diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4176aad..f8ce80d 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,4 +3,6 @@
 tmp/
 config.php
 vendor/
-composer.lock
\ No newline at end of file
+composer.lock
+
+.*.swp
diff --git a/src/Models/BaseMessage.php b/src/Models/BaseMessage.php
index 7910b60..cdd75ad 100644
--- a/src/Models/BaseMessage.php
+++ b/src/Models/BaseMessage.php
@@ -95,6 +95,42 @@ public function fromJSON( $json, $keepOriginal = false ) {
         $this->decode();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates and returns a new message from the given encoded message like object
+     * @param stdClass $obj Message-like object
+     * @param CipherParams|null $cipherParams
+     */
+    public static function fromEncoded( $obj, CipherParams $cipherParams = null ) {
+        $class = get_called_class();
+
+        $msg = new $class();
+        if ($cipherParams != null) {
+            $msg->setCipherParams( $cipherParams );
+        }
+
+        foreach ($obj as $key => $value) {
+            if (property_exists( $class, $key )) {
+                $msg->$key = $value;
+            }
+        }
+
+        $msg->decode();
+
+        return $msg;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates and returns a new message from the given encoded message like object
+     * @param array $objs Array of Message-Like objects
+     * @param CipherParams|null $cipherParams
+     */
+    public static function fromEncodedArray( $objs, CipherParams $cipherParams = null ) {
+        return array_map(
+            function( $obj ) use ($cipherParams) { return static::fromEncoded($obj, $cipherParams); },
+            $objs
+        );
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns an encoded message as a stdClass ready for stringifying
      */
@@ -224,4 +260,4 @@ protected function clearFields() {
     public function setCipherParams( CipherParams $cipherParams ) {
         $this->cipherParams = $cipherParams;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/Models/ClientOptions.php b/src/Models/ClientOptions.php
index 9ca01ee..e3f52c1 100644
--- a/src/Models/ClientOptions.php
+++ b/src/Models/ClientOptions.php
@@ -75,13 +75,18 @@ class ClientOptions extends AuthOptions {
     /**
      * @var integer connection timeout after which a next fallback host is used
      */
-    public $httpRequestTimeout = 15000;
+    public $httpRequestTimeout = 10000;
 
     /**
      * @var integer Max number of fallback host retries for HTTP requests that fail due to network issues or server problems
      */
     public $httpMaxRetryCount = 3;
 
+    /**
+     * @var integer Max elapsed time in which fallback host retries for HTTP requests will be attempted
+     */
+    public $httpMaxRetryDuration = 15000;
+
     /**
      * @var string a class that should be used for making HTTP connections
      * To allow mocking in tests.
@@ -126,4 +131,4 @@ public function __construct( $options = [] ) {
             $this->restHost = $this->environment . '-' . $this->restHost;
         }
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/Models/Message.php b/src/Models/Message.php
index d73d1aa..045fb53 100644
--- a/src/Models/Message.php
+++ b/src/Models/Message.php
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@ protected function encode() {
 
         return $msg;
     }
+
 }
diff --git a/tests/ChannelMessagesTest.php b/tests/ChannelMessagesTest.php
index 46c35f0..e0ec5c2 100644
--- a/tests/ChannelMessagesTest.php
+++ b/tests/ChannelMessagesTest.php
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ public function testPublishConnectionKey() {
         $msg = new Message();
         $msg->name = 'delegatedMsg';
         $msg->data = 'test payload';
-        $msg->connectionKey = 'fake!realtime_key';
+        $msg->connectionKey = 'fake.realtime_key';
 
         // publishing the message with an invalid key must fail
         $this->setExpectedException( 'Ably\Exceptions\AblyException', '', 40006 );
diff --git a/tests/CryptoTest.php b/tests/CryptoTest.php
index 22f0bba..8f827ee 100644
--- a/tests/CryptoTest.php
+++ b/tests/CryptoTest.php
@@ -128,11 +128,44 @@ public function testMessageEncryptionAgainstFixture( $filename ) {
             $decryptedExample->setCipherParams( $cipherParams );
             $decryptedExample->fromJSON( $example->encrypted );
 
-            $this->assertEquals( $decodedExample->data, $decryptedExample->data, 'Expected unencrypted and decrypted message\'s contents to match' );
+            $this->assertEquals( $decodedExample->data, $decryptedExample->data,
+                                 'Expected unencrypted and decrypted message\'s contents to match' );
 
             $decodedExample->setCipherParams( $cipherParams );
             $encryptedJSON = json_decode( $decodedExample->toJSON() );
-            $this->assertEquals( $example->encrypted->data, $encryptedJSON->data, 'Expected encrypted and example encrypted message\'s contents to match' );
+            $this->assertEquals( $example->encrypted->data, $encryptedJSON->data,
+                                 'Expected encrypted and example encrypted message\'s contents to match' );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests Message:fromEncodedArray
+     *
+     * @dataProvider filenameProvider
+     */
+    public function testMessageFromEncodedArray( $filename ) {
+        $fixture = json_decode( file_get_contents( $filename ) );
+
+        $cipherParams = Crypto::getDefaultParams([
+            'key'       => $fixture->key,
+            'algorithm' => $fixture->algorithm,
+            'keyLength' => $fixture->keylength,
+            'mode'      => $fixture->mode,
+            'iv'        => $fixture->iv,
+            'base64Key' => true,
+            'base64Iv' => true,
+        ]);
+
+        $encrypted = array_map( function ( $x ) { return $x->encrypted ; }, $fixture->items );
+        $encoded = array_map( function ( $x ) { return $x->encoded ; }, $fixture->items );
+
+        $encrypted = Message::fromEncodedArray( $encrypted, $cipherParams );
+        $encoded = Message::fromEncodedArray( $encoded );
+
+        foreach ($encrypted as $i => $decryptedExample) {
+            $decodedExample = $encoded[$i];
+            $this->assertEquals( $decodedExample->data, $decryptedExample->data,
+                                 'Expected unencrypted and decrypted message\'s contents to match' );
         }
     }
 
@@ -166,11 +199,44 @@ public function testPresenceMessageEncryptionAgainstFixture( $filename ) {
             $decryptedExample->setCipherParams( $cipherParams );
             $decryptedExample->fromJSON( $example->encrypted );
 
-            $this->assertEquals( $decodedExample->data, $decryptedExample->data, 'Expected unencrypted and decrypted message\'s contents to match' );
+            $this->assertEquals( $decodedExample->data, $decryptedExample->data,
+                                 'Expected unencrypted and decrypted message\'s contents to match' );
 
             $decodedExample->setCipherParams( $cipherParams );
             $encryptedJSON = json_decode( $decodedExample->toJSON() );
-            $this->assertEquals( $example->encrypted->data, $encryptedJSON->data, 'Expected encrypted and example encrypted message\'s contents to match' );
+            $this->assertEquals( $example->encrypted->data, $encryptedJSON->data,
+                                 'Expected encrypted and example encrypted message\'s contents to match' );
+        }
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests PresenceMessage:fromEncodedArray
+     *
+     * @dataProvider filenameProvider
+     */
+    public function testPresenceMessageFromEncodedArray( $filename ) {
+        $fixture = json_decode( file_get_contents( $filename ) );
+
+        $cipherParams = Crypto::getDefaultParams([
+            'key'       => $fixture->key,
+            'algorithm' => $fixture->algorithm,
+            'keyLength' => $fixture->keylength,
+            'mode'      => $fixture->mode,
+            'iv'        => $fixture->iv,
+            'base64Key' => true,
+            'base64Iv' => true,
+        ]);
+
+        $encrypted = array_map( function ( $x ) { return $x->encrypted ; }, $fixture->items );
+        $encoded = array_map( function ( $x ) { return $x->encoded ; }, $fixture->items );
+
+        $encrypted = PresenceMessage::fromEncodedArray( $encrypted, $cipherParams );
+        $encoded = PresenceMessage::fromEncodedArray( $encoded );
+
+        foreach ($encrypted as $i => $decryptedExample) {
+            $decodedExample = $encoded[$i];
+            $this->assertEquals( $decodedExample->data, $decryptedExample->data,
+                                 'Expected unencrypted and decrypted message\'s contents to match' );
         }
     }
 
@@ -180,4 +246,4 @@ public function filenameProvider() {
             [ __DIR__ . '/../ably-common/test-resources/crypto-data-256.json'],
         ];
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/tests/TypesTest.php b/tests/TypesTest.php
index dea6045..4fc8b56 100644
--- a/tests/TypesTest.php
+++ b/tests/TypesTest.php
@@ -150,8 +150,9 @@ public function testClientOptionsType() {
 
         $co = new \Ably\Models\ClientOptions();
         $this->assertEquals( 4000, $co->httpOpenTimeout );
-        $this->assertEquals( 15000, $co->httpRequestTimeout );
+        $this->assertEquals( 10000, $co->httpRequestTimeout );
         $this->assertEquals( 3, $co->httpMaxRetryCount );
+        $this->assertEquals( 15000, $co->httpMaxRetryDuration );
     }
 
     public function testAuthOptionsType() {
@@ -261,4 +262,4 @@ public function testHttpPaginatedResponseType() {
             'headers',
         ] );
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}