diff --git a/consensus/byzantine_test.go b/consensus/byzantine_test.go
index 38bb3747..0d817215 100644
--- a/consensus/byzantine_test.go
+++ b/consensus/byzantine_test.go
@@ -289,17 +289,17 @@ func (privVal *ByzantinePrivValidator) GetPubKey() crypto.PubKey {
 }
 
 func (privVal *ByzantinePrivValidator) SignVote(chainID string, vote *types.Vote) (err error) {
-	vote.Signature, err = privVal.Sign(types.SignBytes(chainID, vote))
+	vote.Signature, err = privVal.Sign(vote.SignBytes(chainID))
 	return err
 }
 
 func (privVal *ByzantinePrivValidator) SignProposal(chainID string, proposal *types.Proposal) (err error) {
-	proposal.Signature, _ = privVal.Sign(types.SignBytes(chainID, proposal))
+	proposal.Signature, _ = privVal.Sign(proposal.SignBytes(chainID))
 	return nil
 }
 
 func (privVal *ByzantinePrivValidator) SignHeartbeat(chainID string, heartbeat *types.Heartbeat) (err error) {
-	heartbeat.Signature, _ = privVal.Sign(types.SignBytes(chainID, heartbeat))
+	heartbeat.Signature, _ = privVal.Sign(heartbeat.SignBytes(chainID))
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/consensus/state.go b/consensus/state.go
index 62d1c925..30bd56f1 100644
--- a/consensus/state.go
+++ b/consensus/state.go
@@ -1269,7 +1269,7 @@ func (cs *ConsensusState) defaultSetProposal(proposal *types.Proposal) error {
 	}
 
 	// Verify signature
-	if !cs.Validators.GetProposer().PubKey.VerifyBytes(types.SignBytes(cs.state.ChainID, proposal), proposal.Signature) {
+	if !cs.Validators.GetProposer().PubKey.VerifyBytes(proposal.SignBytes(cs.state.ChainID), proposal.Signature) {
 		return ErrInvalidProposalSignature
 	}
 
diff --git a/lite/helpers.go b/lite/helpers.go
index d985882d..7df77027 100644
--- a/lite/helpers.go
+++ b/lite/helpers.go
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func makeVote(header *types.Header, vals *types.ValidatorSet, key crypto.PrivKey
 		BlockID:          types.BlockID{Hash: header.Hash()},
 	}
 	// Sign it
-	signBytes := types.SignBytes(header.ChainID, vote)
+	signBytes := vote.SignBytes(header.ChainID)
 	vote.Signature = key.Sign(signBytes)
 	return vote
 }
diff --git a/types/heartbeat_test.go b/types/heartbeat_test.go
index 67bc93b4..055f26f7 100644
--- a/types/heartbeat_test.go
+++ b/types/heartbeat_test.go
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ func TestHeartbeatString(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Contains(t, nilHb.String(), "nil", "expecting a string and no panic")
 
 	hb := &Heartbeat{ValidatorIndex: 1, Height: 11, Round: 2}
-	require.Equal(t, hb.String(), "Heartbeat{1:000000000000 11/02 (0) <nil>}")
+	require.Equal(t, hb.String(), "Heartbeat{1:000000000000 11/02 (0) {<nil>}}")
 
 	var key crypto.PrivKeyEd25519
 	hb.Signature = key.Sign([]byte("Tendermint"))
-	require.Equal(t, hb.String(), "Heartbeat{1:000000000000 11/02 (0) /FF41E371B9BF.../}")
+	require.Equal(t, hb.String(), "Heartbeat{1:000000000000 11/02 (0) {/FF41E371B9BF.../}}")
 }
 
 /* TODO WIRE make json work
diff --git a/types/priv_validator/priv_validator_test.go b/types/priv_validator/priv_validator_test.go
index 664d59cf..120a0c86 100644
--- a/types/priv_validator/priv_validator_test.go
+++ b/types/priv_validator/priv_validator_test.go
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ func TestDifferByTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 		proposal := newProposal(height, round, block1)
 		err := privVal.SignProposal(chainID, proposal)
 		assert.NoError(t, err, "expected no error signing proposal")
-		signBytes := types.SignBytes(chainID, proposal)
+		signBytes := proposal.SignBytes(chainID)
 		sig := proposal.Signature
 		timeStamp := clipToMS(proposal.Timestamp)
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ func TestDifferByTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, err, "expected no error on signing same proposal")
 
 		assert.Equal(t, timeStamp, proposal.Timestamp)
-		assert.Equal(t, signBytes, types.SignBytes(chainID, proposal))
+		assert.Equal(t, signBytes, proposal.SignBytes(chainID))
 		assert.Equal(t, sig, proposal.Signature)
 	}
 
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ func TestDifferByTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 		err = privVal.SignVote("mychainid", vote)
 		assert.NoError(t, err, "expected no error signing vote")
 
-		signBytes := types.SignBytes(chainID, vote)
+		signBytes := vote.SignBytes(chainID)
 		sig := vote.Signature
 		timeStamp := clipToMS(vote.Timestamp)
 
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func TestDifferByTimestamp(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.NoError(t, err, "expected no error on signing same vote")
 
 		assert.Equal(t, timeStamp, vote.Timestamp)
-		assert.Equal(t, signBytes, types.SignBytes(chainID, vote))
+		assert.Equal(t, signBytes, vote.SignBytes(chainID))
 		assert.Equal(t, sig, vote.Signature)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/types/priv_validator/sign_info.go b/types/priv_validator/sign_info.go
index 60113c57..746131a9 100644
--- a/types/priv_validator/sign_info.go
+++ b/types/priv_validator/sign_info.go
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func (info *LastSignedInfo) Reset() {
 // Else it returns an error.
 func (lsi *LastSignedInfo) SignVote(signer types.Signer, chainID string, vote *types.Vote) error {
 	height, round, step := vote.Height, vote.Round, voteToStep(vote)
-	signBytes := types.SignBytes(chainID, vote)
+	signBytes := vote.SignBytes(chainID)
 
 	sameHRS, err := lsi.Verify(height, round, step)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (lsi *LastSignedInfo) SignVote(signer types.Signer, chainID string, vote *t
 // Else it returns an error.
 func (lsi *LastSignedInfo) SignProposal(signer types.Signer, chainID string, proposal *types.Proposal) error {
 	height, round, step := proposal.Height, proposal.Round, stepPropose
-	signBytes := types.SignBytes(chainID, proposal)
+	signBytes := proposal.SignBytes(chainID)
 
 	sameHRS, err := lsi.Verify(height, round, step)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/types/priv_validator/unencrypted.go b/types/priv_validator/unencrypted.go
index 3ef38eec..10a304d9 100644
--- a/types/priv_validator/unencrypted.go
+++ b/types/priv_validator/unencrypted.go
@@ -61,6 +61,6 @@ func (upv *PrivValidatorUnencrypted) SignProposal(chainID string, proposal *type
 
 func (upv *PrivValidatorUnencrypted) SignHeartbeat(chainID string, heartbeat *types.Heartbeat) error {
 	var err error
-	heartbeat.Signature, err = upv.PrivKey.Sign(types.SignBytes(chainID, heartbeat))
+	heartbeat.Signature, err = upv.PrivKey.Sign(heartbeat.SignBytes(chainID))
 	return err
 }