diff --git a/src/common/protocol.h b/src/common/protocol.h
--- a/src/common/protocol.h
+++ b/src/common/protocol.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #ifndef DISTREN_PROTOCOL_H
 #define DISTREN_PROTOCOL_H
 
+#include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 /**
@@ -84,16 +85,22 @@ struct distren_request
 {
   uint32_t magic;
   uint32_t len;
-  uint8_t enumsize;
-  enum distren_request_type type;
+  /** treat type as an enum distren_request_type using casting */
+  uint32_t /* enum distren_request_type */ type;
 };
 
 /**
-   initializes request
+   initializes and allocates request
  */
 int distren_request_new(struct distren_request **req, uint32_t len, enum distren_request_type type);
 
 /**
+   initializes and allocates request based on raw input data
+   which includes the headers of the request.
+ */
+int distren_request_new_fromdata(struct distren_request **req, void *data, size_t len);
+
+/**
    frees request
  */
 int distren_request_free(struct distren_request *req);