diff --git a/core/message.h b/core/message.h
index 190b89d..68651cc 100644
--- a/core/message.h
+++ b/core/message.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ int ipc_message_read (int fd, struct ipc_message *m);
 // write a structure msg to fd
 int ipc_message_write (int fd, const struct ipc_message *m);
 
+int ipc_message_format (struct ipc_message *m, char type, const char *payload, ssize_t length);
 int ipc_message_format_data (struct ipc_message *m, const char *payload, ssize_t length);
 int ipc_message_format_server_close (struct ipc_message *m);
 
diff --git a/pong/app/Makefile b/pong/app/Makefile
index 1c7936c..2050902 100644
--- a/pong/app/Makefile
+++ b/pong/app/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 CC=gcc
 CFLAGS=-Wall -g -Wextra
-LDFLAGS= -pthread
+LDFLAGS= -pthread -lreadline
 CFILES=$(wildcard *.c) # CFILES => recompiles everything on a C file change
 EXEC=$(basename $(wildcard *.c))
 SOURCES=$(wildcard ../lib/*.c ../../core/*.c)
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ test:
 	./pongd.bin
 
 $(EXEC): $(OBJECTS) $(CFILES)
-	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(LDFLAGS) $(OBJECTS) $@.c -o $@.bin
+	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) $(OBJECTS) $@.c -o $@.bin $(LDFLAGS)
 
 .c.o:
 	$(CC) -c $(CFLAGS) $< -o $@
diff --git a/pong/app/ipc-debug.c b/pong/app/ipc-debug.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..682ae0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pong/app/ipc-debug.c
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <readline/readline.h>
+#include <readline/history.h>
+
+#include "../../core/communication.h"
+#include "../../core/error.h"
+
+#define SERVICE_NAME "pongd"
+
+void interactive (char * service_name, char *env[])
+{
+    struct ipc_message m;
+    memset (&m, 0, sizeof (struct ipc_message));
+    struct ipc_service srv;
+    memset (&srv, 0, sizeof (struct ipc_service));
+
+    // index and version should be filled
+    srv.index = 0;
+    srv.version = 0;
+
+    // init service
+    if (ipc_application_connection (env, &srv, service_name) < 0) {
+        handle_err ("main", "ipc_application_connection < 0");
+        exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+
+	char msg_type = 0;
+
+    while (1) {
+        char * mtype_str = readline("msg type: ");
+		sscanf(mtype_str, "%c", &msg_type);
+		free(mtype_str);
+
+        char * buf = readline ("msg:      ");
+        if (strlen(buf) == 0 || strncmp (buf, "exit", 4) == 0)
+            break;
+
+        ipc_message_format (&m, msg_type, buf, strlen(buf));
+        memset (buf, 0, BUFSIZ);
+
+        // print_msg (&m);
+
+        if (ipc_application_write (&srv, &m) < 0) {
+            handle_err("main", "application_write < 0");
+            exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+        ipc_message_empty (&m);
+
+        if (ipc_application_read (&srv, &m) < 0) {
+            handle_err("main", "application_read < 0");
+            exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
+        }
+
+        printf ("msg recv: %s", m.payload);
+        ipc_message_empty (&m);
+    }
+
+	if (ipc_application_close (&srv) < 0) {
+        handle_err("main", "application_close < 0");
+        exit (EXIT_FAILURE);
+    }
+}
+
+int main (int argc, char *argv[], char *env[])
+{
+	argc = argc; // warnings
+	argv = argv; // warnings
+
+	char service_name[100];
+
+	if (argc != 1) {
+		ssize_t t = strlen(argv[1]) > 100 ? 100 : strlen(argv[1]);
+		memcpy(service_name, argv[1], t);
+	}
+
+	interactive (service_name, env);
+
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}