diff --git a/uncanny/message.go b/uncanny/message.go
index 23cf336..6fb3e3d 100644
--- a/uncanny/message.go
+++ b/uncanny/message.go
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 package uncanny
 
 /*
-// include our message format definitions
+// Include our message format definitions
 #cgo CPPFLAGS: -I${SRCDIR}/..
+#include <stdint.h>
 #include <messages.h>
 
-// since we can't use macros in Go directly, let's add some wrappers
-// to avoid conflicts, we'll simply lowercase the symbol names
+// Since we can't use C macros in Go directly, let's add some wrappers.
+// WARNING: CGo type translation can be very wonky, so make sure to always
+// cast to the expected type!
 
 const uint16_t can_msg_feedback_status = CAN_MSG_FEEDBACK_STATUS;
 const size_t can_msg_feedback_status_field_reset_sw = CAN_MSG_FEEDBACK_STATUS_FIELD_RESET_SW;
@@ -128,54 +130,54 @@ func DecodeFeedbackMessage(frame can.Frame) (FeedbackMessage, error) {
 	if frame.Length != 2 {
 		return ret, InvalidMessageLength
 	}
-	ret.EndD = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_d] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_d != 0
-	ret.EndE = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_e] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_e != 0
-	ret.EndF = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_f] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_f != 0
-	ret.EndG = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_g] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_g != 0
-	ret.EndH = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_h] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_h != 0
-	ret.EmptyD = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_d] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_d != 0
-	ret.EmptyE = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_e] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_e != 0
-	ret.EmptyF = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_f] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_f != 0
-	ret.EmptyG = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_g] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_g != 0
-	ret.EmptyH = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_h] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_h != 0
-	ret.ResetSw = frame.Data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_reset_sw] & C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_reset_sw != 0
+	ret.EndD = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_d)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_d) != 0
+	ret.EndE = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_e)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_e) != 0
+	ret.EndF = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_f)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_f) != 0
+	ret.EndG = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_g)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_g) != 0
+	ret.EndH = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_h)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_h) != 0
+	ret.EmptyD = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_d)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_d) != 0
+	ret.EmptyE = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_e)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_e) != 0
+	ret.EmptyF = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_f)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_f) != 0
+	ret.EmptyG = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_g)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_g) != 0
+	ret.EmptyH = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_h)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_h) != 0
+	ret.ResetSw = frame.Data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_reset_sw)] & uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_reset_sw) != 0
 	return ret, nil
 }
 
 func (f FeedbackMessage) Encode() can.Frame {
 	data := [8]uint8{}
 	if f.EndD {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_d] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_d
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_d)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_d)
 	}
 	if f.EndE {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_e] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_e
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_e)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_e)
 	}
 	if f.EndF {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_f] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_f
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_f)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_f)
 	}
 	if f.EndG {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_g] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_g
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_g)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_g)
 	}
 	if f.EndH {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_h] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_h
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_end_h)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_end_h)
 	}
 	if f.EmptyD {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_d] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_d
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_d)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_d)
 	}
 	if f.EmptyE {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_e] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_e
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_e)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_e)
 	}
 	if f.EmptyF {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_f] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_f
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_f)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_f)
 	}
 	if f.EmptyG {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_g] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_g
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_g)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_g)
 	}
 	if f.EmptyH {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_h] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_h
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_empty_h)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_empty_h)
 	}
 	if f.ResetSw {
-		data[C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_reset_sw] |= C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_reset_sw
+		data[int(C.can_msg_feedback_status_field_reset_sw)] |= uint8(C.can_msg_feedback_status_bit_reset_sw)
 	}
 	return can.Frame{
 		ID: uint32(C.can_msg_feedback_status),
@@ -232,17 +234,17 @@ func DecodeDispenseMessage(frame can.Frame) (DispenseMessage, error) {
 		return ret, InvalidMessageLength
 	}
 	switch frame.Data[0] {
-	case C.can_msg_power_dispense_off:
+	case uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_off):
 		ret.Slot = DispenseSlotOff
-	case C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot1:
+	case uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot1):
 		ret.Slot = 0
-	case C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot2:
+	case uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot2):
 		ret.Slot = 1
-	case C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot3:
+	case uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot3):
 		ret.Slot = 2
-	case C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot4:
+	case uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot4):
 		ret.Slot = 3
-	case C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot5:
+	case uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot5):
 		ret.Slot = 4
 	}
 	return ret, nil
@@ -252,17 +254,17 @@ func (f DispenseMessage) Encode() can.Frame {
 	data := [8]uint8{}
 	switch f.Slot {
 	case DispenseSlotOff:
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_power_dispense_off
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_off)
 	case 0:
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot1
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot1)
 	case 1:
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot2
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot2)
 	case 2:
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot3
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot3)
 	case 3:
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot4
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot4)
 	case 4:
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot5
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_power_dispense_slot5)
 	}
 	return can.Frame{
 		ID: uint32(C.can_msg_power_dispense),
@@ -284,7 +286,7 @@ func DecodeAutoMessage(frame can.Frame) (AutoMessage, error) {
 		return ret, InvalidMessageLength
 	}
 	// we accept all non-null values as "enable"
-	if frame.Data[0] != C.can_msg_auto_status_disable {
+	if frame.Data[0] != uint8(C.can_msg_auto_status_disable) {
 		ret.AutoUpdate = true
 	}
 	return ret, nil
@@ -293,9 +295,9 @@ func DecodeAutoMessage(frame can.Frame) (AutoMessage, error) {
 func (f AutoMessage) Encode() can.Frame {
 	data := [8]uint8{}
 	if f.AutoUpdate {
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_auto_status_enable
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_auto_status_enable)
 	} else {
-		data[0] = C.can_msg_auto_status_disable
+		data[0] = uint8(C.can_msg_auto_status_disable)
 	}
 	return can.Frame{
 		ID: uint32(C.can_msg_auto_status),