diff --git a/lightningd/htlc_wire.c b/lightningd/htlc_wire.c
index e7f7048c0..b62ec1be5 100644
--- a/lightningd/htlc_wire.c
+++ b/lightningd/htlc_wire.c
@@ -27,20 +27,20 @@ void towire_failed_htlc(u8 **pptr, const struct failed_htlc *failed)
 	towire_u8_array(pptr, failed->failreason, tal_count(failed->failreason));
 }
 
-void towire_htlc_state(u8 **pptr, const enum htlc_state *hstate)
+void towire_htlc_state(u8 **pptr, const enum htlc_state hstate)
 {
-	towire_u8(pptr, *hstate);
+	towire_u8(pptr, hstate);
 }
 
 void towire_changed_htlc(u8 **pptr, const struct changed_htlc *changed)
 {
-	towire_htlc_state(pptr, &changed->newstate);
+	towire_htlc_state(pptr, changed->newstate);
 	towire_u64(pptr, changed->id);
 }
 
-void towire_side(u8 **pptr, const enum side *side)
+void towire_side(u8 **pptr, const enum side side)
 {
-	towire_u8(pptr, *side);
+	towire_u8(pptr, side);
 }
 
 void fromwire_added_htlc(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
@@ -73,28 +73,29 @@ void fromwire_failed_htlc(const tal_t *ctx, const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
 	fromwire_u8_array(cursor, max, failed->failreason, failreason_len);
 }
 
-void fromwire_htlc_state(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
-			 enum htlc_state *hstate)
+enum htlc_state fromwire_htlc_state(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max)
 {
-	*hstate = fromwire_u8(cursor, max);
-	if (*hstate >= HTLC_STATE_INVALID) {
-		*hstate = HTLC_STATE_INVALID;
+	enum htlc_state hstate = fromwire_u8(cursor, max);
+	if (hstate >= HTLC_STATE_INVALID) {
+		hstate = HTLC_STATE_INVALID;
 		fromwire_fail(cursor, max);
 	}
+	return hstate;
 }
 
 void fromwire_changed_htlc(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
 			   struct changed_htlc *changed)
 {
-	fromwire_htlc_state(cursor, max, &changed->newstate);
+	changed->newstate = fromwire_htlc_state(cursor, max);
 	changed->id = fromwire_u64(cursor, max);
 }
 
-void fromwire_side(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max, enum side *side)
+enum side fromwire_side(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max)
 {
-	*side = fromwire_u8(cursor, max);
-	if (*side >= NUM_SIDES) {
-		*side = NUM_SIDES;
+	enum side side = fromwire_u8(cursor, max);
+	if (side >= NUM_SIDES) {
+		side = NUM_SIDES;
 		fromwire_fail(cursor, max);
 	}
+	return side;
 }
diff --git a/lightningd/htlc_wire.h b/lightningd/htlc_wire.h
index 734f75a1e..e77abfb6a 100644
--- a/lightningd/htlc_wire.h
+++ b/lightningd/htlc_wire.h
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ void towire_added_htlc(u8 **pptr, const struct added_htlc *added);
 void towire_fulfilled_htlc(u8 **pptr, const struct fulfilled_htlc *fulfilled);
 void towire_failed_htlc(u8 **pptr, const struct failed_htlc *failed);
 void towire_changed_htlc(u8 **pptr, const struct changed_htlc *changed);
-void towire_htlc_state(u8 **pptr, const enum htlc_state *hstate);
-void towire_side(u8 **pptr, const enum side *side);
+void towire_htlc_state(u8 **pptr, const enum htlc_state hstate);
+void towire_side(u8 **pptr, const enum side side);
 
 void fromwire_added_htlc(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
 			 struct added_htlc *added);
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ void fromwire_failed_htlc(const tal_t *ctx, const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
 			  struct failed_htlc *failed);
 void fromwire_changed_htlc(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
 			   struct changed_htlc *changed);
-void fromwire_htlc_state(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max,
-			 enum htlc_state *hstate);
-void fromwire_side(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max, enum side *side);
+enum htlc_state fromwire_htlc_state(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max);
+enum side fromwire_side(const u8 **cursor, size_t *max);
 #endif /* LIGHTNING_LIGHTNINGD_HTLC_WIRE_H */
diff --git a/tools/generate-wire.py b/tools/generate-wire.py
index 6f3eb3879..c17f209eb 100755
--- a/tools/generate-wire.py
+++ b/tools/generate-wire.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class FieldType(object):
         self.tsize = FieldType._typesize(name)
 
     def is_assignable(self):
-        return self.name in ['u8', 'u16', 'u32', 'u64', 'bool']
+        return self.name in ['u8', 'u16', 'u32', 'u64', 'bool'] or self.name.startswith('enum ')
 
     # We only accelerate the u8 case: it's common and trivial.
     def has_array_helper(self):