Chris, sounds like a good thing to discuss for v2.0. Just like WS-Routing (SOAP-RP) was put off until v2.0, so must this. We are doing *fixes and clarifications*. This is very obviously a new requirement. As such, the associated SyncReply element must also be put off until v2.0 -- although even then I wonder how something as smart as the application you describe wouldn't also know to always leave the connection open in the case of an ebXML message. The connection can be closed when the *NextMSH* closes the connection -- no need for a SyncReply element. Regards, David Fischer Drummond Group.