diff --git a/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_builder.py b/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_builder.py
index 016b39c..183e658 100644
--- a/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_builder.py
+++ b/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_builder.py
@@ -131,11 +131,14 @@ class MessageTemplateBuilder(object):
                 if variable.type == MsgType.MVT_VARIABLE:
                     data_size = template_block.get_variable(variable.name).size
                     if data_size == 1:
-                        block_buffer += struct.pack('>B', var_size)
+                        block_buffer += self.packer.pack_data(var_size, MsgType.MVT_U8)
+                        #block_buffer += struct.pack('>B', var_size)
                     elif data_size == 2:
-                        block_buffer += struct.pack('>H', var_size)
+                        block_buffer += self.packer.pack_data(var_size, MsgType.MVT_U16)
+                        #block_buffer += struct.pack('>H', var_size)
                     elif data_size == 4:
-                        block_buffer += struct.pack('>I', var_size)
+                        block_buffer += self.packer.pack_data(var_size, MsgType.MVT_U32)
+                        #block_buffer += struct.pack('>I', var_size)
                     else:
                         raise Exception('Attempting to build variable with unknown size \
                                           of ' + str(var_size))
diff --git a/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_reader.py b/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_reader.py
index 7098ffa..4d17c80 100644
--- a/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_reader.py
+++ b/pyogp/lib/base/message/message_template_reader.py
@@ -155,7 +155,6 @@ class MessageTemplateReader(object):
                                               of ' + str(data_size))
                         
                         decode_pos += data_size
-
                     unpacked_data = self.unpacker.unpack_data(data, \
                                                               variable.type, \
                                                               decode_pos, \
diff --git a/pyogp/lib/base/tests/test_template_builder.py b/pyogp/lib/base/tests/test_template_builder.py
index cfa2747..2ad980f 100644
--- a/pyogp/lib/base/tests/test_template_builder.py
+++ b/pyogp/lib/base/tests/test_template_builder.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ class TestTemplateBuilder(unittest.TestCase):
         builder.add_data('ID', 0x00000001, MsgType.MVT_U32)
         msg, size = builder.build_message()
         assert msg == '\xff\xff\xff\xfb' + '\x02' + \
-                    '\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01', \
+                    '\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00', \
                     "Building variable block failed"
         
     def test_build_empty_var(self):
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ class TestTemplateBuilder(unittest.TestCase):
         msg, size = builder.build_message()
 
         assert_string = '\xff\xff\x00\x11' + UUID("550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000").bytes + \
-                    '\x07' + 'Testing' + '\x00\x00\x00\x01' + '\x01'
+                    '\x07' + 'Testing' + '\x01\x00\x00\x00' + '\x01'
         assert msg == assert_string, "Building variable block failed"
 
 
@@ -267,11 +267,11 @@ class TestTemplateBuilder(unittest.TestCase):
         except Exception, e:
             assert False, "Multiple blocks not working correctly"
 
-        assert msg == '\xff\xff\x00\x01' + '\x00\x00\x00\x01' + \
-                    '\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01' + \
-                    '\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01' + \
-                    '\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01' + \
-                    '\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01', \
+        assert msg == '\xff\xff\x00\x01' + '\x01\x00\x00\x00' + \
+                    '\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00' + \
+                    '\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00' + \
+                    '\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00' + \
+                    '\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00\x01\x00\x00\x00', \
                     'TestMessage data not built correctly'
         
     def test_serialize_u8(self):