diff --git a/netlink-proto/src/connection.rs b/netlink-proto/src/connection.rs
index f280f080..3478e271 100644
--- a/netlink-proto/src/connection.rs
+++ b/netlink-proto/src/connection.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use crate::{
     codecs::{NetlinkCodec, NetlinkMessageCodec},
     framed::NetlinkFramed,
     sys::{AsyncSocket, SocketAddr},
+    OutgoingMessage,
     Protocol,
     Request,
     Response,
@@ -102,14 +103,17 @@ where
                 return;
             }
 
-            let (mut message, addr) = protocol.outgoing_messages.pop_front().unwrap();
-            message.finalize();
+            match protocol.outgoing_messages.pop_front().unwrap() {
+                OutgoingMessage::Single(mut message, addr) => {
+                    message.finalize();
 
-            trace!("sending outgoing message");
-            if let Err(e) = Pin::as_mut(&mut socket).start_send((message, addr)) {
-                error!("failed to send message: {:?}", e);
-                self.socket_closed = true;
-                return;
+                    trace!("sending outgoing message");
+                    if let Err(e) = Pin::as_mut(&mut socket).start_send((message, addr)) {
+                        error!("failed to send message: {:?}", e);
+                        self.socket_closed = true;
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/netlink-proto/src/lib.rs b/netlink-proto/src/lib.rs
index ea3e8fe3..2e9f3747 100644
--- a/netlink-proto/src/lib.rs
+++ b/netlink-proto/src/lib.rs
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ mod framed;
 pub use crate::framed::*;
 
 mod protocol;
-pub(crate) use self::protocol::{Protocol, Response};
+pub(crate) use self::protocol::{OutgoingMessage, Protocol, Response};
 pub(crate) type Request<T> =
     self::protocol::Request<T, UnboundedSender<crate::packet::NetlinkMessage<T>>>;
 
diff --git a/netlink-proto/src/protocol/mod.rs b/netlink-proto/src/protocol/mod.rs
index 7fc136fa..739926f5 100644
--- a/netlink-proto/src/protocol/mod.rs
+++ b/netlink-proto/src/protocol/mod.rs
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@
 mod protocol;
 mod request;
 
-pub(crate) use protocol::{Protocol, Response};
+pub(crate) use protocol::{OutgoingMessage, Protocol, Response};
 pub(crate) use request::Request;
diff --git a/netlink-proto/src/protocol/protocol.rs b/netlink-proto/src/protocol/protocol.rs
index ae077991..c7d0203d 100644
--- a/netlink-proto/src/protocol/protocol.rs
+++ b/netlink-proto/src/protocol/protocol.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,11 @@ struct PendingRequest<M> {
     metadata: M,
 }
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub(crate) enum OutgoingMessage<T> {
+    Single(NetlinkMessage<T>, SocketAddr),
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
 pub(crate) struct Protocol<T, M> {
     /// Counter that is incremented for each message sent
@@ -60,7 +65,7 @@ pub(crate) struct Protocol<T, M> {
     pub incoming_requests: VecDeque<(NetlinkMessage<T>, SocketAddr)>,
 
     /// The messages to be sent out
-    pub outgoing_messages: VecDeque<(NetlinkMessage<T>, SocketAddr)>,
+    pub outgoing_messages: VecDeque<OutgoingMessage<T>>,
 }
 
 impl<T, M> Protocol<T, M>
@@ -130,17 +135,15 @@ where
         debug!("done handling response to request {:?}", request_id);
     }
 
-    pub fn request(&mut self, request: Request<T, M>) {
-        let Request::Single {
-            mut message,
-            metadata,
-            destination,
-        } = request;
-
-        self.set_sequence_id(&mut message);
+    fn request_single(
+        &mut self,
+        message: &mut NetlinkMessage<T>,
+        metadata: M,
+        destination: &SocketAddr,
+    ) {
+        self.set_sequence_id(message);
         let request_id = RequestId::new(self.sequence_id, destination.port_number());
         let flags = message.header.flags;
-        self.outgoing_messages.push_back((message, destination));
 
         // If we expect a response, we store the request id so that we
         // can map the response to this specific request.
@@ -164,6 +167,20 @@ where
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn request(&mut self, request: Request<T, M>) {
+        match request {
+            Request::Single {
+                mut message,
+                metadata,
+                destination,
+            } => {
+                self.request_single(&mut message, metadata, &destination);
+                self.outgoing_messages
+                    .push_back(OutgoingMessage::Single(message, destination));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     fn set_sequence_id(&mut self, message: &mut NetlinkMessage<T>) {
         self.sequence_id += 1;
         message.header.sequence_number = self.sequence_id;