diff --git a/generate/misc_test.go b/generate/misc_test.go
index 463d13f..c4e293f 100644
--- a/generate/misc_test.go
+++ b/generate/misc_test.go
@@ -6,9 +6,9 @@ import "os/exec"
 import "testing"
 import "path/filepath"
 
-func testGenerateRun(test *testing.T, protocol *Protocol, imports string, testCase string) {
+func testGenerateRun(test *testing.T, protocol *Protocol, title, imports, testCase string) {
 	// reset data directory
-	dir := "test/generate-run"
+	dir := filepath.Join("test", title)
 	err := os.RemoveAll(dir)
 	if err != nil { test.Fatal(err) }
 	err = os.MkdirAll(dir, 0750)
@@ -58,14 +58,21 @@ func testGenerateRun(test *testing.T, protocol *Protocol, imports string, testCa
 			}
 		}
 
-		func testDecode(data []byte, message Message, correct Message) {
-			decoder := tape.NewDecoder(bytes.NewBuffer(data))
+		func testDecode(correct Message, data any) {
+			var flat []byte
+			switch data := data.(type) {
+			case []byte:   flat = data
+			case tu.Snake: flat = data.Flatten()
+			}
+			message := reflect.New(reflect.ValueOf(correct).Elem().Type()).Interface().(Message)
+			log.Println("before: ", message)
+			decoder := tape.NewDecoder(bytes.NewBuffer(flat))
 			n, err := message.Decode(decoder)
 			if err != nil { log.Fatalf("at %d: %v\n", n, err) }
 			log.Println("got:    ", message)
 			log.Println("correct:", correct)
-			if n != len(data) {
-				log.Fatalf("n incorrect: %d != %d\n", n, len(data))
+			if n != len(flat) {
+				log.Fatalf("n incorrect: %d != %d\n", n, len(flat))
 			}
 			if !reflect.DeepEqual(message, correct) {
 				log.Fatalln("not equal")
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ func testGenerateRun(test *testing.T, protocol *Protocol, imports string, testCa
 		imports, setup, testCase, teardown, static)
 
 	// build and run test
-	command := exec.Command("go", "run", "./generate/test/generate-run")
+	command := exec.Command("go", "run", "./" + filepath.Join("generate", dir))
 	workingDirAbs, err := filepath.Abs("..")
 	if err != nil { test.Fatal(err) }
 	command.Dir = workingDirAbs