diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ea5baa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+.git
+.gitignore
+*.md
+LICENSE
+renovate.json
+*_test.go
+e2e_test.go
+__pycache__
+.env*
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 2a662f3..eac4d88 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ RUN go mod download
 
 COPY . .
 
-RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux go build -ldflags="-w -s" -o /stt-module .
+RUN CGO_ENABLED=0 GOOS=linux GOAMD64=v3 go build -ldflags="-w -s" -o /stt-module .
 
 # Runtime stage
 FROM scratch
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 6117214..63bf3a2 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
-	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
@@ -25,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 
 	"git.daviestechlabs.io/daviestechlabs/handler-base/config"
 	"git.daviestechlabs.io/daviestechlabs/handler-base/health"
+	"git.daviestechlabs.io/daviestechlabs/handler-base/messages"
 	"git.daviestechlabs.io/daviestechlabs/handler-base/natsutil"
 	"git.daviestechlabs.io/daviestechlabs/handler-base/telemetry"
 )
@@ -137,11 +137,7 @@ func (ab *AudioBuffer) shouldProcess(bufferSize, maxBufferSize int, chunkTimeout
 func (ab *AudioBuffer) getAudio() []byte {
 	ab.mu.Lock()
 	defer ab.mu.Unlock()
-	var total int
-	for _, c := range ab.chunks {
-		total += len(c)
-	}
-	result := make([]byte, 0, total)
+	result := make([]byte, 0, ab.totalBytes)
 	for _, c := range ab.chunks {
 		result = append(result, c...)
 	}
@@ -327,16 +323,16 @@ func main() {
 		}
 
 		if transcript != "" {
-			result := map[string]any{
-				"session_id":         sessionID,
-				"transcript":         transcript,
-				"sequence":           seq,
-				"is_partial":         !complete,
-				"is_final":           complete,
-				"timestamp":          time.Now().Unix(),
-				"speaker_id":         speakerID,
-				"has_voice_activity": hasVoice,
-				"state":              state,
+			result := &messages.STTTranscription{
+				SessionID:        sessionID,
+				Transcript:       transcript,
+				Sequence:         seq,
+				IsPartial:        !complete,
+				IsFinal:          complete,
+				Timestamp:        time.Now().Unix(),
+				SpeakerID:        speakerID,
+				HasVoiceActivity: hasVoice,
+				State:            state,
 			}
 			packed, _ := msgpack.Marshal(result)
 			nc.Conn().Publish(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", transcriptionSubjectPrefix, sessionID), packed)
@@ -382,26 +378,21 @@ func main() {
 		}
 		sessionID := parts[3]
 
-		data, err := natsutil.DecodeMsgpackMap(natMsg.Data)
+		streamMsg, err := natsutil.Decode[messages.STTStreamMessage](natMsg.Data)
 		if err != nil {
 			slog.Error("decode error", "error", err)
 			return
 		}
 
-		msgType := ""
-		if t, ok := data["type"].(string); ok {
-			msgType = t
-		}
-
-		switch msgType {
+		switch streamMsg.Type {
 		case "start":
 			slog.Info("starting stream session", "session", sessionID)
 			buf := newAudioBuffer(sessionID)
-			if s, ok := data["state"].(string); ok {
-				buf.setState(s)
+			if streamMsg.State != "" {
+				buf.setState(streamMsg.State)
 			}
-			if s, ok := data["speaker_id"].(string); ok {
-				buf.speakerID = s
+			if streamMsg.SpeakerID != "" {
+				buf.speakerID = streamMsg.SpeakerID
 			}
 			sessionsMu.Lock()
 			sessions[sessionID] = buf
@@ -412,10 +403,8 @@ func main() {
 			sessionsMu.RLock()
 			buffer, ok := sessions[sessionID]
 			sessionsMu.RUnlock()
-			if ok {
-				if s, ok := data["state"].(string); ok {
-					buffer.setState(s)
-				}
+			if ok && streamMsg.State != "" {
+				buffer.setState(streamMsg.State)
 			}
 
 		case "end":
@@ -434,16 +423,8 @@ func main() {
 			}
 
 		case "chunk":
-			audioB64 := ""
-			if s, ok := data["audio_b64"].(string); ok {
-				audioB64 = s
-			}
-			if audioB64 == "" {
-				return
-			}
-			audioBytes, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(audioB64)
-			if err != nil {
-				slog.Error("base64 decode failed", "error", err)
+			// Audio arrives as raw bytes — no base64 decode needed
+			if len(streamMsg.Audio) == 0 {
 				return
 			}
 
@@ -459,12 +440,12 @@ func main() {
 			sessionsMu.Unlock()
 
 			// Check for interrupt
-			if buffer.checkInterrupt(audioBytes, enableInterrupt, audioLevelThreshold, interruptDuration) {
-				interruptMsg := map[string]any{
-					"session_id": sessionID,
-					"type":       "interrupt",
-					"timestamp":  time.Now().Unix(),
-					"speaker_id": buffer.speakerID,
+			if buffer.checkInterrupt(streamMsg.Audio, enableInterrupt, audioLevelThreshold, interruptDuration) {
+				interruptMsg := &messages.STTInterrupt{
+					SessionID: sessionID,
+					Type:      "interrupt",
+					Timestamp: time.Now().Unix(),
+					SpeakerID: buffer.speakerID,
 				}
 				packed, _ := msgpack.Marshal(interruptMsg)
 				nc.Conn().Publish(fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", transcriptionSubjectPrefix, sessionID), packed)
@@ -472,7 +453,7 @@ func main() {
 				buffer.setState(stateListening)
 			}
 
-			buffer.addChunk(audioBytes)
+			buffer.addChunk(streamMsg.Audio)
 		}
 	}