diff --git a/src/api/client_server/membership.rs b/src/api/client_server/membership.rs
index 993aedd1..bfd338a6 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/membership.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/membership.rs
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn invite_helper(
             )
         })?;
 
-        let pdu_id: Vec<u8> = services()
+        let pdu_id = services()
             .rooms
             .event_handler
             .handle_incoming_pdu(
diff --git a/src/api/client_server/search.rs b/src/api/client_server/search.rs
index 458d4ae2..cd36a13b 100644
--- a/src/api/client_server/search.rs
+++ b/src/api/client_server/search.rs
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ pub(crate) async fn search_events_route(
         if let Some(s) = searches
             .iter_mut()
             .map(|s| (s.peek().cloned(), s))
-            .max_by_key(|(peek, _)| peek.clone())
+            .max_by_key(|(peek, _)| {
+                peek.as_ref().map(|id| id.as_bytes().to_vec())
+            })
             .and_then(|(_, i)| i.next())
         {
             results.push(s);
diff --git a/src/api/server_server.rs b/src/api/server_server.rs
index 52b58f90..74f7a1b0 100644
--- a/src/api/server_server.rs
+++ b/src/api/server_server.rs
@@ -1622,7 +1622,7 @@ async fn create_join_event(
         .roomid_mutex_federation
         .lock_key(room_id.to_owned())
         .await;
-    let pdu_id: Vec<u8> = services()
+    let pdu_id = services()
         .rooms
         .event_handler
         .handle_incoming_pdu(
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/rooms/pdu_metadata.rs b/src/database/key_value/rooms/pdu_metadata.rs
index b890985f..32689bd4 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/rooms/pdu_metadata.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/rooms/pdu_metadata.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@ use ruma::{EventId, RoomId, UserId};
 
 use crate::{
     database::KeyValueDatabase,
-    service::{self, rooms::timeline::PduCount},
+    service::{
+        self,
+        rooms::timeline::{PduCount, PduId},
+    },
     services, utils, Error, PduEvent, Result,
 };
 
@@ -50,6 +53,7 @@ impl service::rooms::pdu_metadata::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 
                     let mut pduid = shortroomid.to_be_bytes().to_vec();
                     pduid.extend_from_slice(&from.to_be_bytes());
+                    let pduid = PduId::new(pduid);
 
                     let mut pdu = services()
                         .rooms
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/rooms/search.rs b/src/database/key_value/rooms/search.rs
index 5fb90462..fa48965d 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/rooms/search.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/rooms/search.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 use ruma::RoomId;
 
-use crate::{database::KeyValueDatabase, service, services, utils, Result};
+use crate::{
+    database::KeyValueDatabase,
+    service::{self, rooms::timeline::PduId},
+    services, utils, Result,
+};
 
 /// Splits a string into tokens used as keys in the search inverted index
 ///
@@ -18,7 +22,7 @@ impl service::rooms::search::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
     fn index_pdu(
         &self,
         shortroomid: u64,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         message_body: &str,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let mut batch = tokenize(message_body).map(|word| {
@@ -26,7 +30,7 @@ impl service::rooms::search::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
             key.extend_from_slice(word.as_bytes());
             key.push(0xFF);
             // TODO: currently we save the room id a second time here
-            key.extend_from_slice(pdu_id);
+            key.extend_from_slice(pdu_id.as_bytes());
             (key, Vec::new())
         });
 
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ impl service::rooms::search::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
     fn deindex_pdu(
         &self,
         shortroomid: u64,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         message_body: &str,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let batch = tokenize(message_body).map(|word| {
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ impl service::rooms::search::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
             key.extend_from_slice(word.as_bytes());
             key.push(0xFF);
             // TODO: currently we save the room id a second time here
-            key.extend_from_slice(pdu_id);
+            key.extend_from_slice(pdu_id.as_bytes());
             key
         });
 
@@ -62,7 +66,7 @@ impl service::rooms::search::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
         &'a self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         search_string: &str,
-    ) -> Result<Option<(Box<dyn Iterator<Item = Vec<u8>> + 'a>, Vec<String>)>>
+    ) -> Result<Option<(Box<dyn Iterator<Item = PduId> + 'a>, Vec<String>)>>
     {
         let prefix = services()
             .rooms
@@ -87,12 +91,14 @@ impl service::rooms::search::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
                 // Newest pdus first
                 .iter_from(&last_possible_id, true)
                 .take_while(move |(k, _)| k.starts_with(&prefix2))
-                .map(move |(key, _)| key[prefix3.len()..].to_vec())
+                .map(move |(key, _)| PduId::new(key[prefix3.len()..].to_vec()))
         });
 
         // We compare b with a because we reversed the iterator earlier
         let Some(common_elements) =
-            utils::common_elements(iterators, |a, b| b.cmp(a))
+            utils::common_elements(iterators, |a, b| {
+                b.as_bytes().cmp(a.as_bytes())
+            })
         else {
             return Ok(None);
         };
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/rooms/threads.rs b/src/database/key_value/rooms/threads.rs
index 9915198e..bb9a1712 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/rooms/threads.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/rooms/threads.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ use ruma::{
 };
 
 use crate::{
-    database::KeyValueDatabase, service, services, utils, Error, PduEvent,
-    Result,
+    database::KeyValueDatabase,
+    service::{self, rooms::timeline::PduId},
+    services, utils, Error, PduEvent, Result,
 };
 
 impl service::rooms::threads::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
@@ -42,6 +43,9 @@ impl service::rooms::threads::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
                             "Invalid pduid in threadid_userids.",
                         )
                     })?;
+
+                    let pduid = PduId::new(pduid);
+
                     let mut pdu = services()
                         .rooms
                         .timeline
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ impl service::rooms::threads::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 
     fn update_participants(
         &self,
-        root_id: &[u8],
+        root_id: &PduId,
         participants: &[OwnedUserId],
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let users = participants
@@ -70,16 +74,16 @@ impl service::rooms::threads::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
             .collect::<Vec<_>>()
             .join(&[0xFF][..]);
 
-        self.threadid_userids.insert(root_id, &users)?;
+        self.threadid_userids.insert(root_id.as_bytes(), &users)?;
 
         Ok(())
     }
 
     fn get_participants(
         &self,
-        root_id: &[u8],
+        root_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<Option<Vec<OwnedUserId>>> {
-        if let Some(users) = self.threadid_userids.get(root_id)? {
+        if let Some(users) = self.threadid_userids.get(root_id.as_bytes())? {
             Ok(Some(
                 users
                     .split(|b| *b == 0xFF)
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/rooms/timeline.rs b/src/database/key_value/rooms/timeline.rs
index 0633e1d1..951975e5 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/rooms/timeline.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/rooms/timeline.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ use tracing::error;
 use crate::{
     database::KeyValueDatabase,
     observability::{FoundIn, Lookup, METRICS},
-    service, services, utils, Error, PduEvent, Result,
+    service::{self, rooms::timeline::PduId},
+    services, utils, Error, PduEvent, Result,
 };
 
 impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
@@ -102,8 +103,8 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
     }
 
     /// Returns the pdu's id.
-    fn get_pdu_id(&self, event_id: &EventId) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
-        self.eventid_pduid.get(event_id.as_bytes())
+    fn get_pdu_id(&self, event_id: &EventId) -> Result<Option<PduId>> {
+        self.eventid_pduid.get(event_id.as_bytes()).map(|x| x.map(PduId::new))
     }
 
     /// Returns the pdu.
@@ -170,8 +171,8 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
     /// Returns the pdu.
     ///
     /// This does __NOT__ check the outliers `Tree`.
-    fn get_pdu_from_id(&self, pdu_id: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<PduEvent>> {
-        self.pduid_pdu.get(pdu_id)?.map_or(Ok(None), |pdu| {
+    fn get_pdu_from_id(&self, pdu_id: &PduId) -> Result<Option<PduEvent>> {
+        self.pduid_pdu.get(pdu_id.as_bytes())?.map_or(Ok(None), |pdu| {
             Ok(Some(
                 serde_json::from_slice(&pdu)
                     .map_err(|_| Error::bad_database("Invalid PDU in db."))?,
@@ -182,9 +183,9 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
     /// Returns the pdu as a `BTreeMap<String, CanonicalJsonValue>`.
     fn get_pdu_json_from_id(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<Option<CanonicalJsonObject>> {
-        self.pduid_pdu.get(pdu_id)?.map_or(Ok(None), |pdu| {
+        self.pduid_pdu.get(pdu_id.as_bytes())?.map_or(Ok(None), |pdu| {
             Ok(Some(
                 serde_json::from_slice(&pdu)
                     .map_err(|_| Error::bad_database("Invalid PDU in db."))?,
@@ -194,13 +195,13 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 
     fn append_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         pdu: &PduEvent,
         json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
         count: u64,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         self.pduid_pdu.insert(
-            pdu_id,
+            pdu_id.as_bytes(),
             &serde_json::to_vec(json)
                 .expect("CanonicalJsonObject is always a valid"),
         )?;
@@ -210,7 +211,8 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
             .unwrap()
             .insert(pdu.room_id.clone(), PduCount::Normal(count));
 
-        self.eventid_pduid.insert(pdu.event_id.as_bytes(), pdu_id)?;
+        self.eventid_pduid
+            .insert(pdu.event_id.as_bytes(), pdu_id.as_bytes())?;
         self.eventid_outlierpdu.remove(pdu.event_id.as_bytes())?;
 
         Ok(())
@@ -218,17 +220,17 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
 
     fn prepend_backfill_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         event_id: &EventId,
         json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         self.pduid_pdu.insert(
-            pdu_id,
+            pdu_id.as_bytes(),
             &serde_json::to_vec(json)
                 .expect("CanonicalJsonObject is always a valid"),
         )?;
 
-        self.eventid_pduid.insert(event_id.as_bytes(), pdu_id)?;
+        self.eventid_pduid.insert(event_id.as_bytes(), pdu_id.as_bytes())?;
         self.eventid_outlierpdu.remove(event_id.as_bytes())?;
 
         Ok(())
@@ -237,13 +239,13 @@ impl service::rooms::timeline::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
     /// Removes a pdu and creates a new one with the same id.
     fn replace_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         pdu_json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
         pdu: &PduEvent,
     ) -> Result<()> {
-        if self.pduid_pdu.get(pdu_id)?.is_some() {
+        if self.pduid_pdu.get(pdu_id.as_bytes())?.is_some() {
             self.pduid_pdu.insert(
-                pdu_id,
+                pdu_id.as_bytes(),
                 &serde_json::to_vec(pdu_json)
                     .expect("CanonicalJsonObject is always a valid"),
             )?;
diff --git a/src/database/key_value/sending.rs b/src/database/key_value/sending.rs
index 89c8c7ca..c620b40f 100644
--- a/src/database/key_value/sending.rs
+++ b/src/database/key_value/sending.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use crate::{
     database::KeyValueDatabase,
     service::{
         self,
+        rooms::timeline::PduId,
         sending::{Destination, RequestKey, SendingEventType},
     },
     services, utils, Error, Result,
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ impl service::sending::Data for KeyValueDatabase {
         for (destination, event) in requests {
             let mut key = destination.get_prefix();
             if let SendingEventType::Pdu(value) = &event {
-                key.extend_from_slice(value);
+                key.extend_from_slice(value.as_bytes());
             } else {
                 key.extend_from_slice(
                     &services().globals.next_count()?.to_be_bytes(),
@@ -202,7 +203,7 @@ fn parse_servercurrentevent(
     Ok((
         destination,
         if value.is_empty() {
-            SendingEventType::Pdu(event.to_vec())
+            SendingEventType::Pdu(PduId::new(event.to_vec()))
         } else {
             SendingEventType::Edu(value)
         },
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/event_handler.rs b/src/service/rooms/event_handler.rs
index 62c6470b..6bf29e8e 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/event_handler.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/event_handler.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ use serde_json::value::RawValue as RawJsonValue;
 use tokio::sync::{RwLock, RwLockWriteGuard, Semaphore};
 use tracing::{debug, error, info, trace, warn};
 
-use super::state_compressor::CompressedStateEvent;
+use super::{state_compressor::CompressedStateEvent, timeline::PduId};
 use crate::{
     service::{globals::SigningKeys, pdu},
     services,
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ impl Service {
         value: CanonicalJsonObject,
         is_timeline_event: bool,
         pub_key_map: &'a RwLock<BTreeMap<String, SigningKeys>>,
-    ) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<PduId>> {
         // 0. Check the server is in the room
         if !services().rooms.metadata.exists(room_id)? {
             return Err(Error::BadRequest(
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ impl Service {
         origin: &ServerName,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         pub_key_map: &RwLock<BTreeMap<String, SigningKeys>>,
-    ) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<PduId>> {
         // Skip the PDU if we already have it as a timeline event
         if let Ok(Some(pduid)) =
             services().rooms.timeline.get_pdu_id(&incoming_pdu.event_id)
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/search/data.rs b/src/service/rooms/search/data.rs
index efc503fe..515b7d04 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/search/data.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/search/data.rs
@@ -1,19 +1,19 @@
 use ruma::RoomId;
 
-use crate::Result;
+use crate::{service::rooms::timeline::PduId, Result};
 
 pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     fn index_pdu(
         &self,
         shortroomid: u64,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         message_body: &str,
     ) -> Result<()>;
 
     fn deindex_pdu(
         &self,
         shortroomid: u64,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         message_body: &str,
     ) -> Result<()>;
 
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
         &'a self,
         room_id: &RoomId,
         search_string: &str,
-    ) -> Result<Option<(Box<dyn Iterator<Item = Vec<u8>> + 'a>, Vec<String>)>>;
+    ) -> Result<Option<(Box<dyn Iterator<Item = PduId> + 'a>, Vec<String>)>>;
 }
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/threads/data.rs b/src/service/rooms/threads/data.rs
index 8a1607db..384c23c8 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/threads/data.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/threads/data.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use ruma::{
     UserId,
 };
 
-use crate::{PduEvent, Result};
+use crate::{service::rooms::timeline::PduId, PduEvent, Result};
 
 pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     #[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@ pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
 
     fn update_participants(
         &self,
-        root_id: &[u8],
+        root_id: &PduId,
         participants: &[OwnedUserId],
     ) -> Result<()>;
     fn get_participants(
         &self,
-        root_id: &[u8],
+        root_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<Option<Vec<OwnedUserId>>>;
 }
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/timeline.rs b/src/service/rooms/timeline.rs
index bb268255..8df9c410 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/timeline.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/timeline.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,23 @@ use crate::{
     Error, PduEvent, Result,
 };
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
+pub(crate) struct PduId {
+    inner: Vec<u8>,
+}
+
+impl PduId {
+    pub(crate) fn new(inner: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner,
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn as_bytes(&self) -> &[u8] {
+        &self.inner
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Hash, PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Copy, Debug)]
 pub(crate) enum PduCount {
     Backfilled(u64),
@@ -146,7 +163,7 @@ impl Service {
     pub(crate) fn get_pdu_id(
         &self,
         event_id: &EventId,
-    ) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<PduId>> {
         self.db.get_pdu_id(event_id)
     }
 
@@ -165,7 +182,7 @@ impl Service {
     /// This does __NOT__ check the outliers `Tree`.
     pub(crate) fn get_pdu_from_id(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<Option<PduEvent>> {
         self.db.get_pdu_from_id(pdu_id)
     }
@@ -173,7 +190,7 @@ impl Service {
     /// Returns the pdu as a `BTreeMap<String, CanonicalJsonValue>`.
     pub(crate) fn get_pdu_json_from_id(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<Option<CanonicalJsonObject>> {
         self.db.get_pdu_json_from_id(pdu_id)
     }
@@ -182,7 +199,7 @@ impl Service {
     #[tracing::instrument(skip(self))]
     pub(crate) fn replace_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         pdu_json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
         pdu: &PduEvent,
     ) -> Result<()> {
@@ -202,7 +219,7 @@ impl Service {
         mut pdu_json: CanonicalJsonObject,
         leaves: Vec<OwnedEventId>,
         room_id: &KeyToken<OwnedRoomId, marker::State>,
-    ) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
+    ) -> Result<PduId> {
         assert_eq!(*pdu.room_id, **room_id, "Token for incorrect room passed");
 
         let shortroomid = services()
@@ -282,6 +299,7 @@ impl Service {
         let count2 = services().globals.next_count()?;
         let mut pdu_id = shortroomid.to_be_bytes().to_vec();
         pdu_id.extend_from_slice(&count2.to_be_bytes());
+        let pdu_id = PduId::new(pdu_id);
 
         // Insert pdu
         self.db.append_pdu(&pdu_id, pdu, &pdu_json, count2)?;
@@ -1106,7 +1124,7 @@ impl Service {
         state_ids_compressed: Arc<HashSet<CompressedStateEvent>>,
         soft_fail: bool,
         room_id: &KeyToken<OwnedRoomId, marker::State>,
-    ) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>> {
+    ) -> Result<Option<PduId>> {
         assert_eq!(*pdu.room_id, **room_id, "Token for incorrect room passed");
 
         // We append to state before appending the pdu, so we don't have a
@@ -1344,6 +1362,7 @@ impl Service {
         let mut pdu_id = shortroomid.to_be_bytes().to_vec();
         pdu_id.extend_from_slice(&0_u64.to_be_bytes());
         pdu_id.extend_from_slice(&(u64::MAX - count).to_be_bytes());
+        let pdu_id = PduId::new(pdu_id);
 
         // Insert pdu
         self.db.prepend_backfill_pdu(&pdu_id, &event_id, &value)?;
diff --git a/src/service/rooms/timeline/data.rs b/src/service/rooms/timeline/data.rs
index 5ea5ae03..acd0b33c 100644
--- a/src/service/rooms/timeline/data.rs
+++ b/src/service/rooms/timeline/data.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use ruma::{CanonicalJsonObject, EventId, OwnedUserId, RoomId, UserId};
 
 use super::PduCount;
-use crate::{PduEvent, Result};
+use crate::{service::rooms::timeline::PduId, PduEvent, Result};
 
 pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     fn last_timeline_count(
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     ) -> Result<Option<CanonicalJsonObject>>;
 
     /// Returns the pdu's id.
-    fn get_pdu_id(&self, event_id: &EventId) -> Result<Option<Vec<u8>>>;
+    fn get_pdu_id(&self, event_id: &EventId) -> Result<Option<PduId>>;
 
     /// Returns the pdu.
     ///
@@ -46,18 +46,18 @@ pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     /// Returns the pdu.
     ///
     /// This does __NOT__ check the outliers `Tree`.
-    fn get_pdu_from_id(&self, pdu_id: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<PduEvent>>;
+    fn get_pdu_from_id(&self, pdu_id: &PduId) -> Result<Option<PduEvent>>;
 
     /// Returns the pdu as a `BTreeMap<String, CanonicalJsonValue>`.
     fn get_pdu_json_from_id(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<Option<CanonicalJsonObject>>;
 
     /// Adds a new pdu to the timeline
     fn append_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         pdu: &PduEvent,
         json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
         count: u64,
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     // Adds a new pdu to the backfilled timeline
     fn prepend_backfill_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         event_id: &EventId,
         json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
     ) -> Result<()>;
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ pub(crate) trait Data: Send + Sync {
     /// Removes a pdu and creates a new one with the same id.
     fn replace_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         pdu_json: &CanonicalJsonObject,
         pdu: &PduEvent,
     ) -> Result<()>;
diff --git a/src/service/sending.rs b/src/service/sending.rs
index 832380c9..9aa1d684 100644
--- a/src/service/sending.rs
+++ b/src/service/sending.rs
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ use tokio::{
 };
 use tracing::{debug, error, warn, Span};
 
+use super::rooms::timeline::PduId;
 use crate::{
     api::{appservice_server, server_server},
     services,
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ impl Destination {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
 pub(crate) enum SendingEventType {
     // pduid
-    Pdu(Vec<u8>),
+    Pdu(PduId),
     // pdu json
     Edu(Vec<u8>),
 }
@@ -565,7 +566,7 @@ impl Service {
     #[tracing::instrument(skip(self, pdu_id, user, pushkey))]
     pub(crate) fn send_push_pdu(
         &self,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
         user: &UserId,
         pushkey: String,
     ) -> Result<()> {
@@ -589,7 +590,7 @@ impl Service {
     pub(crate) fn send_pdu<I: Iterator<Item = OwnedServerName>>(
         &self,
         servers: I,
-        pdu_id: &[u8],
+        pdu_id: &PduId,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let requests = servers
             .into_iter()
@@ -644,7 +645,7 @@ impl Service {
     pub(crate) fn send_pdu_appservice(
         &self,
         appservice_id: String,
-        pdu_id: Vec<u8>,
+        pdu_id: PduId,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let destination = Destination::Appservice(appservice_id);
         let event_type = SendingEventType::Pdu(pdu_id);
@@ -758,8 +759,8 @@ async fn handle_appservice_event(
                     &events
                         .iter()
                         .map(|e| match e {
-                            SendingEventType::Edu(b)
-                            | SendingEventType::Pdu(b) => &**b,
+                            SendingEventType::Edu(b) => &**b,
+                            SendingEventType::Pdu(b) => b.as_bytes(),
                         })
                         .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                 ))
@@ -905,8 +906,8 @@ async fn handle_federation_event(
                     &events
                         .iter()
                         .map(|e| match e {
-                            SendingEventType::Edu(b)
-                            | SendingEventType::Pdu(b) => &**b,
+                            SendingEventType::Edu(b) => &**b,
+                            SendingEventType::Pdu(b) => b.as_bytes(),
                         })
                         .collect::<Vec<_>>(),
                 ))
diff --git a/src/utils.rs b/src/utils.rs
index c1e2d6a6..42c15f88 100644
--- a/src/utils.rs
+++ b/src/utils.rs
@@ -113,14 +113,14 @@ pub(crate) fn calculate_hash(keys: &[&[u8]]) -> Vec<u8> {
     hash.as_ref().to_owned()
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn common_elements<I, F>(
+pub(crate) fn common_elements<I, T, F>(
     mut iterators: I,
     check_order: F,
-) -> Option<impl Iterator<Item = Vec<u8>>>
+) -> Option<impl Iterator<Item = T>>
 where
     I: Iterator,
-    I::Item: Iterator<Item = Vec<u8>>,
-    F: Fn(&[u8], &[u8]) -> Ordering,
+    I::Item: Iterator<Item = T>,
+    F: Fn(&T, &T) -> Ordering,
 {
     let first_iterator = iterators.next()?;
     let mut other_iterators =