diff --git a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpManager.java b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpManager.java
index 1cefaaf48..594c8377f 100644
--- a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpManager.java
+++ b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpManager.java
@@ -140,6 +140,15 @@ import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParserException;
  * {@link OpenPgpSelf}, which encapsulates your own OpenPGP identity. Both classes can be used to acquire information
  * about the OpenPGP keys of a user.
  *
+ * <h2>Elements</h2>
+ *
+ * OpenPGP for XMPP defines multiple different element classes which contain the users messages.
+ * The outermost element is the {@link OpenPgpElement}, which contains an OpenPGP encrypted content element.
+ *
+ * The content can be either a {@link SignElement}, {@link CryptElement} or {@link SigncryptElement}, depending on the use-case.
+ * Those content elements contain the actual payload. If an {@link OpenPgpElement} is decrypted, it will be returned in
+ * form of an {@link OpenPgpMessage}, which represents the decrypted message + metadata.
+ *
  * @see <a href="https://xmpp.org/extensions/xep-0373.html">
  *     XEP-0373: OpenPGP for XMPP</a>
  */
@@ -518,8 +527,21 @@ public final class OpenPgpManager extends Manager {
         }
     }
 
-    public OpenPgpMessage decryptOpenPgpElement(OpenPgpElement element, OpenPgpContact contact) throws SmackException.NotLoggedInException, IOException, PGPException {
-        return provider.decryptAndOrVerify(element, getOpenPgpSelf(), contact);
+    /**
+     * Decrypt and or verify an {@link OpenPgpElement} and return the decrypted {@link OpenPgpMessage}.
+     *
+     * @param element {@link OpenPgpElement} containing the message.
+     * @param sender {@link OpenPgpContact} who sent the message.
+     *
+     * @return decrypted and/or verified message
+     *
+     * @throws SmackException.NotLoggedInException in case we aren't logged in (we need to know our jid)
+     * @throws IOException IO error (reading keys, streams etc)
+     * @throws PGPException in case of an PGP error
+     */
+    public OpenPgpMessage decryptOpenPgpElement(OpenPgpElement element, OpenPgpContact sender)
+            throws SmackException.NotLoggedInException, IOException, PGPException {
+        return provider.decryptAndOrVerify(element, getOpenPgpSelf(), sender);
     }
 
     private final IncomingChatMessageListener incomingOpenPgpMessageListener =
diff --git a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpMessage.java b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpMessage.java
index 61176586b..b2472576b 100644
--- a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpMessage.java
+++ b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpMessage.java
@@ -31,7 +31,18 @@ import org.pgpainless.decryption_verification.OpenPgpMetadata;
 import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParserException;
 
 /**
- * This class embodies a decrypted {@link OpenPgpElement}.
+ * This class embodies a decrypted and/or verified {@link OpenPgpElement}.
+ * <br>
+ * The content can be one of the following three {@link OpenPgpContentElement}s:
+ * <br><br>
+ * {@link SignElement}: The content is expected to be signed with the senders key, but unencrypted.<br>
+ * {@link CryptElement}: The content is expected to be encrypted, but not signed.<br>
+ * {@link SigncryptElement}: The content is expected to be signed with the senders key and encrypted.<br>
+ * <br>
+ * To determine, of which nature the content of the message is, use {@link #getState()}. You should utilize this
+ * information to cast the return value of {@link #getOpenPgpContentElement()} correctly.
+ * <br>
+ * Use {@link #getMetadata()} in order to get information about the messages encryption status, its signatures etc.
  */
 public class OpenPgpMessage {
 
diff --git a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpSelf.java b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpSelf.java
index 38969af49..eeed7966a 100644
--- a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpSelf.java
+++ b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox/OpenPgpSelf.java
@@ -30,8 +30,18 @@ import org.jxmpp.jid.BareJid;
 import org.pgpainless.key.OpenPgpV4Fingerprint;
 import org.pgpainless.util.BCUtil;
 
+/**
+ * This class acts as our own OpenPGP identity. It can be seen as a special view on the {@link OpenPgpStore}, giving
+ * access to our own encryption keys etc.
+ */
 public class OpenPgpSelf extends OpenPgpContact {
 
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     *
+     * @param jid our own {@link BareJid}. This is needed to access our keys in the store.
+     * @param store the store.
+     */
     OpenPgpSelf(BareJid jid, OpenPgpStore store) {
         super(jid, store);
     }
diff --git a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox_im/OXInstantMessagingManager.java b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox_im/OXInstantMessagingManager.java
index 35964b17d..0056a121c 100644
--- a/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox_im/OXInstantMessagingManager.java
+++ b/smack-openpgp/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/ox_im/OXInstantMessagingManager.java
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.OpenPgpContact;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.OpenPgpManager;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.OpenPgpMessage;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.crypto.OpenPgpElementAndMetadata;
+import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.element.OpenPgpContentElement;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.element.OpenPgpElement;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.element.SigncryptElement;
 import org.jivesoftware.smackx.ox.listener.SigncryptElementReceivedListener;
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ import org.jxmpp.jid.BareJid;
 import org.jxmpp.jid.Jid;
 import org.pgpainless.decryption_verification.OpenPgpMetadata;
 import org.pgpainless.key.OpenPgpV4Fingerprint;
+import org.xmlpull.v1.XmlPullParserException;
 
 /**
  * Entry point of Smacks API for XEP-0374: OpenPGP for XMPP: Instant Messaging.
@@ -314,6 +316,33 @@ public final class OXInstantMessagingManager extends Manager {
         return encrypted;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Manually decrypt and verify an {@link OpenPgpElement}.
+     *
+     * @param element encrypted, signed {@link OpenPgpElement}.
+     * @param sender sender of the message.
+     *
+     * @return decrypted, verified message
+     *
+     * @throws SmackException.NotLoggedInException In case we are not logged in (we need our jid to access our keys)
+     * @throws PGPException in case of an PGP error
+     * @throws IOException in case of an IO error (reading keys, streams etc)
+     * @throws XmlPullParserException in case that the content of the {@link OpenPgpElement} is not a valid
+     * {@link OpenPgpContentElement} or broken XML.
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException if the elements content is not a {@link SigncryptElement}. This happens, if the
+     * element likely is not an OX message.
+     */
+    public OpenPgpMessage decryptAndVerify(OpenPgpElement element, OpenPgpContact sender)
+            throws SmackException.NotLoggedInException, PGPException, IOException, XmlPullParserException {
+
+        OpenPgpMessage decrypted = openPgpManager.decryptOpenPgpElement(element, sender);
+        if (decrypted.getState() != OpenPgpMessage.State.signcrypt) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Decrypted message does appear to not be an OX message. (State: " + decrypted.getState() + ")");
+        }
+
+        return decrypted;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Set a hint about the message being OX-IM encrypted as body of the message.
      *