diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3f6bd15ea8..9a78613a7f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ Post 1.0.0 release, the changelog format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://
 
 - dkg rerun from scratch and dkg-specific epochs ([#2839])
 - nym-sdk: add support for surb storage ([#2870])
+- nym-sdk: enable reply-SURBs by default ([#2874])
 
 [#2839]: https://github.com/nymtech/nym/pull/2839
 [#2870]: https://github.com/nymtech/nym/pull/2870
+[#2874]: https://github.com/nymtech/nym/pull/2874
 
 
 ## [v1.1.6] (2023-01-17)
diff --git a/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple.rs b/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple.rs
index 99393c7a4c..d11d4c85a6 100644
--- a/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple.rs
+++ b/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ async fn main() {
         .send_str(&our_address.to_string(), "hello there")
         .await;
 
-    println!("Waiting for message");
+    println!("Waiting for message (ctrl-c to exit)");
     client
         .on_messages(|msg| println!("Received: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&msg.message)))
         .await;
diff --git a/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple_but_manually_connect.rs b/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple_but_manually_connect.rs
index 96b79a3c24..453ae795bd 100644
--- a/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple_but_manually_connect.rs
+++ b/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/examples/simple_but_manually_connect.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ async fn main() {
         .await;
 
     println!("Waiting for message");
-    client
-        .on_messages(|msg| println!("Received: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&msg.message)))
-        .await;
+    if let Some(received) = client.wait_for_messages().await {
+        for r in received {
+            println!("Received: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&r.message));
+        }
+    }
+
+    client.disconnect().await;
 }
diff --git a/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/src/mixnet/client.rs b/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/src/mixnet/client.rs
index c9088793eb..9a7df7ee96 100644
--- a/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/src/mixnet/client.rs
+++ b/sdk/rust/nym-sdk/src/mixnet/client.rs
@@ -346,15 +346,30 @@ impl MixnetClient {
 
     /// Sends stringy data to the supplied Nym address
     pub async fn send_str(&self, address: &str, message: &str) {
-        log::debug!("send_str");
+        let message_bytes = message.to_string().into_bytes();
+        self.send_bytes(address, message_bytes).await;
+    }
+
+    /// Sends stringy data to the supplied Nym address, and skip sending reply-SURBs
+    pub async fn send_str_direct(&self, address: &str, message: &str) {
         let message_bytes = message.to_string().into_bytes();
         self.send_bytes(address, message_bytes).await;
     }
 
     /// Sends bytes to the supplied Nym address
     pub async fn send_bytes(&self, address: &str, message: Vec<u8>) {
-        log::debug!("send_bytes");
+        let lane = TransmissionLane::General;
+        let recipient = Recipient::try_from_base58_string(address).unwrap();
+        let input_msg = InputMessage::new_anonymous(recipient, message, 20, lane);
+        self.client_input
+            .input_sender
+            .send(input_msg)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+    }
 
+    /// Sends bytes to the supplied Nym address, and skip sending reply-SURBs
+    pub async fn send_bytes_direct(&self, address: &str, message: Vec<u8>) {
         let lane = TransmissionLane::General;
         let recipient = Recipient::try_from_base58_string(address).unwrap();
         let input_msg = InputMessage::new_regular(recipient, message, lane);