diff --git a/lib/encoder.js b/lib/encoder.js
index 6c7da0c..7223e95 100644
--- a/lib/encoder.js
+++ b/lib/encoder.js
@@ -45,7 +45,10 @@ module.exports = function buildEncode (encodingTypes, forceFloat64, compatibilit
         buf.writeUInt32BE(len, 1)
         buf.write(obj, 5)
       }
-    } else if (obj && obj.readUInt32LE) {
+    } else if (obj && (obj.readUInt32LE || obj instanceof Uint8Array)) {
+      if (obj instanceof Uint8Array) {
+        obj = Buffer.from(obj)
+      }
       // weird hack to support Buffer
       // and Buffer-like objects
       if (obj.length <= 0xff) {
diff --git a/test/1-byte-length-uint8arrays.js b/test/1-byte-length-uint8arrays.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5ea763
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/1-byte-length-uint8arrays.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+'use strict'
+
+var Buffer = require('safe-buffer').Buffer
+var test = require('tape').test
+var msgpack = require('../')
+
+function build (size) {
+  var array = []
+  var i
+
+  for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
+    array.push(42)
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(array)
+}
+
+test('encode/decode 2^8-1 Uint8Arrays', function (t) {
+  var encoder = msgpack()
+  var all = []
+
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 8) - 1))
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 6) + 1))
+  all.push(build(1))
+  all.push(new Uint8Array(0))
+
+  all.forEach(function (array) {
+    t.test('encoding Uint8Array of length ' + array.byteLength + ' bytes', function (t) {
+      var buf = encoder.encode(array)
+      t.equal(buf.length, 2 + array.byteLength, 'must have the right length')
+      t.equal(buf.readUInt8(0), 0xc4, 'must have the proper header')
+      t.equal(buf.readUInt8(1), array.byteLength, 'must include the buf length')
+      t.end()
+    })
+
+    t.test('mirror test for an Uint8Array of length ' + array.byteLength + ' bytes', function (t) {
+      t.deepEqual(encoder.decode(encoder.encode(array)), new Buffer(array), 'must stay the same')
+      t.end()
+    })
+  })
+
+  t.end()
+})
diff --git a/test/2-bytes-length-uint8arrays.js b/test/2-bytes-length-uint8arrays.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a196d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/2-bytes-length-uint8arrays.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+'use strict'
+
+var Buffer = require('safe-buffer').Buffer
+var test = require('tape').test
+var msgpack = require('../')
+
+function build (size) {
+  var array = []
+  var i
+
+  for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
+    array.push(42)
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(array)
+}
+
+test('encode/decode 2^8-1 Uint8Arrays', function (t) {
+  var encoder = msgpack()
+  var all = []
+
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 8)))
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 8) + 1))
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 12) + 1))
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 16) - 1))
+
+  all.forEach(function (array) {
+    t.test('encoding Uint8Array of length ' + array.byteLength + ' bytes', function (t) {
+      var buf = encoder.encode(array)
+      t.equal(buf.length, 3 + array.byteLength, 'must have the right length')
+      t.equal(buf.readUInt8(0), 0xc5, 'must have the proper header')
+      t.equal(buf.readUInt16BE(1), array.byteLength, 'must include the buf length')
+      t.end()
+    })
+
+    t.test('mirror test for an Uint8Array of length ' + array.byteLength + ' bytes', function (t) {
+      t.deepEqual(encoder.decode(encoder.encode(array)), new Buffer(array), 'must stay the same')
+      t.end()
+    })
+  })
+
+  t.end()
+})
diff --git a/test/4-bytes-length-uint8arrays.js b/test/4-bytes-length-uint8arrays.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b91c650
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/4-bytes-length-uint8arrays.js
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+'use strict'
+
+var Buffer = require('safe-buffer').Buffer
+var test = require('tape').test
+var msgpack = require('../')
+
+function build (size) {
+  var array = []
+  var i
+
+  for (i = 0; i < size; i++) {
+    array.push(42)
+  }
+
+  return new Uint8Array(array)
+}
+
+test('encode/decode 2^8-1 Uint8Arrays', function (t) {
+  var encoder = msgpack()
+  var all = []
+
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 16)))
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 16) + 1))
+  all.push(build(Math.pow(2, 18) + 1))
+
+  all.forEach(function (array) {
+    t.test('encoding Uint8Array of length ' + array.byteLength + ' bytes', function (t) {
+      var buf = encoder.encode(array)
+      t.equal(buf.length, 5 + array.byteLength, 'must have the right length')
+      t.equal(buf.readUInt8(0), 0xc6, 'must have the proper header')
+      t.equal(buf.readUInt32BE(1), array.byteLength, 'must include the buf length')
+      t.end()
+    })
+
+    t.test('mirror test for an Uint8Array of length ' + array.byteLength + ' bytes', function (t) {
+      t.deepEqual(encoder.decode(encoder.encode(array)), new Buffer(array), 'must stay the same')
+      t.end()
+    })
+  })
+
+  t.end()
+})