diff --git a/src/proxy/index.js b/src/proxy/index.js
index f504a10a..cce66961 100644
--- a/src/proxy/index.js
+++ b/src/proxy/index.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /* eslint-disable max-len */
 const proxyApp = require('express')();
 const bodyParser = require('body-parser');
-const routes = require('./routes');
+const routes = require('./routes').router;
 const config = require('../config');
 const db = require('../db');
 const { GIT_PROXY_SERVER_PORT: proxyHttpPort } = require('../config/env').Vars;
diff --git a/src/proxy/routes/index.js b/src/proxy/routes/index.js
index 142e5648..a451e9fa 100644
--- a/src/proxy/routes/index.js
+++ b/src/proxy/routes/index.js
@@ -39,12 +39,7 @@ router.use(
             message = action.blockedMessage;
           }
 
-          // ERROR PCT LINE -- MOVE THIS TO HELPER
-          const errorMessage = `ERR\t${message}`;
-          const len = 6 + errorMessage.length;
-
-          const prefix = len.toString(16);
-          const packetMessage = `00${prefix}\x02${errorMessage}\n0000`;
+          packetMessage = handleMessage(message);
 
           res.status(200).send(packetMessage);
 
@@ -69,4 +64,13 @@ router.use(
   }),
 );
 
-module.exports = router;
+const handleMessage = async(message) => {
+  const errorMessage = `ERR\t${message}`;
+  const len = 6 + new TextEncoder().encode(errorMessage).length;
+
+  const prefix = len.toString(16);
+  const packetMessage = `${prefix.padStart(4, '0')}\x02${errorMessage}\n0000`;
+  return packetMessage
+}
+
+module.exports = {router, handleMessage};
diff --git a/test/testProxyRoute.js b/test/testProxyRoute.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c9869030
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testProxyRoute.js
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+
+const handleMessage = require('../src/proxy/routes').handleMessage;
+const chai = require('chai');
+
+const expect = chai.expect;
+
+// Use this test as a template
+describe('proxy error messages', async () => {
+
+  it('should handle short messages', async function () {
+    const res = await handleMessage('one');
+    expect(res).to.contain('one');
+  });
+
+  it('should handle emoji messages', async function () {
+    const res = await handleMessage('❌ push failed: too many errors');
+    expect(res).to.contain('❌');
+  });
+});