diff --git a/impl/test/unittest/test_connection.c b/impl/test/unittest/test_connection.c
index ca8c287..a6372d7 100644
--- a/impl/test/unittest/test_connection.c
+++ b/impl/test/unittest/test_connection.c
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+
 #include "layer2/packet_queue.h"
 #include "layer2/packet_structs.h"
-#include <stdio.h>
+#include "utils.h"
+#include "config.h"
 
 #define LOGGER_MODULE_NAME "testconn"
 #include "logger.h"
@@ -53,6 +57,8 @@ int main(void)
 
 	LOG(LVL_INFO, "Hello World!");
 
+	unsigned int crc_size = crc_sizeof_key(PAYLOAD_CRC_SCHEME);
+
 	expected_state_t expected_state = {
 		.conn_state = CONN_STATE_INITIALIZED,
 	};
@@ -106,8 +112,8 @@ int main(void)
 	header.tx_seq_nr = 0;
 	header.tx_request = 1;
 
-	uint8_t payload[256] = {CONN_MGMT_TYPE_BEACON};
-	packet_len = layer2_encode_packet(&header, payload, 1, packet_buf, sizeof(packet_buf));
+	uint8_t static_payload[256] = {CONN_MGMT_TYPE_BEACON};
+	packet_len = layer2_encode_packet(&header, static_payload, 1, packet_buf, sizeof(packet_buf));
 	ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT(11, packet_len);
 
 	ASSERT_RESULT(OK, connection_handle_packet(&conn, packet_buf, packet_len, &data_packet, &tx_req_rcvd));
@@ -122,4 +128,32 @@ int main(void)
 
 	ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT(13, packet_len);
 	ASSERT_TRUE(end_burst);
+
+	// verify the CRC was appended correctly
+	bool crc_ok = crc_check_key(PAYLOAD_CRC_SCHEME, (unsigned char*)packet_buf, packet_len - crc_size);
+	ASSERT_TRUE(crc_ok);
+
+	// check that the header can be decoded and check the message type
+	memset(&header, 0, sizeof(header));
+	bool header_decoded_ok = layer2_decode_packet_header(packet_buf, packet_len, &header);
+
+	LOG(LVL_DUMP, "Header of supposed connection request packet:");
+	layer2_dump_packet_header(LVL_DUMP, &header);
+
+	ASSERT_TRUE(header_decoded_ok);
+	ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT(L2_MSG_TYPE_CONN_MGMT, header.msg_type);
+
+	// extract and check the payload
+	size_t header_size = layer2_get_encoded_header_size(&header);
+	size_t payload_len = packet_len - header_size - crc_size;
+	uint8_t *payload = packet_buf + header_size;
+
+	LOG(LVL_DUMP, "Payload of supposed connection request packet:");
+	hexdump(payload, payload_len);
+
+	// verify the payload length is 1 byte
+	ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT(1, payload_len);
+
+	// check the connection request type
+	ASSERT_EQUAL_UINT(CONN_MGMT_TYPE_CONNECTION_REQUEST, packet_buf[header_size]);
 }