diff --git a/src/p384/identifier.rs b/src/p384/identifier.rs
index 5932eb3..f0f4e7f 100644
--- a/src/p384/identifier.rs
+++ b/src/p384/identifier.rs
@@ -13,35 +13,44 @@ pub enum PeerIdentifier {
     Address(Address),
     Short(ShortAddress),
 }
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Hash)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Hash)]
 pub enum PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
     Identity(&'a Identity),
     Address(&'a Address),
     Short(ShortAddress),
 }
 
-impl PeerIdentifier {
-    pub fn matches(&self, identity: &Identity) -> bool {
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Hash)]
+pub enum AnyAddress {
+    Address(Address),
+    Short(ShortAddress),
+}
+
+impl<'a> PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    pub fn matches(self, identity: &Identity) -> bool {
+        use PeerIdentifierRef::*;
         match self {
-            PeerIdentifier::Identity(id) => id.eq(identity),
-            PeerIdentifier::Address(id) => identity.address.eq(id),
-            PeerIdentifier::Short(id) => identity.address.prefix().eq(id),
+            Identity(id) => (*id).eq(identity),
+            Address(id) => identity.address.eq(id),
+            Short(id) => identity.address.prefix().eq(&id),
         }
     }
 
     pub fn prefix(&self) -> &ShortAddress {
+        use PeerIdentifierRef::*;
         match self {
-            PeerIdentifier::Identity(id) => id.address.prefix(),
-            PeerIdentifier::Address(id) => id.prefix(),
-            PeerIdentifier::Short(id) => id,
+            Identity(id) => id.address.prefix(),
+            Address(id) => id.prefix(),
+            Short(id) => id,
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn address(&self) -> AnyAddress {
+    pub fn address(self) -> AnyAddress {
+        use PeerIdentifierRef::*;
         match self {
-            PeerIdentifier::Identity(id) => id.address.into(),
-            PeerIdentifier::Address(id) => id.into(),
-            PeerIdentifier::Short(id) => id.into(),
+            Identity(id) => id.address.into(),
+            Address(id) => (*id).into(),
+            Short(id) => id.into(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -51,9 +60,9 @@ impl PeerIdentifier {
     /// This function will debug panic if `self` and `other` are not identifiers for the same peer.
     /// The caller must check for equality before calling this function.
     /// TODO: make this function take into account identity lifetime.
-    pub fn upgrade_check(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+    pub fn upgrade_check(self, other: Self) -> bool {
         debug_assert_eq!(self, other);
-        use PeerIdentifier::*;
+        use PeerIdentifierRef::*;
         match (self, other) {
             (Identity(_), _) => false,
             (_, Identity(_)) => true,
@@ -62,51 +71,39 @@ impl PeerIdentifier {
         }
     }
 }
-/// Does not preserve transitivity.
-impl std::cmp::PartialEq for PeerIdentifier {
-    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+
+impl PeerIdentifier {
+    pub fn matches(&self, identity: &Identity) -> bool {
+        let r: PeerIdentifierRef = self.into();
+        r.matches(identity)
+    }
+
+    pub fn prefix(&self) -> &ShortAddress {
         use PeerIdentifier::*;
-        match (self, other) {
-            (Identity(identity), id) | (id, Identity(identity)) => id.matches(identity),
-            (Address(addr0), Address(addr1)) => addr0.eq(addr1),
-            (Address(addr0), Short(addr1)) => addr0.prefix().eq(addr1),
-            (Short(addr0), Address(addr1)) => addr0.eq(addr1.prefix()),
-            (Short(addr0), Short(addr1)) => addr0.eq(addr1),
+        match self {
+            Identity(id) => id.address.prefix(),
+            Address(id) => id.prefix(),
+            Short(id) => id,
         }
     }
-}
-impl From<Address> for PeerIdentifier {
-    fn from(value: Address) -> Self {
-        Self::Address(value)
+
+    pub fn address(&self) -> AnyAddress {
+        let r: PeerIdentifierRef = self.into();
+        r.address()
     }
-}
-impl From<ShortAddress> for PeerIdentifier {
-    fn from(value: ShortAddress) -> Self {
-        Self::Short(value)
-    }
-}
-impl From<&Address> for PeerIdentifier {
-    fn from(value: &Address) -> Self {
-        Self::Address(*value)
-    }
-}
-impl From<&ShortAddress> for PeerIdentifier {
-    fn from(value: &ShortAddress) -> Self {
-        Self::Short(*value)
+
+    /// Returns `true` if `other` contains the most complete version of the identity between
+    /// `self` and `other`.
+    /// Otherwise returns `false`.
+    /// This function will debug panic if `self` and `other` are not identifiers for the same peer.
+    /// The caller must check for equality before calling this function.
+    /// TODO: make this function take into account identity lifetime.
+    pub fn upgrade_check(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        let r: PeerIdentifierRef = self.into();
+        r.upgrade_check(other.into())
     }
 }
 
-impl From<Identity> for PeerIdentifier {
-    fn from(value: Identity) -> Self {
-        Self::Identity(value)
-    }
-}
-
-#[derive(serde::Deserialize, serde::Serialize, Debug, Clone, Copy, Hash)]
-pub enum AnyAddress {
-    Address(Address),
-    Short(ShortAddress),
-}
 impl AnyAddress {
     pub fn matches(&self, identity: &Identity) -> bool {
         match self {
@@ -136,6 +133,27 @@ impl AnyAddress {
         }
     }
 }
+
+/// Does not preserve transitivity.
+impl<'a> std::cmp::PartialEq for PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        use PeerIdentifierRef::*;
+        match (self, other) {
+            (Identity(identity), id) | (id, Identity(identity)) => id.matches(identity),
+            (Address(addr0), Address(addr1)) => addr0.eq(addr1),
+            (Address(addr0), Short(addr1)) => addr0.prefix().eq(addr1),
+            (Short(addr0), Address(addr1)) => addr0.eq(addr1.prefix()),
+            (Short(addr0), Short(addr1)) => addr0.eq(addr1),
+        }
+    }
+}
+/// Does not preserve transitivity.
+impl std::cmp::PartialEq for PeerIdentifier {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        let r: PeerIdentifierRef = self.into();
+        r.eq(&other.into())
+    }
+}
 /// Does not preserve transitivity.
 impl std::cmp::PartialEq for AnyAddress {
     fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
@@ -148,6 +166,47 @@ impl std::cmp::PartialEq for AnyAddress {
         }
     }
 }
+
+impl<'a> From<&'a PeerIdentifier> for PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(value: &'a PeerIdentifier) -> Self {
+        match value {
+            PeerIdentifier::Identity(v) => PeerIdentifierRef::Identity(v),
+            PeerIdentifier::Address(v) => PeerIdentifierRef::Address(v),
+            PeerIdentifier::Short(v) => PeerIdentifierRef::Short(*v),
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl<'a> From<PeerIdentifierRef<'a>> for PeerIdentifier {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(value: PeerIdentifierRef<'a>) -> Self {
+        match value {
+            PeerIdentifierRef::Identity(v) => PeerIdentifier::Identity(v.clone()),
+            PeerIdentifierRef::Address(v) => PeerIdentifier::Address(v.clone()),
+            PeerIdentifierRef::Short(v) => PeerIdentifier::Short(v),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<AnyAddress> for PeerIdentifier {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(value: AnyAddress) -> Self {
+        match value {
+            AnyAddress::Address(v) => PeerIdentifier::Address(v),
+            AnyAddress::Short(v) => PeerIdentifier::Short(v),
+        }
+    }
+}
+impl<'a> From<&'a AnyAddress> for PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn from(value: &'a AnyAddress) -> Self {
+        match value {
+            AnyAddress::Address(v) => PeerIdentifierRef::Address(v),
+            AnyAddress::Short(v) => PeerIdentifierRef::Short(*v),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl From<Address> for AnyAddress {
     fn from(value: Address) -> Self {
         Self::Address(value)
@@ -168,3 +227,45 @@ impl From<&ShortAddress> for AnyAddress {
         Self::Short(*value)
     }
 }
+
+impl From<Address> for PeerIdentifier {
+    fn from(value: Address) -> Self {
+        Self::Address(value)
+    }
+}
+impl From<ShortAddress> for PeerIdentifier {
+    fn from(value: ShortAddress) -> Self {
+        Self::Short(value)
+    }
+}
+impl From<&Address> for PeerIdentifier {
+    fn from(value: &Address) -> Self {
+        Self::Address(*value)
+    }
+}
+impl From<&ShortAddress> for PeerIdentifier {
+    fn from(value: &ShortAddress) -> Self {
+        Self::Short(*value)
+    }
+}
+impl From<Identity> for PeerIdentifier {
+    fn from(value: Identity) -> Self {
+        Self::Identity(value)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> From<&'a Address> for PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    fn from(value: &'a Address) -> Self {
+        Self::Address(value)
+    }
+}
+impl<'a> From<&ShortAddress> for PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    fn from(value: &ShortAddress) -> Self {
+        Self::Short(*value)
+    }
+}
+impl<'a> From<&'a Identity> for PeerIdentifierRef<'a> {
+    fn from(value: &'a Identity) -> Self {
+        Self::Identity(value)
+    }
+}