diff --git a/src/demo/message/stringtable.rs b/src/demo/message/stringtable.rs
index 7673cd3..ad53dce 100644
--- a/src/demo/message/stringtable.rs
+++ b/src/demo/message/stringtable.rs
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ impl Encode for CreateStringTableMessage<'_> {
     fn encode(
         &self,
         stream: &mut BitWriteStream<LittleEndian>,
-        _state: &ParserState,
+        state: &ParserState,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let table = &self.table;
         table.name.write(stream)?;
@@ -172,7 +172,14 @@ impl Encode for CreateStringTableMessage<'_> {
         let encode_bits = log_base2(table.max_entries) as usize;
         (table.entries.len() as u16).write_sized(stream, encode_bits + 1)?;
 
-        stream.reserve_int::<ParseError, _>(40, |stream| {
+        // threshold and both widths are the ones used by the read side above
+        let (length_bits, encode_length): (usize, fn(u32) -> u64) =
+            if state.protocol_version > 23 {
+                (40, encode_var_int_fixed)
+            } else {
+                (20, |length| length as u64)
+            };
+        stream.reserve_int::<ParseError, _>(length_bits, |stream| {
             table.fixed_user_data_size.is_some().write(stream)?;
             if let Some(fixed_size) = table.fixed_user_data_size {
                 fixed_size.write(stream)?;
@@ -188,7 +195,7 @@ impl Encode for CreateStringTableMessage<'_> {
             write_string_table_update(&table.entries, stream, &table_meta)?;
 
             let end = stream.bit_len();
-            Ok(encode_var_int_fixed((end - start) as u32))
+            Ok(encode_length((end - start) as u32))
         })?;
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/src/demo/message/tempentities.rs b/src/demo/message/tempentities.rs
index d9e66aa..4778770 100644
--- a/src/demo/message/tempentities.rs
+++ b/src/demo/message/tempentities.rs
@@ -109,7 +109,14 @@ impl Encode for TempEntitiesMessage {
         };
         count.write(stream)?;
 
-        stream.reserve_int::<ParseError, _>(40, |stream| {
+        // threshold and both widths are the ones used by the read side above
+        let (length_bits, encode_length): (usize, fn(u32) -> u64) =
+            if state.protocol_version > 23 {
+                (40, encode_var_int_fixed)
+            } else {
+                (17, |length| length as u64)
+            };
+        stream.reserve_int::<ParseError, _>(length_bits, |stream| {
             let start = stream.bit_len();
             let mut last_class_id = u16::MAX.into();
 
@@ -138,7 +145,7 @@ impl Encode for TempEntitiesMessage {
                 PacketEntitiesMessage::write_update(&event.props, stream, send_table, 0u32.into())?;
             }
             let end = stream.bit_len();
-            Ok(encode_var_int_fixed((end - start) as u32))
+            Ok(encode_length((end - start) as u32))
         })?;
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/tests/reencode.rs b/tests/reencode.rs
index 2930856..6fa731d 100644
--- a/tests/reencode.rs
+++ b/tests/reencode.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ use tf_demo_parser::{Demo, Parse};
 #[test_case("test_data/decal.dem"; "decal.dem")]
 #[test_case("test_data/saytext2.dem"; "saytext2.dem")]
 #[test_case("test_data/emptysaytext.dem"; "emptysaytext.dem")]
+#[test_case("test_data/protocol23.dem"; "protocol23.dem")]
 fn re_encode_test(input_file: &str) {
     let file = fs::read(input_file).expect("Unable to read file");
     let demo = Demo::new(&file);