diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index f4361da..eed7ddd 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -310,9 +310,9 @@ function initDB(peer, config) {
       /** @type {AccountData} */
       const data = msg.data
       if (data.action !== 'add') continue
-      if (data.add.key.purpose !== 'sig') continue
-      if (data.add.key.algorithm !== 'ed25519') continue
-      pubkeys.add(data.add.key.bytes)
+      if (data.key.purpose !== 'sig') continue
+      if (data.key.algorithm !== 'ed25519') continue
+      pubkeys.add(data.key.bytes)
     }
     return pubkeys
   }
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ function initDB(peer, config) {
       if (rec.msg.metadata.account !== ACCOUNT_SELF) continue
       if (rec.msg.metadata.domain !== domain) continue
       const data = /** @type {AccountData} */ (rec.msg.data)
-      if (data.action === 'add' && data.add.key.bytes === keypair.public) {
+      if (data.action === 'add' && data.key.bytes === keypair.public) {
         const accountID = getAccountID(rec)
         if (accountID) {
           cb(null, accountID)
@@ -546,8 +546,8 @@ function initDB(peer, config) {
       /** @type {AccountData} */
       const data = msg.data
       if (data.action !== 'add') continue
-      if (data.add.key.algorithm !== keypair.curve) continue
-      if (data.add.key.bytes === keypair.public) {
+      if (data.key.algorithm !== keypair.curve) continue
+      if (data.key.bytes === keypair.public) {
         return true
       }
     }
@@ -625,10 +625,10 @@ function initDB(peer, config) {
       /** @type {AccountData} */
       const data = msg.data
       if (data.action !== 'add') continue
-      if (data.add.key.algorithm !== keypair.curve) continue
-      if (data.add.key.bytes !== keypair.public) continue
-      if (data.add.powers) {
-        for (const power of data.add.powers) {
+      if (data.key.algorithm !== keypair.curve) continue
+      if (data.key.bytes !== keypair.public) continue
+      if (data.powers) {
+        for (const power of data.powers) {
           powers.add(power)
         }
       }
@@ -741,16 +741,14 @@ function initDB(peer, config) {
     /** @type {AccountData} */
     const data = {
       action: 'add',
-      add: {
-        key: {
-          purpose: 'sig',
-          algorithm: 'ed25519',
-          bytes: addedKeypair.public,
-        },
-        consent,
+      key: {
+        purpose: 'sig',
+        algorithm: 'ed25519',
+        bytes: addedKeypair.public,
       },
+      consent,
     }
-    if (opts.powers) data.add.powers = opts.powers
+    if (opts.powers) data.powers = opts.powers
 
     // Fill-in tangle opts:
     const fullOpts = {
diff --git a/lib/msg-v3/index.js b/lib/msg-v3/index.js
index 77510d9..8ba58c4 100644
--- a/lib/msg-v3/index.js
+++ b/lib/msg-v3/index.js
@@ -59,11 +59,7 @@ const { isEmptyObject } = require('./util')
  *   prev: Array<string>;
  * }} TangleMetadata
  *
- * @typedef {{
- *   action: 'add', add: AccountAdd
- * } | {
- *   action: 'del', del: AccountDel
- * }} AccountData
+ * @typedef {AccountAdd | AccountDel} AccountData
  *
  * @typedef {'add' | 'del' | 'box'} AccountPower
  *
@@ -82,6 +78,7 @@ const { isEmptyObject } = require('./util')
  * @typedef {SigKey | BoxKey} AccountKey
  *
  * @typedef {{
+ *   action: 'add',
  *   key: AccountKey;
  *   nonce?: string;
  *   consent?: string;
@@ -89,6 +86,7 @@ const { isEmptyObject } = require('./util')
  * }} AccountAdd
  *
  * @typedef {{
+ *   action: 'del',
  *   key: AccountKey;
  * }} AccountDel
  *
@@ -235,15 +233,13 @@ function createAccount(keypair, domain, nonce = getRandomNonce) {
   /** @type {AccountData} */
   const data = {
     action: 'add',
-    add: {
-      key: {
-        purpose: 'sig',
-        algorithm: 'ed25519',
-        bytes: keypair.public,
-      },
-      nonce: typeof nonce === 'function' ? nonce() : nonce,
-      powers: ['add', 'del', 'box'],
+    key: {
+      purpose: 'sig',
+      algorithm: 'ed25519',
+      bytes: keypair.public,
     },
+    nonce: typeof nonce === 'function' ? nonce() : nonce,
+    powers: ['add', 'del', 'box'],
   }
 
   return create({
diff --git a/protospec.md b/protospec.md
index 277ba72..65ff919 100644
--- a/protospec.md
+++ b/protospec.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ Background: https://github.com/ssbc/ssb2-discussion-forum/issues/24
 
 ## Terminology
 
-- **Msg** = published data that is signed and shareable
-- **Msg hash** = hash(msg.metadata)
-- **Tangle** = any single-root DAG of msgs that can be replicated by peers
+- **Msg** = `{data,metadata,pubkey,sig}` published by a peer
+- **Msg ID** = `hash(msg.metadata)`
+- **Tangle** = a single-root DAG of msgs that can be replicated by peers
 - **Tangle Root** = the origin msg of a tangle
 - **Tangle Tips** = tangle msgs that are not yet referenced by any other msg in the tangle
 - **Tangle ID** = Msg hash of the tangle's root msg
@@ -68,9 +68,7 @@ interface Msg {
   sig: Signature
 }
 
-type AccountData =
-  | { action: 'add', add: AccountAdd }
-  | { action: 'del', del: AccountDel }
+type AccountData = AccountAdd | AccountDel
 
 // "add" means this shs peer can validly add more keys to the account tangle
 // "del" means this shs peer can validly revoke keys from the account tangle
@@ -79,6 +77,7 @@ type AccountData =
 type AccountPower = 'add' | 'del' | 'internal-encryption' | 'external-encryption'
 
 type AccountAdd = {
+  action: 'add'
   key: Key
   nonce?: string // nonce required only on the account tangle's root
   consent?: string // base58 encoded signature of the string `:account-add:<ID>` where `<ID>` is the account's ID, required only on non-root msgs
@@ -86,6 +85,7 @@ type AccountAdd = {
 }
 
 type AccountDel = {
+  action: 'del'
   key: Key
 }
 
@@ -113,26 +113,22 @@ Examples of `AccountData`:
   ```json
   {
     "action": "add",
-    "add": {
-      "key": {
-        "purpose": "shs-and-external-signature",
-        "algorithm": "ed25519",
-        "bytes": "3JrJiHEQzRFMzEqWawfBgq2DSZDyihP1NHXshqcL8pB9"
-      },
-      "nonce": "6GHR1ZFFSB3C5qAGwmSwVH8f7byNo8Cqwn5PcyG3qDvS"
-    }
+    "key": {
+      "purpose": "shs-and-external-signature",
+      "algorithm": "ed25519",
+      "bytes": "3JrJiHEQzRFMzEqWawfBgq2DSZDyihP1NHXshqcL8pB9"
+    },
+    "nonce": "6GHR1ZFFSB3C5qAGwmSwVH8f7byNo8Cqwn5PcyG3qDvS"
   }
   ```
 - Revoking a signing pubkey:
   ```json
   {
     "action": "del",
-    "del": {
-      "key": {
-        "purpose": "shs-and-external-signature",
-        "algorithm": "ed25519",
-        "bytes": "3JrJiHEQzRFMzEqWawfBgq2DSZDyihP1NHXshqcL8pB9"
-      }
+    "key": {
+      "purpose": "shs-and-external-signature",
+      "algorithm": "ed25519",
+      "bytes": "3JrJiHEQzRFMzEqWawfBgq2DSZDyihP1NHXshqcL8pB9"
     }
   }
   ```
diff --git a/test/account-add.test.js b/test/account-add.test.js
index a5af426..f27797d 100644
--- a/test/account-add.test.js
+++ b/test/account-add.test.js
@@ -44,15 +44,13 @@ test('account.add()', async (t) => {
       msg.data,
       {
         action: 'add',
-        add: {
-          key: {
-            purpose: 'sig',
-            algorithm: 'ed25519',
-            bytes: keypair2.public,
-          },
-          consent,
-          powers: ['box'],
+        key: {
+          purpose: 'sig',
+          algorithm: 'ed25519',
+          bytes: keypair2.public,
         },
+        consent,
+        powers: ['box'],
       },
       'msg.data.add NEW KEY'
     )
@@ -94,7 +92,7 @@ test('account.add()', async (t) => {
       keypair: keypair2,
       powers: [],
     })
-    assert.equal(msg2.data.add.key.bytes, keypair2.public)
+    assert.equal(msg2.data.key.bytes, keypair2.public)
 
     assert.equal(peer1.db.account.has({ account: id, keypair: keypair2 }), true)
 
@@ -128,7 +126,7 @@ test('account.add()', async (t) => {
       _disobey: true,
     })
 
-    assert.equal(msg3.data.add.key.bytes, keypair3.public)
+    assert.equal(msg3.data.key.bytes, keypair3.public)
 
     await p(peer2.close)()
     rimraf.sync(DIR)
diff --git a/test/account-create.test.js b/test/account-create.test.js
index 0b2eb58..36e9b67 100644
--- a/test/account-create.test.js
+++ b/test/account-create.test.js
@@ -30,17 +30,15 @@ test('account.create() ', async (t) => {
       msg.data,
       {
         action: 'add',
-        add: {
-          key: {
-            purpose: 'sig',
-            algorithm: 'ed25519',
-            bytes: keypair.public,
-          },
-          nonce: 'MYNONCE',
-          powers: ['add', 'del', 'box'],
+        key: {
+          purpose: 'sig',
+          algorithm: 'ed25519',
+          bytes: keypair.public,
         },
+        nonce: 'MYNONCE',
+        powers: ['add', 'del', 'box'],
       },
-      'msg.data.add'
+      'msg.data'
     )
     assert.equal(msg.metadata.account, 'self', 'msg.metadata.account')
     assert.equal(msg.metadata.accountTips, null, 'msg.metadata.accountTips')
@@ -70,7 +68,7 @@ test('account.create() ', async (t) => {
     })
     assert.ok(account, 'account created')
     const msg = peer.db.get(account)
-    assert.equal(msg.data.add.key.bytes, keypair.public, 'msg.data.add')
+    assert.equal(msg.data.key.bytes, keypair.public, 'msg.data')
     assert.equal(msg.metadata.account, 'self', 'msg.metadata.account')
     assert.equal(msg.metadata.accountTips, null, 'msg.metadata.accountTips')
     assert.deepEqual(
@@ -145,7 +143,7 @@ test('account.create() ', async (t) => {
     const account = await p(peer.db.account.findOrCreate)({ keypair, domain })
     assert.ok(account, 'account created')
     const msg = peer.db.get(account)
-    assert.equal(msg.data.add.key.bytes, keypair.public, 'msg.data.add')
+    assert.equal(msg.data.key.bytes, keypair.public, 'msg.data')
     assert.equal(msg.metadata.account, 'self', 'msg.metadata.account')
     assert.equal(msg.metadata.accountTips, null, 'msg.metadata.accountTips')
     assert.deepEqual(
diff --git a/test/add.test.js b/test/add.test.js
index 3b42a7d..5c20375 100644
--- a/test/add.test.js
+++ b/test/add.test.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ test('add()', async (t) => {
 
   await p(peer.db._getLog().onDrain)()
   const stats = await p(peer.db.logStats)()
-  assert.deepEqual(stats, { totalBytes: 904, deletedBytes: 0 })
+  assert.deepEqual(stats, { totalBytes: 897, deletedBytes: 0 })
 
   await p(peer.close)(true)
 })
diff --git a/test/msg-v3/create.test.js b/test/msg-v3/create.test.js
index 0240c88..9001e08 100644
--- a/test/msg-v3/create.test.js
+++ b/test/msg-v3/create.test.js
@@ -14,20 +14,18 @@ test('MsgV3.createAccount()', (t) => {
     accountMsg0.data,
     {
       action: 'add',
-      add: {
-        key: {
-          purpose: 'sig',
-          algorithm: 'ed25519',
-          bytes: keypair.public,
-        },
-        nonce: 'MYNONCE',
-        powers: ['add', 'del', 'box'],
+      key: {
+        purpose: 'sig',
+        algorithm: 'ed25519',
+        bytes: keypair.public,
       },
+      nonce: 'MYNONCE',
+      powers: ['add', 'del', 'box'],
     },
     'data'
   )
-  assert.equal(accountMsg0.metadata.dataHash, 'R5az9nC1CB3Afd5Q57HYRQ', 'hash')
-  assert.equal(accountMsg0.metadata.dataSize, 172, 'size')
+  assert.equal(accountMsg0.metadata.dataHash, 'DQCPxgzni6UTZ5DSCms9Y', 'hash')
+  assert.equal(accountMsg0.metadata.dataSize, 164, 'size')
   assert.equal(accountMsg0.metadata.account, 'self', 'account')
   assert.equal(accountMsg0.metadata.accountTips, null, 'accountTips')
   assert.deepEqual(accountMsg0.metadata.tangles, {}, 'tangles')
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ test('MsgV3.createAccount()', (t) => {
   assert.equal(accountMsg0.pubkey, keypair.public, 'pubkey')
 
   account = MsgV3.getMsgID(accountMsg0)
-  assert.equal(account, 'J2SUr6XtJuFuTusNbagEW5', 'account ID')
+  assert.equal(account, 'Hx9Fuitrg3WQCCcBaPqpeo', 'account ID')
 })
 
 let moot = null
@@ -58,7 +56,7 @@ test('MsgV3.createMoot()', (t) => {
   assert.equal(moot.pubkey, keypair.public, 'pubkey')
 
   mootID = MsgV3.getMsgID(moot)
-  assert.equal(mootID, 'VsBFptgidvAspk4xTKZx6c', 'moot ID')
+  assert.equal(mootID, 'YYrum2aUPGLarrVnjM5o93', 'moot ID')
 })
 
 test('MsgV3.create()', (t) => {
@@ -118,11 +116,11 @@ test('MsgV3.create()', (t) => {
   )
   assert.equal(
     msg1.sig,
-    '46CjqZzC8RAanRHnUKs147PMNFvrQcc9Y7a8tMP3s4qQubCtgYsypgzNA7XkSxM6vqRCe2ZBSKM2WR9AoHN3VoDz',
+    '5wrhPju22NHuq1qFK9qMrNafUMAhCHnLurGfASCVhPTjQTVQE4SqdV9G3zmUTesxFmynn7a1P6nJFgfvWGuSw86h',
     'sig'
   )
 
-  const msgID1 = 'R5G9WtDAQrco4FABRdvrUH'
+  const msgID1 = '7qfYPwQ1qYHYHLSXzGQCCy'
 
   assert.equal(MsgV3.getMsgID(msg1), msgID1, 'getMsgID')
 
@@ -182,11 +180,11 @@ test('MsgV3.create()', (t) => {
   )
   assert.equal(
     msg2.sig,
-    '31StEDDnoDoDtRi49L94XPTGXxNtDJa9QXSJTd4o3wBtFAJvfQA1RsHvunU4CxdY9iC69WnxnkaW6QryrztJZkiA',
+    '2xsdFCPsUzmaGzoQaANJSJHkCAZt3qyVUDW88RBV3r1PCspzU3BbKdQxHoxKYKcwLrpxxi4cSd5eyfcEt3DV61ge',
     'sig'
   )
 
-  assert.deepEqual(MsgV3.getMsgID(msg2), 'LxWgRRr4wXd29sLDNGNTkr', 'getMsgID')
+  assert.deepEqual(MsgV3.getMsgID(msg2), '38GT4SxtEqfZffkCrNYLtY', 'getMsgID')
 })
 
 test('MsgV3.create() handles DAG tips correctly', (t) => {