diff --git a/rust/src/packet.rs b/rust/src/packet.rs
index 7066b37..09d32a0 100644
--- a/rust/src/packet.rs
+++ b/rust/src/packet.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ pub struct PsycList {
 }
 
 pub struct PsycModifier<'a> {
-    name: &'a str,
+    name: &'a [u8],
     value: &'a [u8],
     operator: PsycOperator,
 }
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ pub struct PsycPacket<'a> {
     entity_modifiers: &'a [PsycModifier<'a>],
     raw_routing_modifiers: Vec<RawPsycModifier>,
     raw_entity_modifiers: Vec<RawPsycModifier>,
-    method: &'a str,
+    method: &'a [u8],
     body: &'a [u8]
 }
 
@@ -98,25 +98,25 @@ impl PsycList {
 
 impl<'a> PsycModifier<'a> {
     /// construct a PsycModifier
-    pub fn new(operator: PsycOperator, name: &'a str, value: &'a [u8]) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(operator: PsycOperator, name: &'a [u8], value: &'a [u8]) -> Self {
         PsycModifier {name: name, value: value, operator: operator}
     }
 
     /// construct a PsycModifier with string value (comfort function)
     pub fn with_string_value(operator: PsycOperator,
-                             name: &'a str,
-                             value: &'a str)
+                             name: &'a [u8],
+                             value: &'a [u8])
                              -> Self {
         PsycModifier {
             name: name,
-            value: value.as_bytes(),
+            value: value,
             operator: operator
         }
     }
 
     /// construct a PsycModifier with list value
     pub fn with_list_value(operator: PsycOperator,
-                          name: &'a str,
+                          name: &'a [u8],
                           value: &'a PsycList)
                           -> Self {
         PsycModifier {
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ impl<'a> PsycPacket<'a> {
     ///
     pub fn new(routing_modifiers: &'a [PsycModifier],
                entity_modifiers: &'a [PsycModifier],
-               method: &'a str,
+               method: &'a [u8],
                data: &'a [u8],
                state_operator: PsycStateOp)
                -> Self {
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ impl<'a> PsycPacket<'a> {
             entity_modifiers: &[],
             raw_routing_modifiers: raw_routing_modifiers,
             raw_entity_modifiers: vec![],
-            method: "",
+            method: b"",
             body: content
         }
     }
@@ -227,10 +227,10 @@ impl<'a> PsycPacket<'a> {
             }
         };
 
-        let context = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == "_context");
-        let source = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == "_source");
-        let target = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == "_target");
-        let counter = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == "_counter");
+        let context = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == b"_context");
+        let source = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == b"_source");
+        let target = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == b"_target");
+        let counter = self.routing_modifiers.iter().find(|&r| r.name == b"_counter");
 
         PacketId {
             context: get_value(context),
diff --git a/rust/tests/test_packet.rs b/rust/tests/test_packet.rs
index c24dfc1..40da4d1 100644
--- a/rust/tests/test_packet.rs
+++ b/rust/tests/test_packet.rs
@@ -5,16 +5,16 @@ use psyc::*;
 #[test]
 fn test_create_render() {
     let r1 = PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                               "_target",
-                               "psyc://ve.symlynx.com/@blog".as_bytes());
+                               b"_target",
+                               b"psyc://ve.symlynx.com/@blog");
 
     let r2 = PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                               "_tag",
-                               "666666".as_bytes());
+                               b"_tag",
+                               b"666666");
 
     let e1 = PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                               "_nick",
-                               "lurchi".as_bytes());
+                               b"_nick",
+                               b"lurchi");
 
     let routing_modifiers = vec![r1, r2];
     let entity_modifiers = vec![e1];
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ fn test_create_render() {
 
     let packet = PsycPacket::new(&routing_modifiers,
                                  &entity_modifiers,
-                                 "_request_context_enter",
+                                 b"_request_context_enter",
                                  &data,
                                  PsycStateOp::PSYC_STATE_NOOP);
 
@@ -36,13 +36,13 @@ fn test_create_render() {
 #[test]
 fn test_list() {
     let r1 = PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                               "_target",
-                               "psyc://ve.symlynx.com/@blog".as_bytes());
+                               b"_target",
+                               b"psyc://ve.symlynx.com/@blog");
 
     let list = PsycList::from_strings(&["str1", "str2", "str3"]);
 
     let e1 = PsycModifier::with_list_value(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                                           "_list_test",
+                                           b"_list_test",
                                            &list);
 
     let routing_modifiers = vec![r1];
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ fn test_list() {
 
     let packet = PsycPacket::new(&routing_modifiers,
                                  &entity_modifiers,
-                                 "",
+                                 b"",
                                  &data,
                                  PsycStateOp::PSYC_STATE_NOOP);
 
diff --git a/rust/tests/test_packet_id.rs b/rust/tests/test_packet_id.rs
index 125ff44..5c8f183 100644
--- a/rust/tests/test_packet_id.rs
+++ b/rust/tests/test_packet_id.rs
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ use psyc::*;
 #[test]
 fn test_packet_id() {
     let routing_modifiers = vec![PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                                                   "_source",
+                                                   b"_source",
                                                    b"psyc://ve.symlynx.com/~alice"),
                                  PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                                                   "_target",
+                                                   b"_target",
                                                    b"psyc://ve.symlynx.com/~bob"),
                                  PsycModifier::new(PsycOperator::PSYC_OPERATOR_SET,
-                                                   "_counter",
+                                                   b"_counter",
                                                    b"42")];
 
     let entity_modifiers = vec![];
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ fn test_packet_id() {
 
     let packet = PsycPacket::new(&routing_modifiers,
                                  &entity_modifiers,
-                                 "",
+                                 b"",
                                  &data,
                                  PsycStateOp::PSYC_STATE_NOOP);