diff --git a/src/dispatch.rs b/src/dispatch.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..129ed22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/dispatch.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+//! Classify decrypted application plaintext before it hits the message log.
+
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum Kind {
+    Chat,
+    Loc,
+    Profile,
+    Invoice,
+    Receipt,
+    Ping,
+    Drop,
+}
+
+pub fn classify(pt: &[u8]) -> Kind {
+    if pt.starts_with(b"loc ") {
+        return Kind::Loc;
+    }
+    if pt.starts_with(b"prf ") {
+        return Kind::Profile;
+    }
+    if pt.starts_with(b"inv ") {
+        return Kind::Invoice;
+    }
+    if pt.starts_with(b"rcp ") {
+        return Kind::Receipt;
+    }
+    if pt.starts_with(b"png ") {
+        return Kind::Ping;
+    }
+    if pt.len() >= 4
+        && pt[0].is_ascii_lowercase()
+        && pt[1].is_ascii_lowercase()
+        && pt[2].is_ascii_lowercase()
+        && pt[3] == b' '
+    {
+        return Kind::Drop;
+    }
+    Kind::Chat
+}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 8d22191..c560e94 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+pub mod dispatch;
 pub mod frame;
 pub mod hs;
 pub mod loc;
diff --git a/src/node.rs b/src/node.rs
index 5f2b29f..8a11dfe 100644
--- a/src/node.rs
+++ b/src/node.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use futures::io::{AsyncRead, AsyncWrite};
 use tor_cell::relaycell::msg::Connected;
 use tor_hsservice::{RunningOnionService, handle_rend_requests};
 
+use crate::dispatch::{self, Kind};
 use crate::frame;
 use crate::hs::{self, Client, HS_PORT};
 use crate::loc;
@@ -308,26 +309,33 @@ impl Node {
         .map_err(session_err)?;
         let ct = frame::read_frame(stream).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
         let pt = sess.decrypt(&ct).map_err(session_err)?;
-        if let Some(loc) = loc::decode(&pt) {
-            let applied = store.lock().map_err(|e| e.to_string())?.apply_loc(
-                &sess.peer_identity,
-                &loc.onion,
-                loc.ts,
-                &loc.sig,
-            );
-            match applied {
-                Ok(true) => {}
-                Ok(false) => eprintln!("loc dropped (bad sig, stale ts, or unknown friend)"),
-                Err(e) => return Err(e.to_string()),
+        match dispatch::classify(&pt) {
+            Kind::Loc => {
+                if let Some(loc) = loc::decode(&pt) {
+                    let applied = store.lock().map_err(|e| e.to_string())?.apply_loc(
+                        &sess.peer_identity,
+                        &loc.onion,
+                        loc.ts,
+                        &loc.sig,
+                    );
+                    match applied {
+                        Ok(true) => {}
+                        Ok(false) => eprintln!("loc dropped (bad sig, stale ts, or unknown friend)"),
+                        Err(e) => return Err(e.to_string()),
+                    }
+                }
+                Ok(())
             }
-            return Ok(());
+            Kind::Chat => {
+                store
+                    .lock()
+                    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
+                    .append_message(&sess.peer_identity, "in", &pt)
+                    .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
+            Kind::Profile | Kind::Invoice | Kind::Receipt | Kind::Ping | Kind::Drop => Ok(()),
         }
-        store
-            .lock()
-            .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?
-            .append_message(&sess.peer_identity, "in", &pt)
-            .map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
-        Ok(())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/dispatch.rs b/tests/dispatch.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e66bb78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/dispatch.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+//! M6: typed-frame dispatcher — classify before append_message.
+
+use onionwire::dispatch::{classify, Kind};
+
+#[test]
+fn chat_is_chat() {
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"hello wire"), Kind::Chat);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn loc_still_loc() {
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"loc abc.onion\n1\n00"), Kind::Loc);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn unknown_typed_prefix_is_drop() {
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"zzz not a real type"), Kind::Drop);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn short_or_binary_without_prefix_is_chat() {
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"hi"), Kind::Chat);
+    assert_eq!(classify(&[0xff, 0xfe]), Kind::Chat);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn known_prefixes_are_typed() {
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"prf name"), Kind::Profile);
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"inv 1"), Kind::Invoice);
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"rcp tx"), Kind::Receipt);
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"png 1"), Kind::Ping);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn uppercase_or_digit_prefix_is_chat() {
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"ZZZ not typed"), Kind::Chat);
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"ab1 leftover"), Kind::Chat);
+    assert_eq!(classify(b"abcd"), Kind::Chat);
+}