diff --git a/llarp/handlers/tun.cpp b/llarp/handlers/tun.cpp
index 940570dda..38b611c22 100644
--- a/llarp/handlers/tun.cpp
+++ b/llarp/handlers/tun.cpp
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ namespace llarp
           {
             (void)ip;
             SendToServiceOrQueue(
-                service::Address{addr.as_array()}, pkt.ConstBuffer(), service::eProtocolExit);
+                service::Address{addr.as_array()}, pkt.ConstBuffer(), service::ProtocolType::Exit);
           }
           return;
         }
@@ -960,7 +960,7 @@ namespace llarp
                   {
                     ctx->sendTimeout = 5s;
                   }
-                  self->SendToServiceOrQueue(addr, pkt.ConstBuffer(), service::eProtocolExit);
+                  self->SendToServiceOrQueue(addr, pkt.ConstBuffer(), service::ProtocolType::Exit);
                 },
                 1s);
           }
@@ -983,7 +983,7 @@ namespace llarp
               this,
               service::Address(itr->second.as_array()),
               std::placeholders::_1,
-              service::eProtocolExit);
+              service::ProtocolType::Exit);
         }
         else
         {
@@ -1019,8 +1019,8 @@ namespace llarp
         service::ProtocolType t,
         uint64_t seqno)
     {
-      if (t != service::eProtocolTrafficV4 && t != service::eProtocolTrafficV6
-          && t != service::eProtocolExit)
+      if (t != service::ProtocolType::TrafficV4 && t != service::ProtocolType::TrafficV6
+          && t != service::ProtocolType::Exit)
         return false;
       AlignedBuffer<32> addr;
       bool snode = false;
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ namespace llarp
       {
         // exit side from exit
         src = ObtainIPForAddr(addr, snode);
-        if (t == service::eProtocolExit)
+        if (t == service::ProtocolType::Exit)
         {
           if (pkt.IsV4())
             dst = pkt.dst4to6();
@@ -1052,7 +1052,7 @@ namespace llarp
           dst = m_OurIP;
         }
       }
-      else if (t == service::eProtocolExit)
+      else if (t == service::ProtocolType::Exit)
       {
         // client side exit traffic from exit
         if (pkt.IsV4())
diff --git a/llarp/net/ip_packet.hpp b/llarp/net/ip_packet.hpp
index b013b7f36..6375bbb3a 100644
--- a/llarp/net/ip_packet.hpp
+++ b/llarp/net/ip_packet.hpp
@@ -226,11 +226,11 @@ namespace llarp
       ServiceProtocol() const
       {
         if (IsV4())
-          return service::eProtocolTrafficV4;
+          return service::ProtocolType::TrafficV4;
         if (IsV6())
-          return service::eProtocolTrafficV6;
+          return service::ProtocolType::TrafficV6;
 
-        return service::eProtocolControl;
+        return service::ProtocolType::Control;
       }
 
       huint128_t
diff --git a/llarp/rpc/endpoint_rpc.cpp b/llarp/rpc/endpoint_rpc.cpp
index c546c8f2f..8f59576c6 100644
--- a/llarp/rpc/endpoint_rpc.cpp
+++ b/llarp/rpc/endpoint_rpc.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ namespace llarp::rpc
       return;
     }
 
-    if (msg->proto != llarp::service::eProtocolAuth)
+    if (msg->proto != llarp::service::ProtocolType::Auth)
     {
       // not an auth message, reject
       reply(service::AuthResult{service::AuthResultCode::eAuthRejected, "protocol error"});
diff --git a/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp b/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
index 6d958550e..22ebd496f 100644
--- a/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
+++ b/llarp/service/endpoint.cpp
@@ -958,14 +958,14 @@ namespace llarp
     bool
     Endpoint::ProcessDataMessage(std::shared_ptr<ProtocolMessage> msg)
     {
-      if ((msg->proto == eProtocolExit
+      if ((msg->proto == ProtocolType::Exit
            && (m_state->m_ExitEnabled || m_ExitMap.ContainsValue(msg->sender.Addr())))
-          || msg->proto == eProtocolTrafficV4 || msg->proto == eProtocolTrafficV6)
+          || msg->proto == ProtocolType::TrafficV4 || msg->proto == ProtocolType::TrafficV6)
       {
         m_InboundTrafficQueue.tryPushBack(std::move(msg));
         return true;
       }
-      if (msg->proto == eProtocolControl)
+      if (msg->proto == ProtocolType::Control)
       {
         // TODO: implement me (?)
         // right now it's just random noise
@@ -1014,7 +1014,7 @@ namespace llarp
         msg.PutBuffer(reason);
         f.N.Randomize();
         f.C.Zero();
-        msg.proto = eProtocolAuth;
+        msg.proto = ProtocolType::Auth;
         if (not GetReplyIntroFor(tag, msg.introReply))
         {
           LogError("Failed to send auth reply: no reply intro");
@@ -1252,7 +1252,7 @@ namespace llarp
                 return false;
               pkt.UpdateIPv4Address(src, dst);
               /// TODO: V6
-              return HandleInboundPacket(tag, pkt.ConstBuffer(), eProtocolTrafficV4, 0);
+              return HandleInboundPacket(tag, pkt.ConstBuffer(), ProtocolType::TrafficV4, 0);
             },
             Router(),
             numDesiredPaths,
diff --git a/llarp/service/outbound_context.cpp b/llarp/service/outbound_context.cpp
index 28370f042..9fddfefc8 100644
--- a/llarp/service/outbound_context.cpp
+++ b/llarp/service/outbound_context.cpp
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ namespace llarp
             Encrypted<64> tmp;
             tmp.Randomize();
             llarp_buffer_t buf(tmp.data(), tmp.size());
-            AsyncEncryptAndSendTo(buf, eProtocolControl);
+            AsyncEncryptAndSendTo(buf, ProtocolType::Control);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ namespace llarp
           ProtocolMessage msg{};
           if (frame.DecryptPayloadInto(sessionKey, msg))
           {
-            if (msg.proto == eProtocolAuth and not msg.payload.empty())
+            if (msg.proto == ProtocolType::Auth and not msg.payload.empty())
             {
               result.reason = std::string{
                   reinterpret_cast<const char*>(msg.payload.data()), msg.payload.size()};
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ namespace llarp
         authResultListener = nullptr;
         hook = [handler](std::shared_ptr<ProtocolMessage> msg) {
           AuthResult result{AuthResultCode::eAuthAccepted, "OK"};
-          if (msg->proto == eProtocolAuth and not msg->payload.empty())
+          if (msg->proto == ProtocolType::Auth and not msg->payload.empty())
           {
             result.reason = std::string{
                 reinterpret_cast<const char*>(msg->payload.data()), msg->payload.size()};
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ namespace llarp
     void
     OutboundContext::SendPacketToRemote(const llarp_buffer_t& buf)
     {
-      AsyncEncryptAndSendTo(buf, eProtocolExit);
+      AsyncEncryptAndSendTo(buf, ProtocolType::Exit);
     }
 
   }  // namespace service
diff --git a/llarp/service/protocol.hpp b/llarp/service/protocol.hpp
index 51f126fac..24b56ec82 100644
--- a/llarp/service/protocol.hpp
+++ b/llarp/service/protocol.hpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ namespace llarp
       ProtocolMessage(const ConvoTag& tag);
       ProtocolMessage();
       ~ProtocolMessage();
-      ProtocolType proto = eProtocolTrafficV4;
+      ProtocolType proto = ProtocolType::TrafficV4;
       llarp_time_t queued = 0s;
       std::vector<byte_t> payload;
       Introduction introReply;
diff --git a/llarp/service/protocol_type.hpp b/llarp/service/protocol_type.hpp
index 695629a34..37521c520 100644
--- a/llarp/service/protocol_type.hpp
+++ b/llarp/service/protocol_type.hpp
@@ -4,11 +4,14 @@
 
 namespace llarp::service
 {
-  using ProtocolType = uint64_t;
-
-  constexpr ProtocolType eProtocolControl = 0UL;
-  constexpr ProtocolType eProtocolTrafficV4 = 1UL;
-  constexpr ProtocolType eProtocolTrafficV6 = 2UL;
-  constexpr ProtocolType eProtocolExit = 3UL;
-  constexpr ProtocolType eProtocolAuth = 4UL;
+  // Supported protocol types; the values are given explicitly because they are specifically used
+  // when sending over the wire.
+  enum class ProtocolType : uint64_t
+  {
+    Control = 0UL,
+    TrafficV4 = 1UL,
+    TrafficV6 = 2UL,
+    Exit = 3UL,
+    Auth = 4UL,
+  };
 }  // namespace llarp::service
diff --git a/llarp/service/sendcontext.cpp b/llarp/service/sendcontext.cpp
index 6d433b642..ede6b6ff9 100644
--- a/llarp/service/sendcontext.cpp
+++ b/llarp/service/sendcontext.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ namespace llarp
       {
         // send auth message
         const llarp_buffer_t authdata{maybe->token};
-        AsyncGenIntro(authdata, eProtocolAuth);
+        AsyncGenIntro(authdata, ProtocolType::Auth);
         authResultListener = resultHandler;
       }
       else
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ namespace llarp
       {
         // send auth message
         const llarp_buffer_t authdata(maybe->token);
-        AsyncGenIntro(authdata, eProtocolAuth);
+        AsyncGenIntro(authdata, ProtocolType::Auth);
       }
       else
       {
diff --git a/llarp/util/bencode.hpp b/llarp/util/bencode.hpp
index c7bebbcbc..48c977ee3 100644
--- a/llarp/util/bencode.hpp
+++ b/llarp/util/bencode.hpp
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 #include <llarp/util/logging/logger.hpp>
 #include "mem.hpp"
 
+#include <type_traits>
 #include <fstream>
 #include <set>
 #include <vector>
@@ -41,7 +42,12 @@ namespace llarp
   bool
   BEncodeWriteDictInt(const char* k, const Int_t& i, llarp_buffer_t* buf)
   {
-    return bencode_write_bytestring(buf, k, 1) && bencode_write_uint64(buf, i);
+    if (!bencode_write_bytestring(buf, k, 1))
+      return false;
+    if constexpr (std::is_enum_v<Int_t>)
+      return bencode_write_uint64(buf, static_cast<std::underlying_type_t<Int_t>>(i));
+    else
+      return bencode_write_uint64(buf, i);
   }
 
   template <typename List_t>
@@ -92,7 +98,7 @@ namespace llarp
         return false;
       }
 
-      i = Int_t(read_i);
+      i = static_cast<Int_t>(read_i);
       read = true;
     }
     return true;
diff --git a/pybind/llarp/context.cpp b/pybind/llarp/context.cpp
index 6ebcf97d4..7fb369468 100644
--- a/pybind/llarp/context.cpp
+++ b/pybind/llarp/context.cpp
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 #include <common.hpp>
 #include <llarp.hpp>
 #include <llarp/tooling/hive_context.hpp>
-#include <llarp/router/router.cpp>
+#include <llarp/router/router.hpp>
 #include <llarp/handlers/pyhandler.hpp>
+#include "service/protocol_type.hpp"
 namespace llarp
 {
   void
@@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ namespace llarp
               std::vector<byte_t> buf;
               buf.resize(pkt.size());
               std::copy_n(pkt.c_str(), pkt.size(), buf.data());
-              return ep and ep->SendToServiceOrQueue(to, std::move(buf), service::eProtocolControl);
+              return ep
+                  and ep->SendToServiceOrQueue(to, std::move(buf), service::ProtocolType::Control);
             })
         .def(
             "AddEndpoint",