diff --git a/src/curve_client.cpp b/src/curve_client.cpp
index c811d3c3..cf293189 100644
--- a/src/curve_client.cpp
+++ b/src/curve_client.cpp
@@ -399,8 +399,8 @@ int zmq::curve_client_t::process_ready (msg_t *msg_)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    rc = parse_properties (ready_plaintext + crypto_box_ZEROBYTES,
-                           clen - crypto_box_ZEROBYTES);
+    rc = parse_metadata (ready_plaintext + crypto_box_ZEROBYTES,
+                         clen - crypto_box_ZEROBYTES);
     return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/curve_server.cpp b/src/curve_server.cpp
index 16c7d1e4..1fdcca42 100644
--- a/src/curve_server.cpp
+++ b/src/curve_server.cpp
@@ -441,8 +441,8 @@ int zmq::curve_server_t::process_initiate (msg_t *msg_)
         }
     }
 
-    return parse_properties (initiate_plaintext + crypto_box_ZEROBYTES + 96,
-                             clen - crypto_box_ZEROBYTES - 96);
+    return parse_metadata (initiate_plaintext + crypto_box_ZEROBYTES + 96,
+                           clen - crypto_box_ZEROBYTES - 96);
 }
 
 int zmq::curve_server_t::ready_msg (msg_t *msg_)
diff --git a/src/mechanism.cpp b/src/mechanism.cpp
index bee0a00c..0d4627c2 100644
--- a/src/mechanism.cpp
+++ b/src/mechanism.cpp
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ size_t zmq::mechanism_t::add_property (unsigned char *ptr, const char *name,
     return 1 + name_len + 4 + value_len;
 }
 
-int zmq::mechanism_t::parse_properties (const unsigned char *ptr_,
-                                        size_t length_)
+int zmq::mechanism_t::parse_metadata (const unsigned char *ptr_,
+                                      size_t length_)
 {
     size_t bytes_left = length_;
 
diff --git a/src/mechanism.hpp b/src/mechanism.hpp
index a5d94986..77c7749e 100644
--- a/src/mechanism.hpp
+++ b/src/mechanism.hpp
@@ -69,14 +69,16 @@ namespace zmq
         size_t add_property (unsigned char *ptr, const char *name,
             const void *value, size_t value_len) const;
 
-        //  Parse a list of properties. Returns 0 on success
-        //  and -1 on error, in which case errno is set.
-        int parse_properties (const unsigned char *ptr_, size_t length);
+        //  Parses a metadata.
+        //  Metadata consists of a list of properties consisting of
+        //  name and value as size-specified strings.
+        //  Returns 0 on success and -1 on error, in which case errno is set.
+        int parse_metadata (const unsigned char *ptr_, size_t length);
 
         //  This is called by parse_property method whenever it
         //  parses a new property. The function should return 0
         //  on success and -1 on error, in which case it should
-        //  set errno. Signaling error prevetns parser from
+        //  set errno. Signaling error prevents parser from
         //  parsing remaining data.
         //  Derived classes are supposed to override this
         //  method to handle custom processing.
diff --git a/src/null_mechanism.cpp b/src/null_mechanism.cpp
index ea1c5eca..c95828f8 100644
--- a/src/null_mechanism.cpp
+++ b/src/null_mechanism.cpp
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ int zmq::null_mechanism_t::process_handshake_message (msg_t *msg_)
     ptr += 8;
     bytes_left -= 8;
 
-    int rc = parse_properties (ptr, bytes_left);
+    int rc = parse_metadata (ptr, bytes_left);
     if (rc == 0) {
         int rc = msg_->close ();
         errno_assert (rc == 0);
diff --git a/src/plain_mechanism.cpp b/src/plain_mechanism.cpp
index 0cba5e4c..063325db 100644
--- a/src/plain_mechanism.cpp
+++ b/src/plain_mechanism.cpp
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ int zmq::plain_mechanism_t::process_initiate_command (msg_t *msg_)
         errno = EPROTO;
         return -1;
     }
-    return parse_properties (ptr + 8, bytes_left - 8);
+    return parse_metadata (ptr + 8, bytes_left - 8);
 }
 
 int zmq::plain_mechanism_t::ready_command (msg_t *msg_) const
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ int zmq::plain_mechanism_t::process_ready_command (msg_t *msg_)
         errno = EPROTO;
         return -1;
     }
-    return parse_properties (ptr + 8, bytes_left - 8);
+    return parse_metadata (ptr + 8, bytes_left - 8);
 }
 
 void zmq::plain_mechanism_t::send_zap_request (const std::string &username,