diff --git a/src/network/server.rs b/src/network/server.rs
index 8bce7fc4..dc0e912d 100644
--- a/src/network/server.rs
+++ b/src/network/server.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ use crate::core::error::HubError;
 use crate::proto::hub_event::HubEvent;
 use crate::proto::msg as message;
 use crate::proto::rpc::hub_service_server::HubService;
-use crate::proto::rpc::{BlocksRequest, ShardChunksRequest, ShardChunksResponse, SubscribeRequest};
+use crate::proto::rpc::{
+    BlocksRequest, LegacyMessage, ShardChunksRequest, ShardChunksResponse, SubscribeRequest,
+};
 use crate::proto::snapchain::Block;
 use crate::storage::db::PageOptions;
 use crate::storage::store::engine::{MempoolMessage, Senders};
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ use crate::storage::store::stores::Stores;
 use crate::storage::store::BlockStore;
 use crate::utils::statsd_wrapper::StatsdClientWrapper;
 use hex::ToHex;
+use prost::Message;
 use tokio::sync::mpsc;
 use tokio_stream::wrappers::ReceiverStream;
 use tonic::{Request, Response, Status};
@@ -47,6 +50,49 @@ impl MyHubService {
 
 #[tonic::async_trait]
 impl HubService for MyHubService {
+    async fn submit_legacy_message(
+        &self,
+        request: Request<LegacyMessage>,
+    ) -> Result<Response<LegacyMessage>, Status> {
+        let start_time = std::time::Instant::now();
+
+        info!("Received call to [submit_legacy_message] RPC");
+
+        let message = message::Message::decode(request.get_ref().data.as_slice())
+            .map_err(|err| Status::from_error(Box::new(err)))?;
+
+        if message.data_bytes.is_none() {
+            return Err(Status::from_error(Box::new(HubError::validation_failure(
+                "legacy message must have data_bytes",
+            ))));
+        }
+
+        let result = self
+            .message_tx
+            .send(MempoolMessage::UserMessage(message.clone()))
+            .await;
+
+        // Use the same metrics-- we will use legacy messages for performance tests
+        match result {
+            Ok(_) => {
+                self.statsd_client.count("rpc.submit_message.success", 1);
+            }
+            Err(_) => {
+                self.statsd_client.count("rpc.submit_message.failure", 1);
+                return Err(Status::internal("failed to submit message"));
+            }
+        }
+
+        let elapsed = start_time.elapsed().as_millis();
+
+        let response = Response::new(request.into_inner());
+
+        self.statsd_client
+            .time("rpc.submit_message.duration", elapsed as u64);
+
+        Ok(response)
+    }
+
     async fn submit_message(
         &self,
         request: Request<message::Message>,
diff --git a/src/proto/rpc.proto b/src/proto/rpc.proto
index 4bd63b24..8f42315b 100644
--- a/src/proto/rpc.proto
+++ b/src/proto/rpc.proto
@@ -29,8 +29,16 @@ message SubscribeRequest {
   optional uint32 shard_index = 5;
 }
 
+/** 
+  * This message exists to support uploading messages from existing hubs to new snapchain nodes via HubRpcClient
+  */
+message LegacyMessage {
+  bytes data = 1;
+}
+
 service HubService {
   rpc SubmitMessage(msg.Message) returns (msg.Message);
+  rpc SubmitLegacyMessage(LegacyMessage) returns (LegacyMessage);
   rpc GetBlocks(BlocksRequest) returns (stream snapchain.Block);
   rpc GetShardChunks(ShardChunksRequest) returns (ShardChunksResponse);
   rpc Subscribe(SubscribeRequest) returns (stream hub_event.HubEvent);