diff --git a/examples/test.c b/examples/test.c
index 86fa17f..1b87c9e 100644
--- a/examples/test.c
+++ b/examples/test.c
@@ -25,41 +25,55 @@ static int answer_phone_version_message(skipstone_message_service *service,
 
 static int answer_music_message(skipstone_message_service *service,
         void *buf, uint16_t size, uint16_t id, void *context) {
-    skipstone_message *message;
+    uint8_t message[256];
+    ssize_t len;
 
     if (((uint8_t *)buf)[0] == 0x08) {
-        message = skipstone_message_new();
-        skipstone_message_append_uint8(message, 0x10);
-        skipstone_message_append_string(message, "KMFDM", 5);
-        skipstone_message_append_string(message, "Nihil", 5);
-        skipstone_message_append_string(message, "Ultra", 5);
-        skipstone_message_append_uint32(message, htole32(274));
-        skipstone_message_append_uint16(message, htole16(10));
-        skipstone_message_append_uint16(message, htole16(1));
-        skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, 32);
-        skipstone_message_destroy(message);
+        if ((len = skipstone_message_pack(message,
+                                          sizeof(message),
+                                          "CzzzLSS",
+                                          0x10,
+                                          "KMFDM",
+                                          "Nihil",
+                                          "Ultra")) < 0) {
+            goto error_message_pack;
+        }
 
-        message = skipstone_message_new();
-        skipstone_message_append_uint8(message, 0x11);
-        skipstone_message_append_uint8(message, 1);
-        skipstone_message_append_uint32(message, htole32(120));
-        skipstone_message_append_uint32(message, htole32(320));
-        skipstone_message_append_uint8(message, 1);
-        skipstone_message_append_uint8(message, 1);
-        skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, 32);
-        skipstone_message_destroy(message);
+        skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, len, 32);
 
-        message = skipstone_message_new();
-        skipstone_message_append_uint8(message, 0x13);
-        skipstone_message_append_string(message, "DeaDBeeF", 8);
-        skipstone_message_append_string(message, "DeaDBeeF", 8);
-        skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, 32);
-        skipstone_message_destroy(message);
+        if ((len = skipstone_message_pack(message,
+                                          sizeof(message),
+                                          "CCLLCC",
+                                          0x11,
+                                          1,
+                                          htole32(120),
+                                          htole32(120),
+                                          htole32(320),
+                                          1,
+                                          1)) < 0) {
+            goto error_message_pack;
+        }
+
+        skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, len, 32);
+
+        if ((len = skipstone_message_pack(message,
+                                          sizeof(message),
+                                          "Czz",
+                                          0x13,
+                                          "DeaDBeeF",
+                                          "DeaDBeeF")) < 0) {
+            goto error_message_pack;
+        }
+
+        skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, len, 32);
     } else {
         printf("Got playback command %02x\n", ((uint8_t *)buf)[0]);
     }
 
     return 0;
+
+error_message_pack:
+    return -1;
 }
 
 static int answer_phone_message(skipstone_message_service *service,
diff --git a/include/skipstone/message.h b/include/skipstone/message.h
index 52cfac1..d5778e0 100644
--- a/include/skipstone/message.h
+++ b/include/skipstone/message.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define _SKIPSTONE_MESSAGE_H
 
 #include <stdint.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
 
 #include <skipstone/link.h>
 #include <skipstone/map.h>
@@ -29,48 +30,33 @@ typedef struct _skipstone_message_service skipstone_message_service;
 typedef struct _skipstone_message skipstone_message;
 
 typedef int (skipstone_message_handler)(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        void *buf, uint16_t size, uint16_t id, void *context);
+                                        void *buf,
+                                        uint16_t size,
+                                        uint16_t id,
+                                        void *context);
 
-skipstone_message *skipstone_message_new();
-
-void skipstone_message_destroy(skipstone_message *message);
-
-uint16_t skipstone_message_size(skipstone_message *message);
-
-int skipstone_message_append_string(skipstone_message *message,
-        char *string, uint8_t size);
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint8(skipstone_message *message,
-        uint8_t value);
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint16(skipstone_message *message,
-        uint16_t value);
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint32(skipstone_message *message,
-        uint32_t value);
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint64(skipstone_message *message,
-        uint64_t value);
-
-int skipstone_message_pack(skipstone_message *message, void *buf);
+ssize_t skipstone_message_pack(void *message,
+                               size_t len,
+                               const char *template, ...);
 
 skipstone_message_service *skipstone_message_service_new();
 
 void skipstone_message_service_destroy(skipstone_message_service *service);
 
 int skipstone_message_service_register(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        uint16_t id, skipstone_message_handler *handler, void *context);
+                                       uint16_t id,
+                                       skipstone_message_handler *handler,
+                                       void *context);
 
 int skipstone_message_service_deregister(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        uint16_t id);
-
-int skipstone_message_service_queue_packed(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        void *buf, uint16_t size, uint16_t id);
+                                         uint16_t id);
 
 int skipstone_message_service_queue(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        skipstone_message *message, uint16_t id);
+                                    void *buf,
+                                    uint16_t size,
+                                    uint16_t id);
 
 int skipstone_message_service_next_event(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        skipstone_link *link, struct timeval *timeout);
+                                         skipstone_link *link, struct timeval *timeout);
 
 #endif /* _SKIPSTONE_MESSAGE_H */
diff --git a/src/message.c b/src/message.c
index 242999a..f803f93 100644
--- a/src/message.c
+++ b/src/message.c
@@ -1,20 +1,14 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdarg.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 #include <skipstone/link.h>
 #include <skipstone/map.h>
 #include <skipstone/queue.h>
 #include <skipstone/message.h>
 
-struct part {
-    uint8_t size;
-};
-
-struct _skipstone_message {
-    skipstone_queue *parts;
-    uint16_t size;
-};
-
 struct endpoint {
     skipstone_message_handler *handler;
     void *context;
@@ -27,157 +21,82 @@ struct _skipstone_message_service {
     void *buf;
 };
 
-skipstone_message *skipstone_message_new() {
-    skipstone_message *message;
-
-    if ((message = malloc(sizeof(*message))) == NULL) {
-        goto error_malloc_message;
+#define case_type(t, type_t) \
+    case t: { \
+        type_t v = va_arg(args, type_t); \
+        if (len < offset + sizeof(v)) { \
+            goto done; \
+        } else { \
+            memcpy((uint8_t *)message, &v, sizeof(v)); \
+            offset += sizeof(v); \
+        } \
+        break; \
     }
 
-    if ((message->parts = skipstone_queue_new()) == NULL) {
-        goto error_queue_new_parts;
+#define case_type_int(t, type_t) \
+    case t: { \
+        type_t v = (type_t)va_arg(args, int); \
+        if (len < offset + sizeof(v)) { \
+            goto done; \
+        } else { \
+            memcpy((uint8_t *)message, &v, sizeof(v)); \
+            offset += sizeof(v); \
+        } \
+        break; \
     }
 
-    message->size = 0;
+ssize_t skipstone_message_pack(void *message,
+                               size_t len,
+                               const char *template, ...) {
+    va_list args;
 
-    return message;
+    size_t offset = 0,
+           i;
 
-error_queue_new_parts:
-    free(message);
+    va_start(args, template);
 
-error_malloc_message:
-    return NULL;
-}
+    for (i=0; template[i]; i++) {
+        char c = template[i];
 
-void skipstone_message_destroy(skipstone_message *message) {
-    void *part;
+        switch (c) {
+            case_type_int('c', int8_t);
+            case_type_int('C', uint8_t);
+            case_type_int('s', int16_t);
+            case_type_int('S', uint16_t);
+            case_type('l', int32_t);
+            case_type('L', uint32_t);
+            case_type('q', int64_t);
+            case_type('Q', uint64_t);
 
-    while (skipstone_queue_remove(message->parts, &part)) {
-        free(part);
+            case 'z': {
+                char *value = va_arg(args, char *);
+                size_t sz = strlen(value);
+
+                if (len < offset + sz) {
+                    goto done;
+                }
+
+                memcpy((uint8_t *)message + offset, value, sz);
+
+                break;
+            }
+
+            default:
+                errno = EINVAL;
+
+                goto error_invalid_template;
+        }
     }
 
-    skipstone_queue_destroy(message->parts);
+    va_end(args);
 
-    free(message);
+done:
+    return offset;
 
-    return;
-}
-
-static int append_part(skipstone_message *message, void *buf, uint8_t size) {
-    struct part *part;
-
-    if ((part = malloc(sizeof(*part) + size)) == NULL) {
-        goto error_malloc_part;
-    }
-
-    part->size = size;
-
-    memcpy(part + 1, buf, size);
-
-    if (skipstone_queue_add(message->parts, part) < 0) {
-        goto error_queue_add_parts;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-
-error_queue_add_parts:
-    free(part);
-
-error_malloc_part:
+error_invalid_template:
     return -1;
 }
 
-int skipstone_message_append_string(skipstone_message *message,
-        char *string, uint8_t size) {
-    struct part *part;
-    uint8_t bodysz = sizeof(size) + size;
-
-    if ((part = malloc(sizeof(*part) + bodysz)) == NULL) {
-        goto error_malloc_part;
-    }
-
-    part->size = bodysz;
-
-    memcpy(part + 1,                               &size,  sizeof(size));
-    memcpy(((uint8_t *)(part + 1)) + sizeof(size), string, size);
-
-    if (skipstone_queue_add(message->parts, part) < 0) {
-        goto error_queue_add_part;
-    }
-
-    message->size += bodysz;
-
-    return 0;
-
-error_queue_add_part:
-    free(part);
-
-error_malloc_part:
-    return -1;
-}
-
-uint16_t skipstone_message_size(skipstone_message *message) {
-    return message->size;
-}
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint8(skipstone_message *message, uint8_t value) {
-    if (append_part(message, &value, sizeof(value)) < 0) {
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    message->size += sizeof(value);
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint16(skipstone_message *message, uint16_t value) {
-    if (append_part(message, &value, sizeof(value)) < 0) {
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    message->size += sizeof(value);
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint32(skipstone_message *message, uint32_t value) {
-    if (append_part(message, &value, sizeof(value)) < 0) {
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    message->size += sizeof(value);
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-int skipstone_message_append_uint64(skipstone_message *message, uint64_t value) {
-    if (append_part(message, &value, sizeof(value)) < 0) {
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    message->size += sizeof(value);
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
-int skipstone_message_pack(skipstone_message *message, void *buf) {
-    size_t offset = 0;
-
-    struct part *part;
-
-    if (message->size > SKIPSTONE_MESSAGE_MAX_PAYLOAD) {
-        return -1;
-    }
-
-    while (skipstone_queue_remove(message->parts, (void **)&part)) {
-        memcpy(((uint8_t *)buf) + offset, part + 1, part->size);
-
-        offset += part->size;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-}
-
 skipstone_message_service *skipstone_message_service_new() {
     skipstone_message_service *service;
 
@@ -213,14 +132,8 @@ error_malloc_service:
 }
 
 void skipstone_message_service_destroy(skipstone_message_service *service) {
-    skipstone_message *message;
-
     skipstone_map_destroy(service->endpoints, free);
 
-    while (skipstone_queue_remove(service->pending, (void **)&message)) {
-        skipstone_message_destroy(message);
-    }
-
     skipstone_queue_destroy(service->pending);
 
     free(service->buf);
@@ -248,12 +161,15 @@ error_malloc_endpoint:
     return -1;
 }
 
-int skipstone_message_service_deregister(skipstone_message_service *service, uint16_t id) {
+int skipstone_message_service_deregister(skipstone_message_service *service,
+                                         uint16_t id) {
     return skipstone_map_set((skipstone_map *)service, id, NULL);
 }
 
-int skipstone_message_service_queue_packed(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        void *buf, uint16_t size, uint16_t id) {
+int skipstone_message_service_queue(skipstone_message_service *service,
+                                    void *buf,
+                                    uint16_t size,
+                                    uint16_t id) {
     skipstone_message_header *message;
 
     if ((message = malloc(sizeof(*message) + size)) == NULL) {
@@ -278,37 +194,9 @@ error_malloc_message:
     return -1;
 }
 
-int skipstone_message_service_queue(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        skipstone_message *message, uint16_t id) {
-    skipstone_message_header *packed;
-
-    if ((packed = malloc(sizeof(*packed) + message->size)) == NULL) {
-        goto error_malloc_packed;
-    }
-
-    packed->size = message->size;
-    packed->id   = id;
-
-    if (skipstone_message_pack(message, packed + 1) < 0) {
-        goto error_pack;
-    }
-
-    if (skipstone_queue_add(service->pending, packed) < 0) {
-        goto error_queue_add_pending;
-    }
-
-    return 0;
-
-error_queue_add_pending:
-error_pack:
-    free(message);
-
-error_malloc_packed:
-    return -1;
-}
-
 int skipstone_message_service_next_event(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        skipstone_link *link, struct timeval *timeout) {
+                                         skipstone_link *link,
+                                         struct timeval *timeout) {
     skipstone_message_header *message;
     struct endpoint *endpoint;
     uint16_t size, id;
diff --git a/src/system.c b/src/system.c
index c971083..02d7b29 100644
--- a/src/system.c
+++ b/src/system.c
@@ -6,34 +6,35 @@
 #include "util.h"
 
 int skipstone_system_send_client_version(skipstone_message_service *service,
-        uint32_t flags) {
-    skipstone_message *message;
+                                         uint32_t flags) {
+    uint8_t message[25];
+    ssize_t len;
 
-    if ((message = skipstone_message_new()) == NULL) {
-        goto error_message_new;
+    if ((len = skipstone_message_pack(message,
+                                      sizeof(message),
+                                      "CLLLCCCCQ",
+                                      SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_VERSION_RESPONSE,
+                                      htobe32(SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_PROTOCOL),
+                                      htobe32(SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_SESSION_GAMMA_RAY),
+                                      htobe32(flags),
+                                      2,
+                                      SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_CLIENT_MAJOR,
+                                      SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_CLIENT_MINOR,
+                                      SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_CLIENT_BUGFIX,
+                                      htobe64(SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_PROTOCOL_CAPS))) < 0) {
+        goto error_message_pack;
     }
 
-    skipstone_message_append_uint8( message, SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_VERSION_RESPONSE);
-    skipstone_message_append_uint32(message, htobe32(SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_PROTOCOL));
-    skipstone_message_append_uint32(message, htobe32(SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_SESSION_GAMMA_RAY));
-    skipstone_message_append_uint32(message, htobe32(flags));
-    skipstone_message_append_uint8( message, 2);
-    skipstone_message_append_uint8( message, SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_CLIENT_MAJOR);
-    skipstone_message_append_uint8( message, SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_CLIENT_MINOR);
-    skipstone_message_append_uint8( message, SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_CLIENT_BUGFIX);
-    skipstone_message_append_uint64(message, htobe64(SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_PROTOCOL_CAPS));
-
-    if (skipstone_message_service_queue(service, message, SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_ENDPOINT_PHONE_VERSION) < 0) {
+    if (skipstone_message_service_queue(service,
+                                        message,
+                                        (uint16_t)len,
+                                        SKIPSTONE_SYSTEM_ENDPOINT_PHONE_VERSION) < 0) {
         goto error_message_service_queue;
     }
 
-    skipstone_message_destroy(message);
-
     return 0;
 
 error_message_service_queue:
-    skipstone_message_destroy(message);
-
-error_message_new:
+error_message_pack:
     return -1;
 }