diff --git a/src/tests/test_packets.py b/src/tests/test_packets.py
index 65ee0d44..3a0c43e9 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_packets.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_packets.py
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
+"""Test packets creation and parsing"""
 
-import unittest
 from binascii import unhexlify
 from struct import pack
 
 from pybitmessage import addresses, protocol
 
 from .samples import magic
+from .test_protocol import TestSocketInet
 
 
-class TestSerialize(unittest.TestCase):
+class TestSerialize(TestSocketInet):
     """Test serializing and deserializing packet data"""
 
     def test_varint(self):
diff --git a/src/tests/test_protocol.py b/src/tests/test_protocol.py
index d285d1df..e3137b25 100644
--- a/src/tests/test_protocol.py
+++ b/src/tests/test_protocol.py
@@ -9,14 +9,18 @@ from pybitmessage import protocol, state
 from pybitmessage.helper_startup import fixSocket
 
 
-class TestProtocol(unittest.TestCase):
-    """Main protocol test case"""
+class TestSocketInet(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Base class for test cases using protocol.encodeHost()"""
 
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
         """Execute fixSocket() before start. Only for Windows?"""
         fixSocket()
 
+
+class TestProtocol(TestSocketInet):
+    """Main protocol test case"""
+
     def test_checkIPv4Address(self):
         """Check the results of protocol.checkIPv4Address()"""
         token = 'HELLO'