changes.diff

diff --git a/nl/nl_linux.go b/nl/nl_linux.go
index ab76091..a49f675 100644
--- a/nl/nl_linux.go
+++ b/nl/nl_linux.go
@@ -27,7 +27,8 @@ const (
 	// tc rules or filters, or other more memory requiring data.
 	RECEIVE_BUFFER_SIZE = 65536
 	// Kernel netlink pid
-	PidKernel uint32 = 0
+	PidKernel     uint32 = 0
+	SizeofCnMsgOp        = 0x18
 )
 
 // SupportedNlFamilies contains the list of netlink families this netlink package supports
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ type CnMsg struct {
 type CnMsgOp struct {
 	CnMsg
 	// here we differ from the C header
-	op uint32
+	Op uint32
 }
 
 func NewCnMsg(idx, val, op uint32) *CnMsgOp {
@@ -118,22 +119,21 @@ func NewCnMsg(idx, val, op uint32) *CnMsgOp {
 	cm.Ack = 0
 	cm.Seq = 1
 	cm.Length = uint16(binary.Size(op))
-	cm.op = op
+	cm.Op = op
 
 	return &cm
 }
 
 func (msg *CnMsgOp) Serialize() []byte {
-	buf := bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, msg.Len()))
+	return (*(*[SizeofCnMsgOp]byte)(unsafe.Pointer(msg)))[:]
+}
 
-	binary.Write(buf, binary.LittleEndian, msg)
-	binary.Write(buf, binary.LittleEndian, msg.op)
-
-	return buf.Bytes()
+func DeserializeCnMsgOp(b []byte) *CnMsgOp {
+	return (*CnMsgOp)(unsafe.Pointer(&b[0:SizeofCnMsgOp][0]))
 }
 
 func (msg *CnMsgOp) Len() int {
-	return binary.Size(msg) + binary.Size(msg.op)
+	return SizeofCnMsgOp
 }
 
 // IfInfomsg is related to links, but it is used for list requests as well
diff --git a/nl/nl_linux_test.go b/nl/nl_linux_test.go
index 8971602..c6d294e 100644
--- a/nl/nl_linux_test.go
+++ b/nl/nl_linux_test.go
@@ -98,3 +98,36 @@ func TestIfSocketCloses(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected error instead received nil")
 	}
 }
+
+func (msg *CnMsgOp) write(b []byte) {
+	native := NativeEndian()
+	native.PutUint32(b[0:4], msg.ID.Idx)
+	native.PutUint32(b[4:8], msg.ID.Val)
+	native.PutUint32(b[8:12], msg.Seq)
+	native.PutUint32(b[12:16], msg.Ack)
+	native.PutUint16(b[16:18], msg.Length)
+	native.PutUint16(b[18:20], msg.Flags)
+	native.PutUint32(b[20:24], msg.Op)
+}
+
+func (msg *CnMsgOp) serializeSafe() []byte {
+	length := msg.Len()
+	b := make([]byte, length)
+	msg.write(b)
+	return b
+}
+
+func deserializeCnMsgOpSafe(b []byte) *CnMsgOp {
+	var msg = CnMsgOp{}
+	binary.Read(bytes.NewReader(b[0:SizeofCnMsgOp]), NativeEndian(), &msg)
+	return &msg
+}
+
+func TestCnMsgOpDeserializeSerialize(t *testing.T) {
+	x := CnMsgOp{}
+	var orig = make([]byte, SizeofCnMsgOp)
+	rand.Read(orig)
+	safemsg := deserializeCnMsgOpSafe(orig)
+	msg := DeserializeCnMsgOp(orig)
+	testDeserializeSerialize(t, orig, safemsg, msg)
+}