diff --git a/Lidgren.Network/NetOutgoingMessage.Write.cs b/Lidgren.Network/NetOutgoingMessage.Write.cs
index af3d201..2f66f4a 100644
--- a/Lidgren.Network/NetOutgoingMessage.Write.cs
+++ b/Lidgren.Network/NetOutgoingMessage.Write.cs
@@ -518,7 +518,7 @@ namespace Lidgren.Network
 			}
 
 			byte[] bytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(source);
-			EnsureBufferSize(m_bitLength + 1 + bytes.Length);
+			EnsureBufferSize(m_bitLength + 1 + (bytes.Length * 8));
 			WriteVariableUInt32((uint)bytes.Length);
 			Write(bytes);
 		}
diff --git a/Lidgren.Network/NetPeer.cs b/Lidgren.Network/NetPeer.cs
index 1ce1709..76493be 100644
--- a/Lidgren.Network/NetPeer.cs
+++ b/Lidgren.Network/NetPeer.cs
@@ -150,6 +150,19 @@ namespace Lidgren.Network
 			Thread.Sleep(3);
 		}
 
+		/// <summary>
+		/// Returns true if there is a queued message available to read using ReadMessage()
+		/// </summary>
+		public bool MessageAvailable
+		{
+			get
+			{
+				if (m_status == NetPeerStatus.NotRunning)
+					return false;
+				return (m_releasedIncomingMessages.Count > 0);
+			}
+		}
+
 		/// <summary>
 		/// Read a pending message from any connection, if any
 		/// </summary>
diff --git a/Lidgren.Network/NetPeerConfiguration.cs b/Lidgren.Network/NetPeerConfiguration.cs
index b4792da..1086663 100644
--- a/Lidgren.Network/NetPeerConfiguration.cs
+++ b/Lidgren.Network/NetPeerConfiguration.cs
@@ -93,9 +93,10 @@ namespace Lidgren.Network
 			m_disabledTypes = NetIncomingMessageType.ConnectionApproval | NetIncomingMessageType.UnconnectedData | NetIncomingMessageType.VerboseDebugMessage;
 
 			// Maximum transmission unit
+			// Ethernet can take 1500 bytes of payload, so lets stay below that.
 			// The aim is for a max full packet to be 1440 bytes (30 x 48 bytes, lower than 1468)
-			// 20 bytes ip header
-			//  8 bytes udp header
+			// 20 bytes IP header
+			//  8 bytes UDP header
 			//  5 bytes lidgren header for one message
 			//  1 byte just to be on the safe side
 			// Totals 1440 minus 34 = 1406 bytes free for payload