diff --git a/packet.js b/packet.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf2cf29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packet.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+
+function Packet() {
+  this.cmd = null
+  this.retain = false
+  this.qos = 0
+  this.dup = false
+  this.length = -1
+  this.topic = null
+  this.payload = null
+}
+
+module.exports = Packet
diff --git a/parser.js b/parser.js
index 4431245..626000c 100644
--- a/parser.js
+++ b/parser.js
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 var bl        = require('bl')
   , inherits  = require('inherits')
   , EE        = require('events').EventEmitter
+  , Packet    = require('./packet')
   , constants = require('./constants')
 
 function Parser() {
@@ -29,9 +30,7 @@ Parser.prototype._newPacket = function () {
     this.emit('packet', this.packet)
   }
 
-  this.packet = {
-    length: -1
-  }
+  this.packet = new Packet()
 
   return true
 }
diff --git a/test.js b/test.js
index 3a5e29a..d2e03f2 100644
--- a/test.js
+++ b/test.js
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ function testParseGenerate(name, object, buffer, opts) {
       , fixture   = buffer
 
     parser.on('packet', function(packet) {
+      if (packet.cmd !== 'publish') {
+        delete packet.topic
+        delete packet.payload
+      }
       t.deepEqual(packet, expected, 'expected packet')
     })
 
@@ -30,6 +34,10 @@ function testParseGenerate(name, object, buffer, opts) {
       , fixture   = mqtt.generate(object)
 
     parser.on('packet', function(packet) {
+      if (packet.cmd !== 'publish') {
+        delete packet.topic
+        delete packet.payload
+      }
       t.deepEqual(packet, expected, 'expected packet')
     })