diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d06b199..27a0fe8 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 CC = cc
 
-CFLAGS = -std=c17
+CFLAGS = -std=gnu23
 CFLAGS_WARNINGS = -Wall -Wextra
 CFLAGS_RELEASE = -O2 -fstack-protector-strong -fpie -s
 CFLAGS_DEBUG = -O0 -ggdb -DDEBUG -fsanitize=address -static-libasan
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index b86da5f..d132223 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+#include <endian.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -17,12 +18,22 @@ const char *LOCALHOST = "127.0.0.1";
 #define SERVERDATA_RESPONSE_VALUE 0
 
 typedef struct {
+    // size of the remainder of the packet
     int32_t size;
+    // packet id (client sets, server echoes, -1 on auth failure)
     int32_t id;
+    // packet type (see the SERVERDATA_* constants)
     int32_t type;
+    // null-terminated command string (for auth and exec) or response string (from server)
     char body[4096];
+    // yet another null byte after the body (required by protocol)
+    uint8_t _padding;
 } rcon_packet_t;
 
+// Minimum and maximum values for the `size` field of a valid packet.
+#define MIN_SIZE (sizeof(int32_t) * 2 + 2)
+#define MAX_SIZE (sizeof(rcon_packet_t) - sizeof(int32_t))
+
 int read_env_int(const char *var) {
     const char* port_str = getenv(var);
     if (port_str == NULL) {
@@ -72,34 +83,27 @@ int rcon_connect(int port) {
 }
 
 void send_packet(int sockfd, int32_t id, int32_t type, const char *body) {
-    int body_len = strlen(body);
-    int32_t size = 10 + body_len;
+    size_t body_len = strlen(body);
 
-    size_t packet_size = sizeof(int32_t) + size;
+    size_t packet_size = sizeof(int32_t) * 3 + body_len + 2;
     unsigned char *packet = malloc(packet_size);
     if (!packet) {
         perror("malloc failed");
         return;
     }
 
-    packet[0] = size & 0xFF;
-    packet[1] = (size >> 8) & 0xFF;
-    packet[2] = (size >> 16) & 0xFF;
-    packet[3] = (size >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    int32_t size = htole32(packet_size - sizeof(int32_t));
+    memcpy(packet, &size, sizeof(int32_t));
 
-    packet[4] = id & 0xFF;
-    packet[5] = (id >> 8) & 0xFF;
-    packet[6] = (id >> 16) & 0xFF;
-    packet[7] = (id >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    int32_t id_ = htole32(id);
+    memcpy(packet + 4, &id_, sizeof(int32_t));
 
-    packet[8] = type & 0xFF;
-    packet[9] = (type >> 8) & 0xFF;
-    packet[10] = (type >> 16) & 0xFF;
-    packet[11] = (type >> 24) & 0xFF;
+    int32_t type_ = htole32(type);
+    memcpy(packet + 8, &type_, sizeof(int32_t));
 
     memcpy(packet + 12, body, body_len);
-    packet[12 + body_len] = 0;
-    packet[12 + body_len + 1] = 0;
+    packet[3 * sizeof(int32_t) + body_len] = 0;
+    packet[3 * sizeof(int32_t) + body_len + 1] = 0;
 
     ssize_t sent = send(sockfd, packet, packet_size, 0);
     if (sent < 0) {
@@ -123,8 +127,9 @@ int recv_packet(int sockfd, rcon_packet_t *packet) {
         }
         return -1;
     }
+    packet->size = le32toh(packet->size);
 
-    if (packet->size < 10 || packet->size > 4110) {
+    if (packet->size < (int32_t)MIN_SIZE || packet->size > (int32_t)MAX_SIZE) {
         fprintf(stderr, "invalid packet size: %d\n", packet->size);
         return -1;
     }
@@ -134,22 +139,31 @@ int recv_packet(int sockfd, rcon_packet_t *packet) {
         perror("recv id failed");
         return -1;
     }
+    packet->id = le32toh(packet->id);
 
     bytes = recv(sockfd, &packet->type, sizeof(int32_t), MSG_WAITALL);
     if (bytes <= 0) {
         perror("recv type failed");
         return -1;
     }
+    packet->type = le32toh(packet->type);
 
-    int body_size = packet->size - 10;
+    int body_size = packet->size - sizeof(int32_t) * 2 - 2;
     if (body_size > 0 && body_size < (int)sizeof(packet->body)) {
-        bytes = recv(sockfd, packet->body, body_size + 2, MSG_WAITALL);
+        bytes = recv(sockfd, packet->body, body_size, MSG_WAITALL);
         if (bytes <= 0) {
             perror("recv body failed");
             return -1;
         }
         packet->body[body_size] = '\0';
+
+        bytes = recv(sockfd, &packet->_padding, 1, MSG_WAITALL);
+        if (bytes <= 0) {
+            perror("recv padding failed");
+            return -1;
+        }
     } else {
+        packet->size = sizeof(int32_t) * 2 + 2;
         packet->body[0] = '\0';
     }