_HELLO_FAILED:
                             code_map = ofp.ofp_hello_failed_code_map
-                        elif msg.type == ofp.OFPET_BAD_REQUEST:
+                        elif msg.err_type == ofp.OFPET_BAD_REQUEST:
                             code_map = ofp.ofp_bad_request_code_map
-                        elif msg.type == ofp.OFPET_BAD_ACTION:
+                        elif msg.err_type == ofp.OFPET_BAD_ACTION:
                             code_map = ofp.ofp_bad_action_code_map
-                        elif msg.type == ofp.OFPET_FLOW_MOD_FAILED:
+                        elif msg.err_type == ofp.OFPET_FLOW_MOD_FAILED:
                             code_map = ofp.ofp_flow_mod_failed_code_map
-                        elif msg.type == ofp.OFPET_PORT_MOD_FAILED:
+                        elif msg.err_type == ofp.OFPET_PORT_MOD_FAILED:
                             code_map = ofp.ofp_port_mod_failed_code_map
-                        elif msg.type == ofp.OFPET_QUEUE_OP_FAILED:
+                        elif msg.err_type == ofp.OFPET_QUEUE_OP_FAILED:
                             code_map = ofp.ofp_queue_op_failed_code_map
                         else:
                             code_map = None
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@
                     else:
                         type_str = "unknown"
                     self.logger.warn("Received error message: xid=%d type=%s (%d) code=%s (%d)",
-                                     hdr.xid, type_str, msg.type, code_str, msg.code)
+                                     hdr.xid, type_str, msg.err_type, code_str, msg.code)
 
                 # Now check for message handlers; preference is given to
                 # handlers for a specific packet
@@ -592,8 +592,8 @@
                     self.logger.debug("Looking for %s" % ofp.ofp_type_map[exp_msg])
                     for i in range(len(self.packets)):
                         msg = self.packets[i][0]
-                        self.logger.debug("Checking packets[%d] (%s)" % (i, ofp.ofp_type_map[msg.header.type]))
-                        if msg.header.type == exp_msg:
+                        self.logger.debug("Checking packets[%d] (%s)" % (i, ofp.ofp_type_map[msg.type]))
+                        if msg.type == exp_msg:
                             (msg, pkt) = self.packets.pop(i)
                             return (msg, pkt)
             # Not found
@@ -626,21 +626,21 @@
 
         """
 
-        if not zero_xid and msg.header.xid == 0:
-            msg.header.xid = ofutils.gen_xid()
+        if not zero_xid and msg.xid == 0:
+            msg.xid = ofutils.gen_xid()
 
-        self.logger.debug("Running transaction %d" % msg.header.xid)
+        self.logger.debug("Running transaction %d" % msg.xid)
 
         with self.xid_cv:
             if self.xid:
                 self.logger.error("Can only run one transaction at a time")
                 return (None, None)
 
-            self.xid = msg.header.xid
+            self.xid = msg.xid
             self.xid_response = None
             self.message_send(msg.pack())
 
-            self.logger.debug("Waiting for transaction %d" % msg.header.xid)
+            self.logger.debug("Waiting for transaction %d" % msg.xid)
             ofutils.timed_wait(self.xid_cv, lambda: self.xid_response, timeout=timeout)
 
             if self.xid_response:
@@ -670,8 +670,8 @@
             raise Exception("no socket")
         #@todo If not string, try to pack
         if type(msg) != type(""):
-            if msg.header.xid == 0 and not zero_xid:
-                msg.header.xid = ofutils.gen_xid()
+            if msg.xid == 0 and not zero_xid:
+                msg.xid = ofutils.gen_xid()
             outpkt = msg.pack()
         else:
             outpkt = msg
diff --git a/src/python/oftest/illegal_message.py b/src/python/oftest/illegal_message.py
index eeb5022..2d0ce7b 100644
--- a/src/python/oftest/illegal_message.py
+++ b/src/python/oftest/illegal_message.py
@@ -6,26 +6,36 @@
 
 ILLEGAL_MESSAGE_TYPE=217
 
-class illegal_message_type:
+class illegal_message_type(of10.ofp_header):
     """
-    Wrapper class for illegal message
+    Wrapper class for illegal_message_type
 
     OpenFlow message header: length, version, xid, type
     @arg length: The total length of the message
     @arg version: The OpenFlow version (1)
     @arg xid: The transaction ID
-    @arg type: The message type (OFPT_ECHO_REQUEST=2)
+    @arg type: The message type (ILLEGAL_MESSAGE_TYPE=217)
 
+    Data members inherited from ofp_header:
+    @arg version
+    @arg type
+    @arg length
+    @arg xid
     @arg data: Binary string following message members
 
-    The message type is set to "illegal" and the pack assert
-    check for the OF header is disabled
     """
 
-    def __init__(self):
-        self.header = of10.ofp_header()
-        self.header.type = ILLEGAL_MESSAGE_TYPE
+    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+        of10.ofp_header.__init__(self)
+        self.version = of10.OFP_VERSION
+        self.type = ILLEGAL_MESSAGE_TYPE
         self.data = ""
+        for (k, v) in kwargs.items():
+            if hasattr(self, k):
+                setattr(self, k, v)
+            else:
+                raise NameError("field %s does not exist in %s" % (k, self.__class__))
+
 
     def pack(self):
         """
@@ -34,9 +44,10 @@
         @return The packed string which can go on the wire
 
         """
-        self.header.length = len(self)
-        packed = self.header.pack(assertstruct=False)
+        self.length = len(self)
+        packed = ""
 
+        packed += of10.ofp_header.pack(self, assertstruct=False)
         packed += self.data
         return packed
 
@@ -49,8 +60,8 @@
         @return The remainder of binary_string that was not parsed.
 
         """
-        binary_string = self.header.unpack(binary_string)
 
+        binary_string = of10.ofp_header.unpack(self, binary_string)
         self.data = binary_string
         binary_string = ''
         return binary_string
@@ -63,8 +74,9 @@
         string.
 
         """
-        length = of10.OFP_HEADER_BYTES
+        length = 0
 
+        length += of10.ofp_header.__len__(self)
         length += len(self.data)
         return length
 
@@ -77,12 +89,18 @@
 
         """
 
-        outstr = prefix + 'illegal_message (' + \
-            str(ILLEGAL_MESSAGE_TYPE) + ')\n'
+        outstr = prefix + 'illegal_message (217)\n'
         prefix += '  '
         outstr += prefix + 'ofp header\n'
-        outstr += self.header.show(prefix + '  ')
+        outstr += of10.ofp_header.show(self, prefix)
         outstr += prefix + 'data is of length ' + str(len(self.data)) + '\n'
+        ##@todo Fix this circular reference
+        # if len(self.data) > 0:
+            # obj = of_message_parse(self.data)
+            # if obj != None:
+                # outstr += obj.show(prefix)
+            # else:
+                # outstr += prefix + "Unable to parse data\n"
         return outstr
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
@@ -93,8 +111,8 @@
 
         """
         if type(self) != type(other): return False
-        if not self.header.__eq__(other.header): return False
 
+        if not of10.ofp_header.__eq__(self, other): return False
         if self.data != other.data: return False
         return True