diff --git a/server/internal/session/session.go b/server/internal/session/session.go
index 2a858f68..76d7eff6 100644
--- a/server/internal/session/session.go
+++ b/server/internal/session/session.go
@@ -68,6 +68,12 @@ func (session *SessionCtx) IsHost() bool {
 	return session.manager.isHost(session)
 }
 
+// only needed for legacy webrtc handler
+func (session *SessionCtx) LegacyIsHost() bool {
+	implicitHosting := session.manager.Settings().ImplicitHosting
+	return !(!implicitHosting && !session.manager.isHost(session)) || (implicitHosting && !session.profile.CanHost)
+}
+
 func (session *SessionCtx) SetAsHost() {
 	session.manager.setHost(session, session)
 }
diff --git a/server/internal/webrtc/legacyhandler.go b/server/internal/webrtc/legacyhandler.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c085b3e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/internal/webrtc/legacyhandler.go
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+package webrtc
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"strconv"
+
+	"github.com/demodesk/neko/pkg/types"
+	"github.com/rs/zerolog"
+)
+
+const (
+	OP_MOVE     = 0x01
+	OP_SCROLL   = 0x02
+	OP_KEY_DOWN = 0x03
+	OP_KEY_UP   = 0x04
+	OP_KEY_CLK  = 0x05
+)
+
+type PayloadHeader struct {
+	Event  uint8
+	Length uint16
+}
+
+type PayloadMove struct {
+	PayloadHeader
+	X uint16
+	Y uint16
+}
+
+type PayloadScroll struct {
+	PayloadHeader
+	X int16
+	Y int16
+}
+
+type PayloadKey struct {
+	PayloadHeader
+	Key uint64 // TODO: uint32
+}
+
+func (manager *WebRTCManagerCtx) handleLegacy(
+	logger zerolog.Logger, data []byte,
+	session types.Session,
+) error {
+	// continue only if session is host
+	if !session.LegacyIsHost() {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	buffer := bytes.NewBuffer(data)
+	header := &PayloadHeader{}
+	hbytes := make([]byte, 3)
+
+	if _, err := buffer.Read(hbytes); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := binary.Read(bytes.NewBuffer(hbytes), binary.LittleEndian, header); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	buffer = bytes.NewBuffer(data)
+
+	switch header.Event {
+	case OP_MOVE:
+		payload := &PayloadMove{}
+		if err := binary.Read(buffer, binary.LittleEndian, payload); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		manager.desktop.Move(int(payload.X), int(payload.Y))
+	case OP_SCROLL:
+		payload := &PayloadScroll{}
+		if err := binary.Read(buffer, binary.LittleEndian, payload); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		logger.
+			Debug().
+			Str("x", strconv.Itoa(int(payload.X))).
+			Str("y", strconv.Itoa(int(payload.Y))).
+			Msg("scroll")
+
+		manager.desktop.Scroll(int(payload.X), int(payload.Y), false)
+	case OP_KEY_DOWN:
+		payload := &PayloadKey{}
+		if err := binary.Read(buffer, binary.LittleEndian, payload); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if payload.Key < 8 {
+			err := manager.desktop.ButtonDown(uint32(payload.Key))
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Warn().Err(err).Msg("button down failed")
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			logger.Debug().Msgf("button down %d", payload.Key)
+		} else {
+			err := manager.desktop.KeyDown(uint32(payload.Key))
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Warn().Err(err).Msg("key down failed")
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			logger.Debug().Msgf("key down %d", payload.Key)
+		}
+	case OP_KEY_UP:
+		payload := &PayloadKey{}
+		err := binary.Read(buffer, binary.LittleEndian, payload)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		if payload.Key < 8 {
+			err := manager.desktop.ButtonUp(uint32(payload.Key))
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Warn().Err(err).Msg("button up failed")
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			logger.Debug().Msgf("button up %d", payload.Key)
+		} else {
+			err := manager.desktop.KeyUp(uint32(payload.Key))
+			if err != nil {
+				logger.Warn().Err(err).Msg("key up failed")
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			logger.Debug().Msgf("key up %d", payload.Key)
+		}
+	case OP_KEY_CLK:
+		// unused
+		break
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/server/internal/webrtc/manager.go b/server/internal/webrtc/manager.go
index 5412c9e7..af4161a5 100644
--- a/server/internal/webrtc/manager.go
+++ b/server/internal/webrtc/manager.go
@@ -470,6 +470,21 @@ func (manager *WebRTCManagerCtx) CreatePeer(session types.Session) (*webrtc.Sess
 
 	connection.OnDataChannel(func(dc *webrtc.DataChannel) {
 		logger.Info().Interface("data_channel", dc).Msg("got remote data channel")
+
+		//
+		// old implementation created a new data channel on client side
+		// new implementation creates a new data channel on server side
+		//
+
+		// handle legacy data channel
+		dc.OnMessage(func(message webrtc.DataChannelMessage) {
+			if err := manager.handleLegacy(logger, message.Data, session); err != nil {
+				logger.Err(err).Msg("data handle failed")
+			}
+		})
+
+		// handle legacy data channel
+		peer.dataChannel = dc
 	})
 
 	var once sync.Once
diff --git a/server/pkg/types/session.go b/server/pkg/types/session.go
index 4ec4085c..e03ef235 100644
--- a/server/pkg/types/session.go
+++ b/server/pkg/types/session.go
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ type Session interface {
 	Profile() MemberProfile
 	State() SessionState
 	IsHost() bool
+	LegacyIsHost() bool
 	SetAsHost()
 	SetAsHostBy(session Session)
 	ClearHost()