diff --git a/src/protocol/mod.rs b/src/protocol/mod.rs
index d2ef210..1d4852b 100644
--- a/src/protocol/mod.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/mod.rs
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ pub mod parsing;
 pub mod types;
 
 pub use error::{Error, Result};
+use types::VarInt;
 
 /// Enum representation of the connection's current state.
 ///
@@ -45,3 +46,23 @@ pub enum ClientState {
     /// The client has disconnected, and the connection struct should be removed. No packets should be sent or received.
     Disconnected,
 }
+impl parsing::Parsable for ClientState {
+    fn parse(data: &[u8]) -> nom::IResult<&[u8], Self>
+    where
+        Self: Sized,
+    {
+        nom::combinator::map_res(VarInt::parse, |next_state: VarInt| match *next_state {
+            1 => Ok(ClientState::Status),
+            2 => Ok(ClientState::Login),
+            _ => Err(()),
+        })(data)
+    }
+    fn serialize(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        let byte = match &self {
+            &ClientState::Status => 1,
+            &ClientState::Login => 2,
+            _ => 0,
+        };
+        vec![byte]
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/protocol/packets/serverbound/handshake.rs b/src/protocol/packets/serverbound/handshake.rs
index 1042744..f1d4102 100644
--- a/src/protocol/packets/serverbound/handshake.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/packets/serverbound/handshake.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use crate::protocol::{types::VarInt, ClientState};
-use nom::combinator::map_res;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq)]
 pub struct SH00Handshake {
@@ -17,12 +16,8 @@ crate::protocol::packets::packet!(
         let (data, protocol_version) = VarInt::parse(data)?;
         let (data, server_address) = String::parse(data)?;
         let (data, server_port) = u16::parse(data)?;
+        let (data, next_state) = ClientState::parse(data)?;
         // let (data, next_state) = VarInt::parse(data)?;
-        let (data, next_state) = map_res(VarInt::parse, |next_state: VarInt| match *next_state {
-            1 => Ok(ClientState::Status),
-            2 => Ok(ClientState::Login),
-            _ => Err(()),
-        })(data)?;
 
         Ok((
             data,
@@ -39,14 +34,7 @@ crate::protocol::packets::packet!(
         output.extend(packet.protocol_version.serialize());
         output.extend(packet.server_address.serialize());
         output.extend(packet.server_port.serialize());
-        output.extend(
-            VarInt::from(match packet.next_state {
-                ClientState::Status => 0x01,
-                ClientState::Login => 0x02,
-                _ => panic!("invalid SH00Handshake next_state"),
-            })
-            .serialize(),
-        );
+        output.extend(packet.next_state.serialize());
         output
     }
 );
diff --git a/src/protocol/parsing.rs b/src/protocol/parsing.rs
index a9d52a1..c756a0a 100644
--- a/src/protocol/parsing.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/parsing.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ pub use nom::IResult;
 use nom::{
     bytes::streaming::{take, take_while_m_n},
     combinator::map_res,
-    number::streaming as nom_nums,
+    number::streaming as nom_nums, Parser,
 };
 
 /// Implementation of the protocol's VarInt type.
@@ -154,10 +154,17 @@ impl Parsable for VarInt {
     fn parse(data: &[u8]) -> IResult<&[u8], Self> {
         let mut output = 0u32;
 
-        let (rest, bytes) = take_while_m_n(1, 5, |byte| byte & 0x80 == 0x80)(data)?;
-        for (i, &b) in bytes.iter().enumerate() {
+        // 0-4 bytes with the most significant bit set,
+        // followed by one with the bit unset.
+        let start_parser = take_while_m_n(0, 4, |byte| byte & 0x80 == 0x80);
+        let end_parser = take_while_m_n(1, 1, |byte| byte & 0x80 != 0x80);
+        let mut parser = start_parser.and(end_parser);
+        let (rest, (start, end)) = parser.parse(data)?;
+
+        for (i, &b) in start.iter().enumerate() {
             output |= ((b & 0x7f) as u32) << (7 * i);
         }
+        output |= ((end[0] & 0x7f) as u32) << (7 * start.len());
         Ok((rest, VarInt(output as i32)))
     }
     #[tracing::instrument]
@@ -354,6 +361,8 @@ mod tests {
         for (value, bytes) in get_varints() {
             assert_eq!(value, *VarInt::parse(&bytes).unwrap().1);
         }
+        // Check if the VarInt is too long (>5 bytes).
+        assert!(VarInt::parse(&[0x80, 0x80, 0x80, 0x80, 0x80, 0x08]).is_err());
     }
     #[test]
     fn serialize_varint_works() {