diff --git a/src/base58.h b/src/base58.h
index a3980118aa..cccebc9e0e 100644
--- a/src/base58.h
+++ b/src/base58.h
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ public:
     CBitcoinExtKeyBase() {}
 };
 
-typedef CBitcoinExtKeyBase<CExtKey, 74, CChainParams::EXT_SECRET_KEY> CBitcoinExtKey;
-typedef CBitcoinExtKeyBase<CExtPubKey, 74, CChainParams::EXT_PUBLIC_KEY> CBitcoinExtPubKey;
+typedef CBitcoinExtKeyBase<CExtKey, BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE, CChainParams::EXT_SECRET_KEY> CBitcoinExtKey;
+typedef CBitcoinExtKeyBase<CExtPubKey, BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE, CChainParams::EXT_PUBLIC_KEY> CBitcoinExtPubKey;
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_BASE58_H
diff --git a/src/key.cpp b/src/key.cpp
index 28ba5144e4..6a3d9aa140 100644
--- a/src/key.cpp
+++ b/src/key.cpp
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ CExtPubKey CExtKey::Neuter() const {
     return ret;
 }
 
-void CExtKey::Encode(unsigned char code[74]) const {
+void CExtKey::Encode(unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]) const {
     code[0] = nDepth;
     memcpy(code+1, vchFingerprint, 4);
     code[5] = (nChild >> 24) & 0xFF; code[6] = (nChild >> 16) & 0xFF;
@@ -286,12 +286,12 @@ void CExtKey::Encode(unsigned char code[74]) const {
     memcpy(code+42, key.begin(), 32);
 }
 
-void CExtKey::Decode(const unsigned char code[74]) {
+void CExtKey::Decode(const unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]) {
     nDepth = code[0];
     memcpy(vchFingerprint, code+1, 4);
     nChild = (code[5] << 24) | (code[6] << 16) | (code[7] << 8) | code[8];
     memcpy(chaincode.begin(), code+9, 32);
-    key.Set(code+42, code+74, true);
+    key.Set(code+42, code+BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE, true);
 }
 
 bool ECC_InitSanityCheck() {
diff --git a/src/key.h b/src/key.h
index 6c820d49cd..b4f48d59f5 100644
--- a/src/key.h
+++ b/src/key.h
@@ -164,11 +164,28 @@ struct CExtKey {
                a.chaincode == b.chaincode && a.key == b.key;
     }
 
-    void Encode(unsigned char code[74]) const;
-    void Decode(const unsigned char code[74]);
+    void Encode(unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]) const;
+    void Decode(const unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]);
     bool Derive(CExtKey& out, unsigned int nChild) const;
     CExtPubKey Neuter() const;
     void SetMaster(const unsigned char* seed, unsigned int nSeedLen);
+    template <typename Stream>
+    void Serialize(Stream& s, int nType, int nVersion) const
+    {
+        unsigned int len = BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE;
+        ::WriteCompactSize(s, len);
+        unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE];
+        Encode(code);
+        s.write((const char *)&code[0], len);
+    }
+    template <typename Stream>
+    void Unserialize(Stream& s, int nType, int nVersion)
+    {
+        unsigned int len = ::ReadCompactSize(s);
+        unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE];
+        s.read((char *)&code[0], len);
+        Decode(code);
+    }
 };
 
 /** Initialize the elliptic curve support. May not be called twice without calling ECC_Stop first. */
diff --git a/src/pubkey.cpp b/src/pubkey.cpp
index db06a89285..be4ee27cd4 100644
--- a/src/pubkey.cpp
+++ b/src/pubkey.cpp
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ bool CPubKey::Derive(CPubKey& pubkeyChild, ChainCode &ccChild, unsigned int nChi
     return true;
 }
 
-void CExtPubKey::Encode(unsigned char code[74]) const {
+void CExtPubKey::Encode(unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]) const {
     code[0] = nDepth;
     memcpy(code+1, vchFingerprint, 4);
     code[5] = (nChild >> 24) & 0xFF; code[6] = (nChild >> 16) & 0xFF;
@@ -256,12 +256,12 @@ void CExtPubKey::Encode(unsigned char code[74]) const {
     memcpy(code+41, pubkey.begin(), 33);
 }
 
-void CExtPubKey::Decode(const unsigned char code[74]) {
+void CExtPubKey::Decode(const unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]) {
     nDepth = code[0];
     memcpy(vchFingerprint, code+1, 4);
     nChild = (code[5] << 24) | (code[6] << 16) | (code[7] << 8) | code[8];
     memcpy(chaincode.begin(), code+9, 32);
-    pubkey.Set(code+41, code+74);
+    pubkey.Set(code+41, code+BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE);
 }
 
 bool CExtPubKey::Derive(CExtPubKey &out, unsigned int nChild) const {
diff --git a/src/pubkey.h b/src/pubkey.h
index e1a17b6582..db5444ea9d 100644
--- a/src/pubkey.h
+++ b/src/pubkey.h
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
  * script supports up to 75 for single byte push
  */
 
+const unsigned int BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE = 74;
+
 /** A reference to a CKey: the Hash160 of its serialized public key */
 class CKeyID : public uint160
 {
@@ -205,9 +207,33 @@ struct CExtPubKey {
                a.chaincode == b.chaincode && a.pubkey == b.pubkey;
     }
 
-    void Encode(unsigned char code[74]) const;
-    void Decode(const unsigned char code[74]);
+    void Encode(unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]) const;
+    void Decode(const unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE]);
     bool Derive(CExtPubKey& out, unsigned int nChild) const;
+
+    unsigned int GetSerializeSize(int nType, int nVersion) const
+    {
+        return BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE+1; //add one byte for the size (compact int)
+    }
+    template <typename Stream>
+    void Serialize(Stream& s, int nType, int nVersion) const
+    {
+        unsigned int len = BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE;
+        ::WriteCompactSize(s, len);
+        unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE];
+        Encode(code);
+        s.write((const char *)&code[0], len);
+    }
+    template <typename Stream>
+    void Unserialize(Stream& s, int nType, int nVersion)
+    {
+        unsigned int len = ::ReadCompactSize(s);
+        unsigned char code[BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE];
+        if (len != BIP32_EXTKEY_SIZE)
+            throw std::runtime_error("Invalid extended key size\n");
+        s.read((char *)&code[0], len);
+        Decode(code);
+    }
 };
 
 /** Users of this module must hold an ECCVerifyHandle. The constructor and
diff --git a/src/test/bip32_tests.cpp b/src/test/bip32_tests.cpp
index ce29e692db..7f1c2a32dd 100644
--- a/src/test/bip32_tests.cpp
+++ b/src/test/bip32_tests.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,22 @@ void RunTest(const TestVector &test) {
         }
         key = keyNew;
         pubkey = pubkeyNew;
+
+        CDataStream ssPub(SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
+        ssPub << pubkeyNew;
+        BOOST_CHECK(ssPub.size() == 75);
+
+        CDataStream ssPriv(SER_DISK, CLIENT_VERSION);
+        ssPriv << keyNew;
+        BOOST_CHECK(ssPriv.size() == 75);
+
+        CExtPubKey pubCheck;
+        CExtKey privCheck;
+        ssPub >> pubCheck;
+        ssPriv >> privCheck;
+
+        BOOST_CHECK(pubCheck == pubkeyNew);
+        BOOST_CHECK(privCheck == keyNew);
     }
 }