diff --git a/src/dataencode.cpp b/src/dataencode.cpp
index bb90e4a..14f6b86 100644
--- a/src/dataencode.cpp
+++ b/src/dataencode.cpp
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ void from_wire_valid(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val)
     }
 }
 
-void from_wire_type_value(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val)
+void from_wire_type(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val)
 {
     auto descs(std::make_shared<std::vector<FieldDesc>>());
 
@@ -743,13 +743,19 @@ void from_wire_type_value(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val)
         std::shared_ptr<const FieldDesc> stype(descs, descs->data()); // alias
         val = Value::Helper::build(stype);
 
-        from_wire_full(buf, ctxt, val);
-
     } else {
         val = Value();
     }
 }
 
+void from_wire_type_value(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val)
+{
+    from_wire_type(buf, ctxt, val);
+
+    if(buf.good() && val)
+        from_wire_full(buf, ctxt, val);
+}
+
 }} // namespace pvxs::impl
 
 #endif // DATAENCODE_H
diff --git a/src/dataimpl.h b/src/dataimpl.h
index 35c9438..a6b5f33 100644
--- a/src/dataimpl.h
+++ b/src/dataimpl.h
@@ -157,6 +157,10 @@ void to_wire_valid(Buffer& buf, const Value& val, const BitMask* mask=nullptr);
 
 //! deserialize type description
 PVXS_API
+void from_wire_type(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val);
+
+//! deserialize full Value
+PVXS_API
 void from_wire_full(Buffer& buf, TypeStore& ctxt, Value& val);
 
 //! deserialize BitMask and partial Value