diff --git a/pkg/consensus/cache_test.go b/pkg/consensus/cache_test.go
index 700b706eb..cd4ebe5a3 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/cache_test.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/cache_test.go
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ func getDifferentPayloads(t *testing.T, n int) (payloads []Payload) {
 		var sign [signatureSize]byte
 		random.Fill(sign[:])
 
+		payloads[i].message = &message{}
 		payloads[i].SetValidatorIndex(uint16(i))
 		payloads[i].SetType(payload.MessageType(commitType))
 		payloads[i].payload = &commit{
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
index bb09c9837..116dcbedc 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/consensus.go
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func NewService(cfg Config) (Service, error) {
 		dbft.WithGetValidators(srv.getValidators),
 		dbft.WithGetConsensusAddress(srv.getConsensusAddress),
 
-		dbft.WithNewConsensusPayload(func() payload.ConsensusPayload { return new(Payload) }),
+		dbft.WithNewConsensusPayload(func() payload.ConsensusPayload { p := new(Payload); p.message = &message{}; return p }),
 		dbft.WithNewPrepareRequest(func() payload.PrepareRequest { return new(prepareRequest) }),
 		dbft.WithNewPrepareResponse(func() payload.PrepareResponse { return new(prepareResponse) }),
 		dbft.WithNewChangeView(func() payload.ChangeView { return new(changeView) }),
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ func (s *service) getKeyPair(pubs []crypto.PublicKey) (int, crypto.PrivateKey, c
 
 // OnPayload handles Payload receive.
 func (s *service) OnPayload(cp *Payload) {
-	log := s.log.With(zap.Stringer("hash", cp.Hash()), zap.Stringer("type", cp.Type()))
+	log := s.log.With(zap.Stringer("hash", cp.Hash()))
 	if !s.validatePayload(cp) {
 		log.Debug("can't validate payload")
 		return
@@ -262,6 +262,14 @@ func (s *service) OnPayload(cp *Payload) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	// decode payload data into message
+	if cp.message == nil {
+		if err := cp.decodeData(); err != nil {
+			log.Debug("can't decode payload data")
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	// we use switch here because other payloads could be possibly added in future
 	switch cp.Type() {
 	case payload.PrepareRequestType:
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/consensus_test.go b/pkg/consensus/consensus_test.go
index 640c31399..36813a37d 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/consensus_test.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/consensus_test.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ func TestService_GetVerified(t *testing.T) {
 	hashes := []util.Uint256{txs[0].Hash(), txs[1].Hash(), txs[2].Hash()}
 
 	p := new(Payload)
+	p.message = &message{}
 	p.SetType(payload.PrepareRequestType)
 	p.SetPayload(&prepareRequest{transactionHashes: hashes, minerTx: *transaction.NewMinerTXWithNonce(999)})
 	p.SetValidatorIndex(1)
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ func TestService_ValidatePayload(t *testing.T) {
 	srv := newTestService(t)
 	priv, _ := getTestValidator(1)
 	p := new(Payload)
+	p.message = &message{}
 
 	p.SetPayload(&prepareRequest{})
 
@@ -138,6 +140,7 @@ func TestService_OnPayload(t *testing.T) {
 
 	priv, _ := getTestValidator(1)
 	p := new(Payload)
+	p.message = &message{}
 	p.SetValidatorIndex(1)
 	p.SetPayload(&prepareRequest{})
 
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/payload.go b/pkg/consensus/payload.go
index 0d9bc8b66..925125fc2 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/payload.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/payload.go
@@ -27,8 +27,9 @@ type (
 
 	// Payload is a type for consensus-related messages.
 	Payload struct {
-		message
+		*message
 
+		data           []byte
 		version        uint32
 		validatorIndex uint16
 		prevHash       util.Uint256
@@ -168,9 +169,12 @@ func (p *Payload) EncodeBinaryUnsigned(w *io.BinWriter) {
 	w.WriteU16LE(p.validatorIndex)
 	w.WriteU32LE(p.timestamp)
 
-	ww := io.NewBufBinWriter()
-	p.message.EncodeBinary(ww.BinWriter)
-	w.WriteVarBytes(ww.Bytes())
+	if p.message != nil {
+		ww := io.NewBufBinWriter()
+		p.message.EncodeBinary(ww.BinWriter)
+		p.data = ww.Bytes()
+	}
+	w.WriteVarBytes(p.data)
 }
 
 // EncodeBinary implements io.Serializable interface.
@@ -227,14 +231,10 @@ func (p *Payload) DecodeBinaryUnsigned(r *io.BinReader) {
 	p.validatorIndex = r.ReadU16LE()
 	p.timestamp = r.ReadU32LE()
 
-	data := r.ReadVarBytes()
+	p.data = r.ReadVarBytes()
 	if r.Err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-
-	rr := io.NewBinReaderFromBuf(data)
-	p.message.DecodeBinary(rr)
-	r.Err = rr.Err
 }
 
 // Hash implements payload.ConsensusPayload interface.
@@ -318,3 +318,15 @@ func (t messageType) String() string {
 		return fmt.Sprintf("UNKNOWN(0x%02x)", byte(t))
 	}
 }
+
+// decode data of payload into it's message
+func (p *Payload) decodeData() error {
+	m := new(message)
+	br := io.NewBinReaderFromBuf(p.data)
+	m.DecodeBinary(br)
+	if br.Err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(br.Err, "cannot decode data into message")
+	}
+	p.message = m
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/payload_test.go b/pkg/consensus/payload_test.go
index 949f5a5c5..049038a33 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/payload_test.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/payload_test.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ var messageTypes = []messageType{
 
 func TestConsensusPayload_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 	var p Payload
+	p.message = &message{}
 
 	p.SetVersion(1)
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, p.Version())
@@ -86,11 +87,20 @@ func TestConsensusPayload_Hash(t *testing.T) {
 func TestConsensusPayload_Serializable(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, mt := range messageTypes {
 		p := randomPayload(t, mt)
-		testserdes.EncodeDecodeBinary(t, p, new(Payload))
+		actual := new(Payload)
+		data, err := testserdes.EncodeBinary(p)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		require.NoError(t, testserdes.DecodeBinary(data, actual))
+		// message is nil after decoding as we didn't yet call decodeData
+		require.Nil(t, actual.message)
+		// message should now be decoded from actual.data byte array
+		assert.NoError(t, actual.decodeData())
+		require.Equal(t, p, actual)
 
-		data := p.MarshalUnsigned()
+		data = p.MarshalUnsigned()
 		pu := new(Payload)
 		require.NoError(t, pu.UnmarshalUnsigned(data))
+		assert.NoError(t, pu.decodeData())
 
 		p.Witness = transaction.Witness{}
 		require.Equal(t, p, pu)
@@ -115,7 +125,7 @@ func TestConsensusPayload_DecodeBinaryInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	buf := make([]byte, 46+1+34+1+2)
 
 	expected := &Payload{
-		message: message{
+		message: &message{
 			Type:    prepareResponseType,
 			payload: &prepareResponse{},
 		},
@@ -124,6 +134,8 @@ func TestConsensusPayload_DecodeBinaryInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 			VerificationScript: []byte{},
 		},
 	}
+	// fill `data` for next check
+	_ = expected.Hash()
 
 	// valid payload
 	buf[delimeterIndex] = 1
@@ -131,11 +143,15 @@ func TestConsensusPayload_DecodeBinaryInvalid(t *testing.T) {
 	buf[typeIndex] = byte(prepareResponseType)
 	p := new(Payload)
 	require.NoError(t, testserdes.DecodeBinary(buf, p))
+	// decode `data` into `message`
+	assert.NoError(t, p.decodeData())
 	require.Equal(t, expected, p)
 
 	// invalid type
 	buf[typeIndex] = 0xFF
-	require.Error(t, testserdes.DecodeBinary(buf, new(Payload)))
+	actual := new(Payload)
+	require.NoError(t, testserdes.DecodeBinary(buf, actual))
+	require.Error(t, actual.decodeData())
 
 	// invalid format
 	buf[delimeterIndex] = 0
@@ -176,7 +192,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Serializable(t *testing.T) {
 
 func randomPayload(t *testing.T, mt messageType) *Payload {
 	p := &Payload{
-		message: message{
+		message: &message{
 			Type:       mt,
 			ViewNumber: byte(rand.Uint32()),
 			payload:    randomMessage(t, mt),
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/recovery_message.go b/pkg/consensus/recovery_message.go
index 8bc30e269..030db04ab 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/recovery_message.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/recovery_message.go
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ func getVerificationScript(i uint16, validators []crypto.PublicKey) []byte {
 
 func fromPayload(t messageType, recovery *Payload, p io.Serializable) *Payload {
 	return &Payload{
-		message: message{
+		message: &message{
 			Type:       t,
 			ViewNumber: recovery.message.ViewNumber,
 			payload:    p,
diff --git a/pkg/consensus/recovery_message_test.go b/pkg/consensus/recovery_message_test.go
index d6a0fdc94..d5f492d32 100644
--- a/pkg/consensus/recovery_message_test.go
+++ b/pkg/consensus/recovery_message_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 
 	r := &recoveryMessage{}
 	p := new(Payload)
+	p.message = &message{}
 	p.SetType(payload.RecoveryMessageType)
 	p.SetPayload(r)
 	// sign payload to have verification script
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 		nextConsensus:     util.Uint160{1, 2},
 	}
 	p1 := new(Payload)
+	p1.message = &message{}
 	p1.SetType(payload.PrepareRequestType)
 	p1.SetPayload(req)
 	p1.SetValidatorIndex(0)
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("prepare response is added", func(t *testing.T) {
 		p2 := new(Payload)
+		p2.message = &message{}
 		p2.SetType(payload.PrepareResponseType)
 		p2.SetPayload(&prepareResponse{
 			preparationHash: p1.Hash(),
@@ -70,6 +73,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 		r.AddPayload(p1)
 		pr = r.GetPrepareRequest(p, pubs, p1.ValidatorIndex())
 		require.NotNil(t, pr)
+		require.Equal(t, p1.Hash(), pr.Hash())
 		require.Equal(t, p1, pr)
 
 		pl := pr.(*Payload)
@@ -78,6 +82,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("change view is added", func(t *testing.T) {
 		p3 := new(Payload)
+		p3.message = &message{}
 		p3.SetType(payload.ChangeViewType)
 		p3.SetPayload(&changeView{
 			newViewNumber: 1,
@@ -98,6 +103,7 @@ func TestRecoveryMessage_Setters(t *testing.T) {
 
 	t.Run("commit is added", func(t *testing.T) {
 		p4 := new(Payload)
+		p4.message = &message{}
 		p4.SetType(payload.CommitType)
 		p4.SetPayload(randomMessage(t, commitType))
 		p4.SetValidatorIndex(4)