diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/RpcSchemaTests.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/RpcSchemaTests.cs
index 82ab2d0..0a95dc6 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/RpcSchemaTests.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/RpcSchemaTests.cs
@@ -378,6 +378,10 @@ namespace Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests
             var mb = MessageBuilder.Create();
             var root = mb.BuildRoot<TW>();
             obj.Serialize(root);
+            using (var tr = new FrameTracing.RpcFrameTracer(Console.Out))
+            {
+                tr.TraceFrame(FrameTracing.FrameDirection.Tx, mb.Frame);
+            }
             var d = (DeserializerState)root;
             var obj2 = new TD();
             obj2.Deserialize(d);
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/SerializationTests.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/SerializationTests.cs
index 153feb8..67ae5bc 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/SerializationTests.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/SerializationTests.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests.GenImpls;
+using Capnp.Rpc;
 using Capnproto_test.Capnp.Test;
 using Microsoft.VisualStudio.TestTools.UnitTesting;
 using System;
@@ -229,7 +230,7 @@ namespace Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests
         }
 
         [TestMethod]
-        public void ListOfStructs()
+        public void ListOfStructs1()
         {
             var b = MessageBuilder.Create();
             var list = b.CreateObject<ListOfStructsSerializer<SomeStruct.WRITER>>();
@@ -259,6 +260,19 @@ namespace Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests
             Assert.AreEqual("3", list3[3].SomeText);
         }
 
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void ListOfStructs2()
+        {
+            var b = MessageBuilder.Create();
+            var list = b.CreateObject<DynamicSerializerState>();
+            list.SetListOfStructs(3, 4, 5);
+            list.SetListOfStructs(3, 4, 5);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => list.SetListOfStructs(1, 4, 5));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => list.SetListOfStructs(3, 1, 5));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => list.SetListOfStructs(3, 4, 1));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => list.StructWriteData(0, 1, 1));
+        }
+
         [TestMethod]
         public void ListOfText()
         {
@@ -741,5 +755,171 @@ namespace Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests
             Assert.ThrowsException<IndexOutOfRangeException>(() => { var _ = list[0]; });
             Assert.AreEqual(0, list.ToArray().Length);
         }
+
+        class TestSerializerStateStruct11 : SerializerState
+        {
+            public TestSerializerStateStruct11()
+            {
+                SetStruct(1, 1);
+            }
+        }
+
+        class TestSerializerStateStruct20 : SerializerState
+        {
+            public TestSerializerStateStruct20()
+            {
+                SetStruct(2, 0);
+            }
+        }
+
+        class TestSerializerStateStruct11X : SerializerState
+        {
+            public TestSerializerStateStruct11X()
+            {
+                SetStruct(1, 1);
+            }
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void SerializerStateInvalidRewrap1()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState(MessageBuilder.Create());
+            dss.SetListOfValues(8, 1);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.Rewrap<TestSerializerStateStruct11>());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void SerializerStateInvalidRewrap2()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState();
+            dss.SetStruct(1, 0);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.Rewrap<TestSerializerStateStruct11>());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void SerializerStateInvalidRewrap3()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState();
+            dss.SetStruct(0, 1);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.Rewrap<TestSerializerStateStruct11>());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void SerializerStateInvalidRewrap4()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState();
+            dss.SetStruct(1, 0);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.Rewrap<ListOfTextSerializer>());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void UnboundSerializerState()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState();
+            dss.SetStruct(1, 0);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.WriteData(0, 0));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void LinkBadUsage1()
+        {
+            var mb = MessageBuilder.Create();
+            var dss = mb.CreateObject<DynamicSerializerState>();
+            dss.SetStruct(0, 1);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentNullException>(() => dss.Link(0, null));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() => dss.Link(-1, dss));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() => dss.Link(1, dss));
+            dss.Link(0, dss);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.Link(0, mb.CreateObject<DynamicSerializerState>()));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void LinkBadUsage2()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState(MessageBuilder.Create());
+            dss.SetListOfPointers(1);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentNullException>(() => dss.Link(0, null));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() => dss.Link(-1, dss));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() => dss.Link(1, dss));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void StructReadCapNoCapTable()
+        {
+            var dss = new DynamicSerializerState(MessageBuilder.Create());
+            dss.SetStruct(0, 1);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.ReadCap(0));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void StructReadCap()
+        {
+            var dss = DynamicSerializerState.CreateForRpc();
+            dss.SetStruct(0, 3);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() => dss.ReadCap(-1));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<ArgumentOutOfRangeException>(() => dss.ReadCap(100));
+            Assert.IsTrue(dss.ReadCap(0).IsNull);
+            dss.LinkToCapability(1, 99);
+            dss.Link(2, dss);
+            dss.Allocate();
+            Assert.IsTrue(dss.ReadCap(0).IsNull);
+            Assert.IsTrue(dss.ReadCap<ITestCallOrder>(0) is Proxy proxy && proxy.IsNull);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<Rpc.RpcException>(() => dss.ReadCap(1));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<Rpc.RpcException>(() => dss.ReadCap(2));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void Rewrap()
+        {
+            var mb = MessageBuilder.Create();
+            var list1 = mb.CreateObject<ListOfStructsSerializer<TestSerializerStateStruct11>>();
+            list1.Init(3);
+            var list2 = list1.Rewrap<ListOfStructsSerializer<TestSerializerStateStruct11X>>();
+            list2[0].WriteData(0, 0);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => list2.Rewrap<TestSerializerStateStruct11>());
+            var obj = mb.CreateObject<TestSerializerStateStruct11>();
+            var obj2 = obj.Rewrap<TestSerializerStateStruct11X>();
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => obj2.Rewrap<TestSerializerStateStruct20>());
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void AllocatedNil()
+        {
+            var mb = MessageBuilder.Create();
+            mb.InitCapTable();
+            var dss = mb.CreateObject<DynamicSerializerState>();
+            dss.Allocate();
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetCapability(0));
+            dss.SetCapability(null);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetListOfPointers(1));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetListOfStructs(1, 1, 1));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetListOfValues(8, 1));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetObject(mb.CreateObject<TestSerializerStateStruct11>()));
+            dss.SetObject(null);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetStruct(1, 1));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void SetCapability1()
+        {
+            var mb = MessageBuilder.Create();
+            mb.InitCapTable();
+            var dss = mb.CreateObject<DynamicSerializerState>();
+            dss.SetStruct(1, 1);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetCapability(null));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetCapability(0));
+        }
+
+        [TestMethod]
+        public void SetCapability2()
+        {
+            var mb = MessageBuilder.Create();
+            mb.InitCapTable();
+            var dss = mb.CreateObject<DynamicSerializerState>();
+            dss.SetCapability(7);
+            dss.SetCapability(7);
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetCapability(8));
+            Assert.ThrowsException<InvalidOperationException>(() => dss.SetCapability(null));
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/Testsuite.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/Testsuite.cs
index 90b4675..443beea 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/Testsuite.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests/Testsuite.cs
@@ -571,12 +571,12 @@ namespace Capnp.Net.Runtime.Tests
                 task1.Result.Dispose();
 
                 testbed.FlushCommunication();
-                Assert.AreEqual(1, counters.HandleCount);
+                Assert.IsTrue(SpinWait.SpinUntil(() => counters.HandleCount == 1, TestBase.ShortTimeout));
 
                 task2.Result.Dispose();
 
                 testbed.FlushCommunication();
-                Assert.AreEqual(0, counters.HandleCount);
+                Assert.IsTrue(SpinWait.SpinUntil(() => counters.HandleCount == 0, TestBase.ShortTimeout));
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DeserializerState.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DeserializerState.cs
index 735ae7e..6fbb996 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DeserializerState.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DeserializerState.cs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// <summary>
         /// The capabilities imported from the capability table. Only valid in RPC context.
         /// </summary>
-        public IList<Rpc.ConsumedCapability?>? Caps { get; set; }
+        public IList<Rpc.ConsumedCapability>? Caps { get; set; }
         /// <summary>
         /// Current segment (essentially Segments[CurrentSegmentIndex])
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DynamicSerializerState.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DynamicSerializerState.cs
index fe750d9..d6092c6 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DynamicSerializerState.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/DynamicSerializerState.cs
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// <item><description>This state does neither describe a struct, nor a list of pointers</description></item>
         /// <item><description>Another state is already linked to the specified position (sorry, no overwrite allowed)</description></item></list>
         /// </exception>
-        public new void LinkToCapability(int slot, uint capabilityIndex) => base.LinkToCapability(slot, capabilityIndex);
+        public new void LinkToCapability(int slot, uint? capabilityIndex) => base.LinkToCapability(slot, capabilityIndex);
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Determines the underlying object to be a struct.
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">The object type was already set to something different</exception>
         public new void SetStruct(ushort dataCount, ushort ptrCount) => base.SetStruct(dataCount, ptrCount);
 
+        public new void SetCapability(uint? capabilityIndex) => base.SetCapability(capabilityIndex);
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Determines the underlying object to be a list of (primitive) values.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/MessageBuilder.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/MessageBuilder.cs
index 6afb40e..ba2f556 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/MessageBuilder.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/MessageBuilder.cs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ namespace Capnp
     {
         readonly ISegmentAllocator _allocator;
         readonly DynamicSerializerState _rootPtrBuilder;
-        List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability?>? _capTable;
+        List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability>? _capTable;
 
         MessageBuilder(ISegmentAllocator allocator)
         {
@@ -92,13 +92,13 @@ namespace Capnp
             if (_capTable != null)
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("Capability table was already initialized");
 
-            _capTable = new List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability?>();
+            _capTable = new List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability>();
         }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns this message builder's segment allocator.
         /// </summary>
         public ISegmentAllocator Allocator => _allocator;
-        internal List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability?>? Caps => _capTable;
+        internal List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability>? Caps => _capTable;
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Impatient.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Impatient.cs
index 4b73082..bddc2be 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Impatient.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Impatient.cs
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
             }
         }
 
-        public static async Task<TInterface> Unwrap<TInterface>(this TInterface cap) where TInterface: class, IDisposable
+        public static async Task<TInterface?> Unwrap<TInterface>(this TInterface cap) where TInterface: class, IDisposable
         {
             using var proxy = cap as Proxy;
 
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
                 return cap;
 
             var unwrapped = await proxy.ConsumedCap.Unwrap();
+            if (unwrapped == null)
+                return null;
+
             return ((CapabilityReflection.CreateProxy<TInterface>(unwrapped)) as TInterface)!;
         }
 
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/LazyCapability.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/LazyCapability.cs
index 6b11347..880b837 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/LazyCapability.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/LazyCapability.cs
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
             return new LazyCapability(Task.FromCanceled<ConsumedCapability?>(token));
         }
 
-        public static LazyCapability Null => CreateBrokenCap("Null capability");
-
         readonly Task<Proxy>? _proxyTask;
 
         public LazyCapability(Task<ConsumedCapability?> capabilityTask)
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/PendingAnswer.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/PendingAnswer.cs
index 4bc0f89..a195b0c 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/PendingAnswer.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/PendingAnswer.cs
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
                                 try
                                 {
                                     var cap = aorcq.Answer.Caps![(int)cur.CapabilityIndex];
-                                    proxy = new Proxy(cap ?? LazyCapability.Null);
+                                    proxy = new Proxy(cap);
                                 }
                                 catch (ArgumentOutOfRangeException)
                                 {
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Proxy.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Proxy.cs
index 65616b0..53ec1af 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Proxy.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Proxy.cs
@@ -197,16 +197,13 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
         /// <param name="disposeThis">Whether to Dispose() this Proxy instance</param>
         /// <returns>Proxy for desired capability interface</returns>
         /// <exception cref="InvalidCapabilityInterfaceException"><typeparamref name="T"/> did not qualify as capability interface.</exception>
-        /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">This capability is broken, or mismatch between generic type arguments (if capability interface is generic).</exception>
+        /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">Mismatch between generic type arguments (if capability interface is generic).</exception>
         /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Mismatch between generic type arguments (if capability interface is generic).</exception>
         /// <exception cref="System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException">Problem with instatiating the Proxy (constructor threw exception).</exception>
         /// <exception cref="MemberAccessException">Caller does not have permission to invoke the Proxy constructor.</exception>
         /// <exception cref="TypeLoadException">Problem with building the Proxy type, or problem with loading some dependent class.</exception>
         public T Cast<T>(bool disposeThis) where T: class
         {
-            if (IsNull)
-                throw new InvalidOperationException("Capability is broken");
-
             using (disposeThis ? this : null)
             {
                 return (CapabilityReflection.CreateProxy<T>(ConsumedCap) as T)!;
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/ResolvingCapabilityExtensions.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/ResolvingCapabilityExtensions.cs
index 86c5fa8..23b3fab 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/ResolvingCapabilityExtensions.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/ResolvingCapabilityExtensions.cs
@@ -5,13 +5,11 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
 {
     static class ResolvingCapabilityExtensions
     {
-        public static async Task<ConsumedCapability> Unwrap(this ConsumedCapability? cap)
+        public static async Task<ConsumedCapability?> Unwrap(this ConsumedCapability? cap)
         {
-            cap ??= LazyCapability.Null;
-
             while (cap is IResolvingCapability resolving)
             {
-                cap = await resolving.WhenResolved ?? LazyCapability.Null;
+                cap = await resolving.WhenResolved;
             }
 
             return cap;
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
             switch (obj)
             {
                 case Proxy proxy: return proxy;
-                case null: return new Proxy(LazyCapability.Null);
+                case null: return new Proxy(null);
                 default: return BareProxy.FromImpl(obj);
             }
         }
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/RpcEngine.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/RpcEngine.cs
index c59c3d8..e7e0df1 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/RpcEngine.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/RpcEngine.cs
@@ -1347,9 +1347,9 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
                 }
             }
 
-            internal IList<ConsumedCapability?> ImportCapTable(Payload.READER payload)
+            internal IList<ConsumedCapability> ImportCapTable(Payload.READER payload)
             {
-                var list = new List<ConsumedCapability?>();
+                var list = new List<ConsumedCapability>();
 
                 if (payload.CapTable != null)
                 {
@@ -1378,16 +1378,8 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
                 foreach (var cap in state.MsgBuilder.Caps)
                 {
                     var capDesc = payload.CapTable[i++];
-
-                    if (cap == null)
-                    {
-                        LazyCapability.Null.Export(this, capDesc);
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        postAction += cap.Export(this, capDesc);
-                        cap.Release();
-                    }
+                    postAction += cap.Export(this, capDesc);
+                    cap.Release();
                 }
 
                 Tx(state.MsgBuilder.Frame);
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Vine.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Vine.cs
index 1542681..3572f6c 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Vine.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/Rpc/Vine.cs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
 {
     class Vine : Skeleton
     {
-        public static Skeleton Create(ConsumedCapability cap)
+        public static Skeleton Create(ConsumedCapability? cap)
         {
             if (cap is LocalCapability lcap)
                 return lcap.ProvidedCap;
@@ -15,9 +15,9 @@ namespace Capnp.Rpc
                 return new Vine(cap);
         }
 
-        Vine(ConsumedCapability consumedCap)
+        Vine(ConsumedCapability? consumedCap)
         {
-            Proxy = new Proxy(consumedCap ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(consumedCap)));
+            Proxy = new Proxy(consumedCap);
 
 #if DebugFinalizers
             CreatorStackTrace = Environment.StackTrace;
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/SerializerState.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/SerializerState.cs
index 42c5522..c89ca61 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/SerializerState.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/SerializerState.cs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ namespace Capnp
 
         internal MessageBuilder? MsgBuilder { get; set; }
         internal ISegmentAllocator? Allocator => MsgBuilder?.Allocator;
-        internal List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability?>? Caps => MsgBuilder?.Caps;
+        internal List<Rpc.ConsumedCapability>? Caps => MsgBuilder?.Caps;
         internal SerializerState? Owner { get; set; }
         internal int OwnerSlot { get; set; }
         internal uint SegmentIndex { get; set; }
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// Returns the allocated memory slice (given this state already is allocated). Note that this definition is somewhat
         /// non-symmetric to <code>DeserializerState.RawData</code>. Never mind: You should not use it directly, anyway.
         /// </summary>
-        public Span<ulong> RawData => SegmentSpan.Slice(Offset, (int)WordsAllocated);
+        public Span<ulong> RawData => IsAllocated ? SegmentSpan.Slice(Offset, (int)WordsAllocated) : Span<ulong>.Empty;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// The kind of object this state currently represents.
@@ -170,12 +170,6 @@ namespace Capnp
                 SegmentIndex = 0;
                 Offset = 0;
             }
-            else if (Owner?.Kind == ObjectKind.ListOfStructs)
-            {
-                Owner.Allocate();
-                SegmentIndex = Owner.SegmentIndex;
-                Offset = Owner.Offset + OwnerSlot + 1;
-            }
             else
             {
                 if (Allocator == null)
@@ -242,25 +236,43 @@ namespace Capnp
             }
         }
 
-        internal void EncodePointer(int offset, SerializerState target, bool allowCopy)
+        internal Rpc.ConsumedCapability? DecodeCapPointer(int offset)
         {
-            if (target == null)
-                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(target));
+            if (Caps == null)
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Capbility table not set");
 
-            if (!target.IsAllocated)
-                throw new InvalidOperationException("Target must be allocated before a pointer can be built");
-
-            if (MsgBuilder == null)
-                throw Unbound();
-
-            try
+            if (!IsAllocated)
             {
-                if (SegmentSpan[offset] != 0)
-                    throw new InvalidOperationException("Won't replace an already allocated pointer to prevent memory leaks and security flaws");
+                return null;
             }
-            catch (IndexOutOfRangeException)
+
+            WirePointer pointer = RawData[offset];
+
+            if (pointer.IsNull)
             {
-                throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(offset));
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            if (pointer.Kind != PointerKind.Other)
+            {
+                throw new Rpc.RpcException(
+                    "Expected a capability pointer, but got something different");
+            }
+
+            if (pointer.CapabilityIndex >= Caps.Count)
+            {
+                throw new Rpc.RpcException(
+                    "Capability index out of range");
+            }
+
+            return Caps[(int)pointer.CapabilityIndex];
+        }
+
+        void EncodePointer(int offset, SerializerState target, bool allowCopy)
+        {
+            if (SegmentSpan[offset] != 0)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("Won't replace an already allocated pointer to prevent memory leaks and security flaws");
             }
 
             if (target.Allocator != null &&
@@ -375,31 +387,6 @@ namespace Capnp
             }
         }
 
-        internal Rpc.ConsumedCapability? DecodeCapPointer(int offset)
-        {
-            if (offset < 0)
-                throw new IndexOutOfRangeException(nameof(offset));
-
-            if (Caps == null)
-                throw new InvalidOperationException("Capbility table not set");
-
-            WirePointer pointer = RawData[offset];
-
-            if (pointer.Kind != PointerKind.Other)
-            {
-                throw new Rpc.RpcException(
-                    "Expected a capability pointer, but got something different");
-            }
-
-            if (pointer.CapabilityIndex >= Caps.Count)
-            {
-                throw new Rpc.RpcException(
-                    "Capability index out of range");
-            }
-
-            return Caps[(int)pointer.CapabilityIndex];
-        }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Links a sub-item (struct field or list element) of this state to another state. Usually, this operation is not necessary, since objects are constructed top-down.
         /// However, there might be some advanced scenarios where you want to reference the same object twice (also interesting for designing amplification attacks).
@@ -471,7 +458,7 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// <item><description>This state does neither describe a struct, nor a list of pointers</description></item>
         /// <item><description>Another state is already linked to the specified position (sorry, no overwrite allowed)</description></item></list>
         /// </exception>
-        protected void LinkToCapability(int slot, uint capabilityIndex)
+        protected void LinkToCapability(int slot, uint? capabilityIndex)
         {
             var cstate = new SerializerState();
             cstate.SetCapability(capabilityIndex);
@@ -511,19 +498,29 @@ namespace Capnp
             }
         }
 
-        public void SetCapability(uint capabilityIndex)
+        protected void SetCapability(uint? capabilityIndex)
         {
-            if (Kind == ObjectKind.Nil)
+            if (capabilityIndex.HasValue)
             {
-                VerifyNotYetAllocated();
+                if (Kind == ObjectKind.Nil)
+                {
+                    VerifyNotYetAllocated();
 
-                Kind = ObjectKind.Capability;
-                CapabilityIndex = capabilityIndex;
-                Allocate();
+                    Kind = ObjectKind.Capability;
+                    CapabilityIndex = capabilityIndex.Value;
+                    Allocate();
+                }
+                else if (Kind != ObjectKind.Capability || CapabilityIndex != capabilityIndex)
+                {
+                    throw AlreadySet();
+                }
             }
-            else if (Kind != ObjectKind.Capability || CapabilityIndex != capabilityIndex)
+            else
             {
-                throw AlreadySet();
+                if (Kind != ObjectKind.Nil)
+                {
+                    throw AlreadySet();
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -1225,10 +1222,13 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// Adds an entry to the capability table if the provided capability does not yet exist.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="capability">The low-level capability object to provide.</param>
-        /// <returns>Index of the given capability in the capability table</returns>
+        /// <returns>Index of the given capability in the capability table, null if capability is null</returns>
         /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">The underlying message builder was not configured for capability table support.</exception>
-        public uint ProvideCapability(Rpc.ConsumedCapability? capability)
+        public uint? ProvideCapability(Rpc.ConsumedCapability? capability)
         {
+            if (capability == null)
+                return null;
+
             if (Caps == null)
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("Underlying MessageBuilder was not enabled to support capabilities");
 
@@ -1252,7 +1252,7 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">The underlying message builder was not configured for capability table support.</exception>
         public uint ProvideCapability(Rpc.Skeleton capability)
         {
-            return ProvideCapability(Rpc.LocalCapability.Create(capability));
+            return ProvideCapability(Rpc.LocalCapability.Create(capability))!.Value;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -1267,12 +1267,12 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// </list></param>
         /// <returns>Index of the given capability in the capability table</returns>
         /// <exception cref="InvalidOperationException">The underlying message builder was not configured for capability table support.</exception>
-        public uint ProvideCapability(object? obj)
+        public uint? ProvideCapability(object? obj)
         {
             switch (obj)
             {
                 case null:
-                    return ProvideCapability(default(Rpc.ConsumedCapability));
+                    return null;
                 case Rpc.Proxy proxy: using (proxy)
                     return ProvideCapability(proxy.ConsumedCap);
                 case Rpc.ConsumedCapability consumedCapability:
@@ -1348,8 +1348,8 @@ namespace Capnp
             if (Kind != ObjectKind.Struct && Kind != ObjectKind.Nil)
                 throw new InvalidOperationException("Allowed on structs only");
 
-            if (index >= StructPtrCount)
-                return null;
+            if (index < 0 || index >= StructPtrCount)
+                throw new ArgumentOutOfRangeException(nameof(index));
 
             return DecodeCapPointer(index + StructDataCount);
         }
diff --git a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/WirePointer.cs b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/WirePointer.cs
index 197886e..5f17dca 100644
--- a/Capnp.Net.Runtime/WirePointer.cs
+++ b/Capnp.Net.Runtime/WirePointer.cs
@@ -219,10 +219,13 @@ namespace Capnp
         /// <summary>
         /// Encodes a capability pointer.
         /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="index">capability index</param>
-        public void SetCapability(uint index)
+        /// <param name="index">capability index, 'null' means 'null pointer'</param>
+        public void SetCapability(uint? index)
         {
-            _ptrData = ((ulong)index << 32) | (ulong)PointerKind.Other;
+            if (index.HasValue)
+                _ptrData = ((ulong)index << 32) | (ulong)PointerKind.Other;
+            else
+                _ptrData = 0;
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file