diff --git a/src/aleph/network.py b/src/aleph/network.py
index fce2b79a9..5f0a55b62 100644
--- a/src/aleph/network.py
+++ b/src/aleph/network.py
@@ -77,9 +77,7 @@ async def check_message(
     if not message:
         raise InvalidMessageError("Message must not be empty")
 
-    if "item_hash" not in message:
-        raise InvalidMessageError("Missing field 'item_hash' in message")
-    for field in ("chain", "sender", "signature"):
+    for field in INCOMING_MESSAGE_AUTHORIZED_FIELDS:
         if field not in message:
             raise InvalidMessageError(
                 f"Missing field '{field}' in message {message['item_hash']}"
diff --git a/tests/api/test_messages.py b/tests/api/test_messages.py
index 8ce5f722b..ad9a07f7a 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_messages.py
+++ b/tests/api/test_messages.py
@@ -93,12 +93,9 @@ async def fetch_messages_by_channel(channel: str) -> Dict:
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_get_messages_filter_by_chain(fixture_messages, aiohttp_client):
-    app = create_app()
-    client = await aiohttp_client(app)
-
+async def test_get_messages_filter_by_chain(fixture_messages, ccn_api_client):
     async def fetch_messages_by_chain(chain: str) -> Dict:
-        response = await client.get(MESSAGES_URI, params={"chains": chain})
+        response = await ccn_api_client.get(MESSAGES_URI, params={"chains": chain})
         assert response.status == 200, await response.text()
         return await response.json()
 
@@ -114,12 +111,9 @@ async def fetch_messages_by_chain(chain: str) -> Dict:
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_get_messages_filter_by_content_hash(fixture_messages, aiohttp_client):
-    app = create_app()
-    client = await aiohttp_client(app)
-
+async def test_get_messages_filter_by_content_hash(fixture_messages, ccn_api_client):
     async def fetch_messages_by_content_hash(item_hash: str) -> Dict:
-        response = await client.get(MESSAGES_URI, params={"contentHashes": item_hash})
+        response = await ccn_api_client.get(MESSAGES_URI, params={"contentHashes": item_hash})
         assert response.status == 200, await response.text()
         return await response.json()