diff --git a/rhizome.h b/rhizome.h
index ce265234..94318c96 100644
--- a/rhizome.h
+++ b/rhizome.h
@@ -475,6 +475,11 @@ rhizome_direct_sync_request
 int rhizome_direct_continue_sync_request(rhizome_direct_sync_request *r);
 int rhizome_direct_conclude_sync_request(rhizome_direct_sync_request *r);
 
+typedef struct rhizome_direct_transport_state_http {
+  int port;
+  char host[1024];  
+} rhizome_direct_transport_state_http;
+
 void rhizome_direct_http_dispatch(rhizome_direct_sync_request *);
 
 extern unsigned char favicon_bytes[];
diff --git a/rhizome_direct.c b/rhizome_direct.c
index 99d21b55..bdc3796a 100644
--- a/rhizome_direct.c
+++ b/rhizome_direct.c
@@ -270,9 +270,22 @@ int app_rhizome_direct_sync(int argc, const char *const *argv,
   /* Get iterator capable of 64KB buffering.
      In future we should parse the sync URL and base the buffer size on the
      transport and allowable traffic volumes. */
+  rhizome_direct_transport_state_http 
+    *state=calloc(sizeof(rhizome_direct_transport_state_http),1);
+  if (strlen(argv[3])>1020)
+    {
+      DEBUG("rhizome direct URI too long");
+      return -1;
+    }
+  if (sscanf(argv[3],"%[^:]:%d",state->host,&state->port)!=2)
+    {
+      DEBUG("could not parse rhizome direct URI");     
+      return -1;
+    }
+
   rhizome_direct_sync_request 
     *s = rhizome_direct_new_sync_request(rhizome_direct_http_dispatch,
-					 65536,0,mode,NULL);
+					 65536,0,mode,state);
 
   rhizome_direct_start_sync_request(s);
 
diff --git a/rhizome_direct_http.c b/rhizome_direct_http.c
index e67a9661..599fb303 100644
--- a/rhizome_direct_http.c
+++ b/rhizome_direct_http.c
@@ -480,6 +480,10 @@ int rhizome_direct_parse_http_request(rhizome_http_request *r)
 void rhizome_direct_http_dispatch(rhizome_direct_sync_request *r)
 {
   DEBUGF("Dispatch size_high=%lld",r->cursor->size_high);
+
+  
+  
+  int sock;
   
   /* Warning: tail recursion when done this way. 
      Should be triggered by an asynchronous event.