diff --git a/libp2p/__init__.py b/libp2p/__init__.py
index 9510e23..32fa008 100644
--- a/libp2p/__init__.py
+++ b/libp2p/__init__.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ def initialize_default_kademlia_router(ksize=20, alpha=3, id_opt=None, storage=N
     if not id_opt:
         id_opt = generate_id()
 
-    node_id = id_opt
+    node_id = id_opt.to_bytes()
     server = KademliaServer(ksize=ksize, alpha=alpha, node_id=node_id, storage=storage)
     return KadmeliaPeerRouter(server)
 
diff --git a/libp2p/kademlia/kad_peerinfo.py b/libp2p/kademlia/kad_peerinfo.py
index 1468677..f1bffce 100644
--- a/libp2p/kademlia/kad_peerinfo.py
+++ b/libp2p/kademlia/kad_peerinfo.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ class KadPeerInfo(PeerInfo):
     def __init__(self, peer_id, peer_data=None):
         super(KadPeerInfo, self).__init__(peer_id, peer_data)
 
-        self.peer_id = peer_id
+        self.peer_id = peer_id.to_bytes()
         self.xor_id = peer_id.xor_id
 
         self.addrs = peer_data.get_addrs() if peer_data else None
@@ -136,8 +136,8 @@ class KadPeerHeap:
     def get_uncontacted(self):
         return [n for n in self if n.peer_id not in self.contacted]
 
-def create_kad_peerinfo(node_id=None, sender_ip=None, sender_port=None):
-    node_id = node_id if node_id else ID(digest(random.getrandbits(255)))
+def create_kad_peerinfo(node_id_bytes=None, sender_ip=None, sender_port=None):
+    node_id = ID(node_id_bytes) if node_id_bytes else ID(digest(random.getrandbits(255)))
     peer_data = None
     if sender_ip and sender_port:
         peer_data = PeerData()  # pylint: disable=no-value-for-parameter
diff --git a/libp2p/peer/id.py b/libp2p/peer/id.py
index 62374d4..4918c2c 100644
--- a/libp2p/peer/id.py
+++ b/libp2p/peer/id.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ MAX_INLINE_KEY_LENGTH = 42
 class ID:
 
     _bytes: bytes
-    _xor_id: int
+    _xor_id: int = None
 
     def __init__(self, peer_id_bytes: bytes) -> None:
         self._bytes = peer_id_bytes
diff --git a/tests/routing/test_kad_peer_router.py b/tests/routing/test_kad_peer_router.py
index 0581544..3e5c19d 100644
--- a/tests/routing/test_kad_peer_router.py
+++ b/tests/routing/test_kad_peer_router.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
+from libp2p.peer.id import ID
 from libp2p.kademlia.network import KademliaServer
 from libp2p.routing.kademlia.kademlia_peer_router import KadmeliaPeerRouter
 
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ async def test_simple_two_nodes():
     await node_a.set(node_a_kad_peerinfo.xor_id, repr(node_a_kad_peerinfo))
 
     router = KadmeliaPeerRouter(node_b)
-    returned_info = await router.find_peer(node_a_kad_peerinfo.peer_id_obj)
+    returned_info = await router.find_peer(ID(node_a_kad_peerinfo.peer_id))
     print(repr(returned_info))
     print(repr(node_a_kad_peerinfo))
     assert repr(returned_info) == repr(node_a_kad_peerinfo)
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ async def test_simple_three_nodes():
     await node_a.set(node_a_kad_peerinfo.xor_id, repr(node_a_kad_peerinfo))
 
     router = KadmeliaPeerRouter(node_c)
-    returned_info = await router.find_peer(node_a_kad_peerinfo.peer_id_obj)
+    returned_info = await router.find_peer(ID(node_a_kad_peerinfo.peer_id))
     assert str(returned_info) == str(node_a_kad_peerinfo)
 
 
@@ -69,5 +70,5 @@ async def test_simple_four_nodes():
     await node_b.set(node_a_kad_peerinfo.xor_id, repr(node_a_kad_peerinfo))
 
     router = KadmeliaPeerRouter(node_d)
-    returned_info = await router.find_peer(node_a_kad_peerinfo.peer_id_obj)
+    returned_info = await router.find_peer(ID(node_a_kad_peerinfo.peer_id))
     assert str(returned_info) == str(node_a_kad_peerinfo)