diff --git a/bench/index.js b/bench/index.js
index 1772064..f330b99 100644
--- a/bench/index.js
+++ b/bench/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict'
 
-const Buffer = require('safe-buffer').Buffer
+const { Buffer } = require('buffer')
 const Benchmark = require('benchmark')
 if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
   window.Benchmark = Benchmark
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 29b665e..1be1f4b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,13 +8,13 @@
     "url": "https://github.com/ipfs/protons"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "buffer": "^5.5.0",
     "protocol-buffers-schema": "^3.3.1",
-    "safe-buffer": "^5.1.1",
     "signed-varint": "^2.0.1",
     "varint": "^5.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "aegir": "^20.4.1",
+    "aegir": "^21.3.0",
     "benchmark": "^2.1.4",
     "protocol-buffers": "^4.1.0",
     "protons": "^1.0.0",
diff --git a/src/compile/encode.js b/src/compile/encode.js
index d3df108..e0c1b03 100644
--- a/src/compile/encode.js
+++ b/src/compile/encode.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 'use strict'
-
+const { Buffer } = require('buffer')
 var defined = require('./utils').defined
 var varint = require('varint')
 
diff --git a/src/compile/encodings.js b/src/compile/encodings.js
index beee237..97f98ba 100644
--- a/src/compile/encodings.js
+++ b/src/compile/encodings.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var varint = require('varint')
 var svarint = require('signed-varint')
-var Buffer = require('safe-buffer').Buffer
+const { Buffer } = require('buffer')
 
 var encoder = function (type, encode, decode, encodingLength) {
   encode.bytes = decode.bytes = 0
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 7ff6cce..2a76852 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var schema = require('protocol-buffers-schema')
+const { Buffer } = require('buffer')
 var compile = require('./compile')
 
 var flatten = function (values) {
diff --git a/test/basic.js b/test/basic.js
index d41d509..a9fa85f 100644
--- a/test/basic.js
+++ b/test/basic.js
@@ -1,11 +1,9 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
 var protobufNpm = require('protocol-buffers')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var path = require('path')
-var proto = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))
+var proto = require('./test.proto.js')
 var Basic = protobuf(proto).Basic
 var BasicNpm = protobufNpm(proto).Basic
 
diff --git a/test/booleans.js b/test/booleans.js
index ac8d6e5..ce0796d 100644
--- a/test/booleans.js
+++ b/test/booleans.js
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../src')
-var Booleans = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Booleans
+var proto = require('./test.proto.js')
+var Booleans = protobuf(proto).Booleans
 
 tape('booleans encode + decode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Booleans.encode({
diff --git a/test/bytes.js b/test/bytes.js
index 7b5feb8..5bba0c2 100644
--- a/test/bytes.js
+++ b/test/bytes.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../src')
-var Bytes = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Bytes
+var Bytes = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Bytes
 
 tape('bytes encode + decode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Bytes.encode({
diff --git a/test/custom-types.js b/test/custom-types.js
index 186a17d..6721758 100644
--- a/test/custom-types.js
+++ b/test/custom-types.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../src')
-var CustomType = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).CustomType
+var CustomType = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).CustomType
 
 tape('custom types encode + decode', function (t) {
   var b1 = CustomType.encode({
diff --git a/test/defaults.js b/test/defaults.js
index 7094e93..35c895f 100644
--- a/test/defaults.js
+++ b/test/defaults.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Defaults = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Defaults
+var Defaults = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Defaults
 
 tape('defaults decode', function (t) {
   var o1 = Defaults.decode(Buffer.alloc(0)) // everything default
diff --git a/test/enums.js b/test/enums.js
index dac0ead..421b654 100644
--- a/test/enums.js
+++ b/test/enums.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var messages = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto')))
+var messages = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js'))
 
 tape('enums', function (t) {
   var e = messages.FOO
diff --git a/test/float.js b/test/float.js
index 79783a0..41be22e 100644
--- a/test/float.js
+++ b/test/float.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Float = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Float
+var Float = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Float
 
 tape('float encode + decode', function (t) {
   var arr = new Float32Array(3)
diff --git a/test/integers.js b/test/integers.js
index 710c833..f28a8e1 100644
--- a/test/integers.js
+++ b/test/integers.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Integers = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Integers
+var Integers = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Integers
 
 tape('integers encode + decode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Integers.encode({
diff --git a/test/map.js b/test/map.js
index 824dbf4..c3f2311 100644
--- a/test/map.js
+++ b/test/map.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Map = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Map
+var Map = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Map
 
 tape('map encode + decode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Map.encode({
diff --git a/test/nested.js b/test/nested.js
index 060e8e5..7ccea6e 100644
--- a/test/nested.js
+++ b/test/nested.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Nested = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Nested
+var Nested = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Nested
 
 tape('nested encode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Nested.encode({
diff --git a/test/notpacked.js b/test/notpacked.js
index efc81b8..4aaac4e 100644
--- a/test/notpacked.js
+++ b/test/notpacked.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var proto = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))
+var proto = require('./test.proto.js')
 var NotPacked = protobuf(proto).NotPacked
 var FalsePacked = protobuf(proto).FalsePacked
 
diff --git a/test/oneof.js b/test/oneof.js
index 237662c..11769b9 100644
--- a/test/oneof.js
+++ b/test/oneof.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var proto = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto')))
+var proto = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js'))
 var Property = proto.Property
 var PropertyNoOneof = proto.PropertyNoOneof
 
diff --git a/test/optional.js b/test/optional.js
index 6abf633..9bb638d 100644
--- a/test/optional.js
+++ b/test/optional.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var path = require('path')
-var proto = fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))
+var proto = require('./test.proto.js')
 var Optional = protobuf(proto).Optional
 
 tape('optional encode + decode has zero value', function (t) {
diff --git a/test/packed.js b/test/packed.js
index 7494963..df66fe6 100644
--- a/test/packed.js
+++ b/test/packed.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Packed = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Packed
+var Packed = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Packed
 
 tape('Packed encode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Packed.encode({
diff --git a/test/repeated.js b/test/repeated.js
index 8a13feb..a25f137 100644
--- a/test/repeated.js
+++ b/test/repeated.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var Repeated = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Repeated
+var Repeated = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Repeated
 
 tape('repeated encode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Repeated.encode({
diff --git a/test/strings.js b/test/strings.js
index f3aa272..40ea05c 100644
--- a/test/strings.js
+++ b/test/strings.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../src')
-var Strings = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).Strings
+var Strings = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).Strings
 
 tape('strings encode + decode', function (t) {
   var b1 = Strings.encode({
diff --git a/test/test.proto b/test/test.proto.js
similarity index 97%
rename from test/test.proto
rename to test/test.proto.js
index 2439a85..18e32e5 100644
--- a/test/test.proto
+++ b/test/test.proto.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-message Basic {
+'use strict'
+module.exports = `message Basic {
   required double num = 1;
   required bytes payload = 2;
 }
@@ -129,4 +130,4 @@ message ComplexProperty {
     int32 int_value = 9;
     string string_value = 10;
   }
-}
+}`
diff --git a/test/utf-8.js b/test/utf-8.js
index 35ccead..09ab7b4 100644
--- a/test/utf-8.js
+++ b/test/utf-8.js
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 'use strict'
 
 var tape = require('tape')
-var fs = require('fs')
-var path = require('path')
 var protobuf = require('../')
-var UTF8 = protobuf(fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '/test.proto'))).UTF8
+var UTF8 = protobuf(require('./test.proto.js')).UTF8
 
 tape('strings can be utf-8', function (t) {
   var ex = {