diff --git a/src/forker.rs b/src/forker.rs
index 93e50115..ad195ec1 100644
--- a/src/forker.rs
+++ b/src/forker.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 mod io;
+mod protocol;
 
 use {
     crate::{
         async_engine::{AsyncEngine, SpawnedFuture},
         compositor::{DISPLAY, LIBEI_SOCKET, WAYLAND_DISPLAY},
         forker::io::{IoIn, IoOut},
+        forker::protocol::{ForkerMessage, ServerMessage, bincode_ops},
         io_uring::IoUring,
         state::State,
         utils::{
@@ -23,7 +25,6 @@ use {
     ahash::AHashMap,
     bincode::Options,
     log::Level,
-    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::{
         cell::{Cell, RefCell},
         env,
@@ -37,13 +38,6 @@ use {
     uapi::{Errno, Fd, IntoUstr, OwnedFd, UstrPtr, c},
 };
 
-pub fn bincode_ops() -> impl Options {
-    bincode::DefaultOptions::new()
-        .with_fixint_encoding()
-        .with_little_endian()
-        .with_no_limit()
-}
-
 pub struct ForkerProxy {
     pidfd: Rc<OwnedFd>,
     socket: Rc<OwnedFd>,
@@ -299,34 +293,6 @@ impl ForkerProxy {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
-enum ServerMessage {
-    SetEnv {
-        var: Vec<u8>,
-        val: Option<Vec<u8>>,
-    },
-    Spawn {
-        prog: String,
-        args: Vec<String>,
-        env: Vec<(String, Option<String>)>,
-        fds: Vec<i32>,
-        pidfd_id: Option<u32>,
-    },
-}
-
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
-enum ForkerMessage {
-    Log {
-        level: usize,
-        msg: String,
-    },
-    PidFd {
-        id: u32,
-        success: bool,
-        pid: c::pid_t,
-    },
-}
-
 struct Forker {
     socket: Rc<OwnedFd>,
     ae: Rc<AsyncEngine>,
diff --git a/src/forker/io.rs b/src/forker/io.rs
index 6f735070..f006f786 100644
--- a/src/forker/io.rs
+++ b/src/forker/io.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use {
 
 use {
     crate::{
-        forker::{ForkerError, bincode_ops},
+        forker::{ForkerError, protocol::bincode_ops},
         io_uring::IoUring,
         utils::{
             buf::DynamicBuf,
diff --git a/src/forker/protocol.rs b/src/forker/protocol.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e28e7bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/forker/protocol.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+use {
+    bincode::Options,
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
+    uapi::c,
+};
+
+pub(super) fn bincode_ops() -> impl Options {
+    bincode::DefaultOptions::new()
+        .with_fixint_encoding()
+        .with_little_endian()
+        .with_no_limit()
+}
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub(super) enum ServerMessage {
+    SetEnv {
+        var: Vec<u8>,
+        val: Option<Vec<u8>>,
+    },
+    Spawn {
+        prog: String,
+        args: Vec<String>,
+        env: Vec<(String, Option<String>)>,
+        fds: Vec<i32>,
+        pidfd_id: Option<u32>,
+    },
+}
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub(super) enum ForkerMessage {
+    Log {
+        level: usize,
+        msg: String,
+    },
+    PidFd {
+        id: u32,
+        success: bool,
+        pid: c::pid_t,
+    },
+}