diff --git a/dht/message.go b/dht/message.go
index fbd123f..cf66580 100644
--- a/dht/message.go
+++ b/dht/message.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ type Request struct {
 	ID        messageID
 	NodeID    bitmap
 	Method    string
-	Args      []string
+	Arg       *bitmap
 	StoreArgs *storeArgs
 }
 
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ func (r Request) MarshalBencode() ([]byte, error) {
 	var args interface{}
 	if r.StoreArgs != nil {
 		args = r.StoreArgs
-	} else {
-		args = r.Args
+	} else if r.Arg != nil {
+		args = []bitmap{*r.Arg}
 	}
 	return bencode.EncodeBytes(map[string]interface{}{
 		headerTypeField:      requestType,
@@ -116,25 +116,26 @@ func (r *Request) UnmarshalBencode(b []byte) error {
 	if r.Method == storeMethod {
 		r.StoreArgs = &storeArgs{} // bencode wont find the unmarshaler on a null pointer. need to fix it.
 		err = bencode.DecodeBytes(raw.Args, &r.StoreArgs)
-	} else {
-		err = bencode.DecodeBytes(raw.Args, &r.Args)
-	}
-	if err != nil {
-		return errors.Prefix("request unmarshal", err)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Prefix("request unmarshal", err)
+		}
+	} else if len(raw.Args) > 2 { // 2 because an empty list is `le`
+		tmp := []bitmap{}
+		err = bencode.DecodeBytes(raw.Args, &tmp)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Prefix("request unmarshal", err)
+		}
+		r.Arg = &tmp[0]
 	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (r Request) ArgsDebug() string {
-	argsCopy := make([]string, len(r.Args))
-	copy(argsCopy, r.Args)
-	for k, v := range argsCopy {
-		if len(v) == nodeIDLength {
-			argsCopy[k] = hex.EncodeToString([]byte(v))[:8]
-		}
+	if r.Arg != nil {
+		return r.Arg.HexShort()
 	}
-	return strings.Join(argsCopy, ", ")
+	return ""
 }
 
 type storeArgsValue struct {
diff --git a/dht/node_finder.go b/dht/node_finder.go
index 73ff523..dc43a83 100644
--- a/dht/node_finder.go
+++ b/dht/node_finder.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func (nf *nodeFinder) iterationWorker(num int) {
 			continue // cannot contact self
 		}
 
-		req := Request{Args: []string{nf.target.RawString()}}
+		req := Request{Arg: &nf.target}
 		if nf.findValue {
 			req.Method = findValueMethod
 		} else {
diff --git a/dht/rpc.go b/dht/rpc.go
index 60ccec9..7236f53 100644
--- a/dht/rpc.go
+++ b/dht/rpc.go
@@ -79,30 +79,22 @@ func handleRequest(dht *DHT, addr *net.UDPAddr, request Request) {
 		dht.store.Upsert(request.StoreArgs.BlobHash, Node{id: request.StoreArgs.NodeID, ip: addr.IP, port: request.StoreArgs.Value.Port})
 		send(dht, addr, Response{ID: request.ID, NodeID: dht.node.id, Data: storeSuccessResponse})
 	case findNodeMethod:
-		if len(request.Args) != 1 {
-			log.Errorln("invalid number of args")
-			return
-		}
-		if len(request.Args[0]) != nodeIDLength {
-			log.Errorln("invalid node id")
+		if request.Arg == nil {
+			log.Errorln("request is missing arg")
 			return
 		}
 		doFindNodes(dht, addr, request)
 	case findValueMethod:
-		if len(request.Args) != 1 {
-			log.Errorln("invalid number of args")
-			return
-		}
-		if len(request.Args[0]) != nodeIDLength {
-			log.Errorln("invalid blob hash")
+		if request.Arg == nil {
+			log.Errorln("request is missing arg")
 			return
 		}
 
-		if nodes := dht.store.Get(newBitmapFromString(request.Args[0])); len(nodes) > 0 {
+		if nodes := dht.store.Get(*request.Arg); len(nodes) > 0 {
 			send(dht, addr, Response{
 				ID:           request.ID,
 				NodeID:       dht.node.id,
-				FindValueKey: request.Args[0],
+				FindValueKey: request.Arg.RawString(),
 				FindNodeData: nodes,
 			})
 		} else {
@@ -120,8 +112,7 @@ func handleRequest(dht *DHT, addr *net.UDPAddr, request Request) {
 }
 
 func doFindNodes(dht *DHT, addr *net.UDPAddr, request Request) {
-	nodeID := newBitmapFromString(request.Args[0])
-	closestNodes := dht.rt.GetClosest(nodeID, bucketSize)
+	closestNodes := dht.rt.GetClosest(*request.Arg, bucketSize)
 	if len(closestNodes) > 0 {
 		response := Response{ID: request.ID, NodeID: dht.node.id, FindNodeData: make([]Node, len(closestNodes))}
 		for i, n := range closestNodes {
diff --git a/dht/rpc_test.go b/dht/rpc_test.go
index 8129941..808a26d 100644
--- a/dht/rpc_test.go
+++ b/dht/rpc_test.go
@@ -303,13 +303,13 @@ func TestFindNode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	messageID := newMessageID()
-	blobHashToFind := newRandomBitmap().RawString()
+	blobHashToFind := newRandomBitmap()
 
 	request := Request{
 		ID:     messageID,
 		NodeID: testNodeID,
 		Method: findNodeMethod,
-		Args:   []string{blobHashToFind},
+		Arg:    &blobHashToFind,
 	}
 
 	data, err := bencode.EncodeBytes(request)
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ func TestFindValueExisting(t *testing.T) {
 		ID:     messageID,
 		NodeID: testNodeID,
 		Method: findValueMethod,
-		Args:   []string{valueToFind.RawString()},
+		Arg:    &valueToFind,
 	}
 
 	data, err := bencode.EncodeBytes(request)
@@ -466,13 +466,13 @@ func TestFindValueFallbackToFindNode(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	messageID := newMessageID()
-	valueToFind := newRandomBitmap().RawString()
+	valueToFind := newRandomBitmap()
 
 	request := Request{
 		ID:     messageID,
 		NodeID: testNodeID,
 		Method: findValueMethod,
-		Args:   []string{valueToFind},
+		Arg:    &valueToFind,
 	}
 
 	data, err := bencode.EncodeBytes(request)