diff --git a/lib/tfw/linear_fsm.py b/lib/tfw/linear_fsm.py
index 2725ff8..574f5c9 100644
--- a/lib/tfw/linear_fsm.py
+++ b/lib/tfw/linear_fsm.py
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@ from .fsm_base import FSMBase
 class LinearFSM(FSMBase):
     def __init__(self, number_of_steps):
         self.states = list(map(str, range(number_of_steps)))
-        self.transitions = [{'trigger': 'step', 'source': index, 'dest': str(int(index)+1)}
+        self.transitions = [{'trigger': 'step_{}'.format(int(index)+1), 'source': index, 'dest': str(int(index)+1)}
                             for index in self.states[:-1]]
         super(LinearFSM, self).__init__()
diff --git a/lib/tfw/networking/serialization.py b/lib/tfw/networking/serialization.py
index 26e222e..d26257e 100644
--- a/lib/tfw/networking/serialization.py
+++ b/lib/tfw/networking/serialization.py
@@ -4,6 +4,27 @@
 import json
 
 
+def serialize_all(*args):
+    return tuple(_serialize_single(arg) for arg in args)
+
+
+def deserialize_all(*args):
+    return tuple(_deserialize_single(arg) for arg in args)
+
+
+def _serialize_single(data):
+    if not isinstance(data, str):
+        data = json.dumps(data)
+    return encode_if_needed(data)
+
+
+def _deserialize_single(data):
+    try:
+        return json.loads(data)
+    except ValueError:
+        return decode_if_needed(data)
+
+
 def encode_if_needed(value):
     if isinstance(value, str):
         value = value.encode('utf-8')
@@ -14,11 +35,3 @@ def decode_if_needed(value):
     if isinstance(value, (bytes, bytearray)):
         value = value.decode('utf-8')
     return value
-
-
-def serialize_all(key, data):
-    return [encode_if_needed(frame) for frame in (key, json.dumps(data))]
-
-
-def deserialize_all(key, data):
-    return decode_if_needed(key), json.loads(data)
diff --git a/lib/tfw/networking/server/tfw_server.py b/lib/tfw/networking/server/tfw_server.py
index d6e6889..63ddf72 100644
--- a/lib/tfw/networking/server/tfw_server.py
+++ b/lib/tfw/networking/server/tfw_server.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class TFWServer:
         self.application = Application(
             [(r'/ws', ZMQWebSocketProxy, {'make_response': self.make_response,
                                           'proxy_filter': self.proxy_filter,
+                                          'handle_trigger': self.handle_trigger,
                                           'event_handler_connector': self._event_handler_connector})]
         )
         #self.controller_responder = ControllerResponder(self.fsm) TODO: add this once controller stuff is resolved
@@ -38,13 +39,20 @@ class TFWServer:
         return self._fsm_manager
 
     def make_response(self, message):
+        self.trigger_fsm(message)
+        message['FSMUpdate'] = self._fsm_updater.get_fsm_state_and_transitions()
+        return message
+
+    def handle_trigger(self, message):
+        LOG.debug('Executing handler for trigger "%s"', message.get('trigger', ''))
+        self.trigger_fsm(message)
+
+    def trigger_fsm(self, message):
         trigger = message.get('trigger', '')
         try:
             self._fsm_manager.trigger(trigger, message)
         except AttributeError:
             LOG.debug('FSM failed to execute nonexistent trigger: "%s"', trigger)
-        message['FSMUpdate'] = self._fsm_updater.get_fsm_state_and_transitions()
-        return message
 
     def proxy_filter(self, message):
         # pylint: disable=unused-argument,no-self-use
diff --git a/lib/tfw/networking/server/zmq_websocket_handler.py b/lib/tfw/networking/server/zmq_websocket_handler.py
index 80fd95a..73a9754 100644
--- a/lib/tfw/networking/server/zmq_websocket_handler.py
+++ b/lib/tfw/networking/server/zmq_websocket_handler.py
@@ -31,14 +31,15 @@ class ZMQWebSocketHandler(WebSocketHandler, ABC):
     def zmq_callback(self, msg_parts):
         keyhandlers = {'mirror': self.mirror}
 
-        key, data = deserialize_all(*msg_parts)
-        LOG.debug('Received on pull socket: %s', data)
+        key, message = deserialize_all(*msg_parts)
+        LOG.debug('Received on pull socket: %s', message)
+        self.handle_trigger(message)
         if key not in keyhandlers:
             for instance in ZMQWebSocketHandler.instances:
-                instance.write_message(data)
+                instance.write_message(message)
         else:
             try:
-                keyhandlers[key](data['data'])
+                keyhandlers[key](message['data'])
             except KeyError:
                 LOG.error('Invalid mirror message format! Ignoring.')
 
@@ -57,6 +58,10 @@ class ZMQWebSocketHandler(WebSocketHandler, ABC):
     def send_message(self, message: dict, key: str = None):
         self._event_handler_connector.send_message(message, key)
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    def handle_trigger(self, message):
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
     # much secure, very cors, wow
     def check_origin(self, origin):
         return True
@@ -68,6 +73,7 @@ class ZMQWebSocketProxy(ZMQWebSocketHandler):
         super(ZMQWebSocketProxy, self).initialize(**kwargs)
         self._make_response = kwargs['make_response']
         self._proxy_filter = kwargs['proxy_filter']
+        self._handle_trigger = kwargs['handle_trigger']
 
     def on_message(self, message):
         message = json.loads(message)
@@ -76,3 +82,6 @@ class ZMQWebSocketProxy(ZMQWebSocketHandler):
 
     def make_response(self, message):
         return self._make_response(message)
+
+    def handle_trigger(self, message):
+        self._handle_trigger(message)