diff --git a/veilid-core/src/routing_table/routing_table_inner.rs b/veilid-core/src/routing_table/routing_table_inner.rs
index d3b88cae..e82f9f9d 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/routing_table/routing_table_inner.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/routing_table/routing_table_inner.rs
@@ -1054,8 +1054,8 @@ impl RoutingTableInner {
         nodes.sort_by(|a, b| compare(self, a, b));
 
         // return transformed vector for filtered+sorted nodes
-        let cnt = usize::min(node_count, nodes.len());
-        let mut out = Vec::<O>::with_capacity(cnt);
+        nodes.truncate(node_count);
+        let mut out = Vec::<O>::with_capacity(nodes.len());
         for node in nodes {
             let val = transform(self, node);
             out.push(val);
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_find_node.rs b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_find_node.rs
index 10848648..5292d4fc 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_find_node.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_find_node.rs
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ pub struct RPCOperationFindNodeA {
 impl RPCOperationFindNodeA {
     pub fn new(peers: Vec<PeerInfo>) -> Result<Self, RPCError> {
         if peers.len() > MAX_FIND_NODE_A_PEERS_LEN {
-            return Err(RPCError::protocol("find node peers length too long"));
+            return Err(RPCError::protocol(
+                "encoded find node peers length too long",
+            ));
         }
 
         Ok(Self { peers })
@@ -106,7 +108,9 @@ impl RPCOperationFindNodeA {
         let peers_reader = reader.get_peers().map_err(RPCError::protocol)?;
 
         if peers_reader.len() as usize > MAX_FIND_NODE_A_PEERS_LEN {
-            return Err(RPCError::protocol("find node peers length too long"));
+            return Err(RPCError::protocol(
+                "decoded find node peers length too long",
+            ));
         }
 
         let mut peers = Vec::<PeerInfo>::with_capacity(
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_get_value.rs b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_get_value.rs
index 72224952..bc255bd3 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_get_value.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_get_value.rs
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ impl RPCOperationGetValueA {
         descriptor: Option<SignedValueDescriptor>,
     ) -> Result<Self, RPCError> {
         if peers.len() > MAX_GET_VALUE_A_PEERS_LEN {
-            return Err(RPCError::protocol("GetValueA peers length too long"));
+            return Err(RPCError::protocol(
+                "encoded GetValueA peers length too long",
+            ));
         }
         Ok(Self {
             value,
@@ -175,7 +177,9 @@ impl RPCOperationGetValueA {
 
         let peers_reader = reader.get_peers().map_err(RPCError::protocol)?;
         if peers_reader.len() as usize > MAX_GET_VALUE_A_PEERS_LEN {
-            return Err(RPCError::protocol("GetValueA peers length too long"));
+            return Err(RPCError::protocol(
+                "decoded GetValueA peers length too long",
+            ));
         }
         let mut peers = Vec::<PeerInfo>::with_capacity(
             peers_reader
diff --git a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_set_value.rs b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_set_value.rs
index c7fa4cf2..3ff5c71f 100644
--- a/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_set_value.rs
+++ b/veilid-core/src/rpc_processor/coders/operations/operation_set_value.rs
@@ -123,7 +123,9 @@ impl RPCOperationSetValueA {
         peers: Vec<PeerInfo>,
     ) -> Result<Self, RPCError> {
         if peers.len() as usize > MAX_SET_VALUE_A_PEERS_LEN {
-            return Err(RPCError::protocol("SetValueA peers length too long"));
+            return Err(RPCError::protocol(
+                "encoded SetValueA peers length too long",
+            ));
         }
         Ok(Self { set, value, peers })
     }
@@ -182,7 +184,9 @@ impl RPCOperationSetValueA {
         };
         let peers_reader = reader.get_peers().map_err(RPCError::protocol)?;
         if peers_reader.len() as usize > MAX_SET_VALUE_A_PEERS_LEN {
-            return Err(RPCError::protocol("SetValueA peers length too long"));
+            return Err(RPCError::protocol(
+                "decoded SetValueA peers length too long",
+            ));
         }
         let mut peers = Vec::<PeerInfo>::with_capacity(
             peers_reader