diff --git a/ircd/m/v1.cc b/ircd/m/v1.cc
index 46b879ba0..9a9bd8724 100644
--- a/ircd/m/v1.cc
+++ b/ircd/m/v1.cc
@@ -48,19 +48,14 @@ ircd::m::v1::groups::publicised::publicised(const id::node &node,
 	});
 
 	// (front of buf was advanced by stringify)
-	opts.out.head = opts.request(buf);
 	opts.out.content = json::get<"content"_>(opts.request);
+	opts.out.head = opts.request(buf);
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		consume(buf, size(opts.out.head));
+		opts.in.head = buf;
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -128,14 +123,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::send::send(const string_view &txnid,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -207,14 +196,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::backfill::backfill(const room::id &room_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = mutable_buffer{};
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -286,14 +269,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::state::state(const room::id &room_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = mutable_buffer{};
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -353,14 +330,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::event::event(const m::event::id &event_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -413,14 +384,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::invite::invite(const room::id &room_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = mutable_buffer{};
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -473,14 +438,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::send_join::send_join(const room::id &room_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = mutable_buffer{};
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -543,14 +502,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::make_join::make_join(const room::id &room_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -600,14 +553,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::user::devices::devices(const id::user &user_id,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -814,14 +761,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::query::query(const string_view &type,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request
@@ -857,14 +798,8 @@ ircd::m::v1::version::version(const mutable_buffer &buf,
 
 	if(!size(opts.in))
 	{
-		const auto in_max
-		{
-			std::max(ssize_t(size(buf) - size(opts.out.head)), ssize_t(0))
-		};
-
-		assert(in_max >= ssize_t(size(buf) / 2));
-		opts.in.head = { data(buf) + size(opts.out.head), size_t(in_max) };
-		opts.in.content = opts.in.head;
+		opts.in.head = buf + size(opts.out.head);
+		opts.in.content = opts.in.head; // server::request will auto partition
 	}
 
 	return server::request