diff --git a/router/handler_ctrl/dial.go b/router/handler_ctrl/dial.go
index 16fc37644..134c7fa1e 100644
--- a/router/handler_ctrl/dial.go
+++ b/router/handler_ctrl/dial.go
@@ -66,7 +66,8 @@ func (self *dialHandler) handle(msg *channel2.Message, _ channel2.Channel) {
 	if err := proto.Unmarshal(msg.Body, dial); err == nil {
 		linkId := self.id.ShallowCloneWithNewToken(dial.LinkId)
 		if len(self.dialers) == 1 {
-			if err := self.dialers[0].Dial(dial.Address, linkId); err == nil {
+			logrus.Infof("dialing link to [r/%s]", dial.RouterId)
+			if err := self.dialers[0].Dial(dial.Address, linkId, self.id.Token); err == nil {
 				if err := self.sendLinkMessage(linkId); err != nil {
 					logrus.Errorf("error sending link message [l/%s] (%v)", linkId.Token, err)
 				}
diff --git a/router/xlink/xlink.go b/router/xlink/xlink.go
index 959b1b3db..f32d0da9c 100644
--- a/router/xlink/xlink.go
+++ b/router/xlink/xlink.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ type Accepter interface {
 }
 
 type Dialer interface {
-	Dial(address string, id *identity.TokenId) error
+	Dial(address string, id *identity.TokenId, routerId string) error
 }
 
 type Xlink interface {
diff --git a/router/xlink_transport/dialer.go b/router/xlink_transport/dialer.go
index ab588a6b7..1f7b89b19 100644
--- a/router/xlink_transport/dialer.go
+++ b/router/xlink_transport/dialer.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 )
 
-func (self *dialer) Dial(addressString string, linkId *identity.TokenId) error {
+func (self *dialer) Dial(addressString string, linkId *identity.TokenId, routerId string) error {
 	address, err := transport.ParseAddress(addressString)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error parsing link address [%s] (%w)", addressString, err)
@@ -36,8 +36,9 @@ func (self *dialer) Dial(addressString string, linkId *identity.TokenId) error {
 	connId := uuid.New().String()
 
 	payloadDialer := channel2.NewClassicDialer(linkId, address, map[int32][]byte{
-		LinkHeaderConnId: []byte(connId),
-		LinkHeaderType:   {PayloadChannel},
+		LinkHeaderRouterId: []byte(routerId),
+		LinkHeaderConnId:   []byte(connId),
+		LinkHeaderType:     {PayloadChannel},
 	})
 
 	logrus.Infof("dialing payload channel for link [l/%s]", linkId.Token)
diff --git a/router/xlink_transport/factory.go b/router/xlink_transport/factory.go
index 4cefeb387..416790be7 100644
--- a/router/xlink_transport/factory.go
+++ b/router/xlink_transport/factory.go
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	LinkHeaderConnId = 0
-	LinkHeaderType   = 1
+	LinkHeaderConnId   = 0
+	LinkHeaderType     = 1
+	LinkHeaderRouterId = 2
 
 	PayloadChannel = 1
 	AckChannel     = 2
diff --git a/router/xlink_transport/listener.go b/router/xlink_transport/listener.go
index 1a7e613ef..cd444c322 100644
--- a/router/xlink_transport/listener.go
+++ b/router/xlink_transport/listener.go
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ func (self *listener) acceptLoop() {
 		headers := ch.Underlay().Headers()
 		channelType := byte(0)
 		if headers != nil {
+			if v, ok := headers[LinkHeaderRouterId]; ok {
+				logrus.Infof("accepting link from [r/%s]", string(v))
+			}
 			if val, ok := headers[LinkHeaderType]; ok {
 				channelType = val[0]
 			}