diff --git a/msg.go b/msg.go
index 667bfbe..cdd02d5 100644
--- a/msg.go
+++ b/msg.go
@@ -9,6 +9,18 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slices"
 )
 
+var (
+	RPCReplyName = xml.Name{
+		Space: "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0",
+		Local: "rpc-reply",
+	}
+
+	NofificationName = xml.Name{
+		Space: "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:notification:1.0",
+		Local: "notification",
+	}
+)
+
 // RawXML captures the raw xml for the given element.  Used to process certain
 // elements later.
 type RawXML []byte
@@ -69,13 +81,38 @@ type Reply struct {
 	XMLName   xml.Name  `xml:"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0 rpc-reply"`
 	MessageID uint64    `xml:"message-id,attr"`
 	Errors    RPCErrors `xml:"rpc-error,omitempty"`
-	Body      []byte    `xml:",innerxml"`
+
+	raw []byte `xml:"-"`
+}
+
+func ParseReply(data []byte) (*Reply, error) {
+	reply := Reply{
+		raw: data,
+	}
+	if err := xml.Unmarshal(data, &reply); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("couldn't parse reply: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return &reply, nil
 }
 
-// Decode will decode the body of a reply into a value pointed to by v.  This is
-// a simple wrapper around xml.Unmarshal.
+// Decode will decode the entire `rpc-reply` into a value pointed to by v.  This
+// is a simple wrapper around xml.Unmarshal.
 func (r Reply) Decode(v interface{}) error {
-	return xml.Unmarshal(r.Body, v)
+	if r.raw == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("empty reply")
+	}
+	return xml.Unmarshal(r.raw, v)
+}
+
+// Raw returns the native message as it came from the server
+func (r Reply) Raw() []byte {
+	return r.raw
+}
+
+// String returns the message as string.
+func (r Reply) String() string {
+	return string(r.raw)
 }
 
 // Err will return go error(s) from a Reply that are of the given severities. If
@@ -121,13 +158,38 @@ func (r Reply) Err(severity ...ErrSeverity) error {
 type Notification struct {
 	XMLName   xml.Name  `xml:"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:notification:1.0 notification"`
 	EventTime time.Time `xml:"eventTime"`
-	Body      []byte    `xml:",innerxml"`
+
+	raw []byte `xml:"-"`
 }
 
-// Decode will decode the body of a noticiation into a value pointed to by v.
+func ParseNotification(data []byte) (*Notification, error) {
+	notif := Notification{
+		raw: data,
+	}
+	if err := xml.Unmarshal(data, &notif); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("couldn't parse reply: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	return &notif, nil
+}
+
+// Decode will decode the entire `noticiation` into a value pointed to by v.
 // This is a simple wrapper around xml.Unmarshal.
-func (r Notification) Decode(v interface{}) error {
-	return xml.Unmarshal(r.Body, v)
+func (n Notification) Decode(v interface{}) error {
+	if n.raw == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("empty reply")
+	}
+	return xml.Unmarshal(n.raw, v)
+}
+
+// Raw returns the native message as it came from the server
+func (n Notification) Raw() []byte {
+	return n.raw
+}
+
+// String returns the message as string.
+func (n Notification) String() string {
+	return string(n.raw)
 }
 
 type ErrSeverity string
diff --git a/msg_test.go b/msg_test.go
index 279dfb4..ddcd067 100644
--- a/msg_test.go
+++ b/msg_test.go
@@ -251,17 +251,6 @@ func TestUnmarshalRPCReply(t *testing.T) {
 `),
 					},
 				},
-				Body: []byte(`
-<rpc-error>
-<error-type>protocol</error-type>
-<error-tag>operation-failed</error-tag>
-<error-severity>error</error-severity>
-<error-message>syntax error, expecting &lt;candidate/&gt; or &lt;running/&gt;</error-message>
-<error-info>
-<bad-element>non-exist</bad-element>
-</error-info>
-</rpc-error>
-`),
 			},
 		},
 	}
diff --git a/ops.go b/ops.go
index 6fdf571..da27191 100644
--- a/ops.go
+++ b/ops.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func (b *ExtantBool) UnmarshalXML(d *xml.Decoder, start xml.StartElement) error
 	return nil
 }
 
-type OKResp struct {
+type OKReply struct {
 	OK ExtantBool `xml:"ok"`
 }
 
@@ -95,8 +95,7 @@ type GetConfigReq struct {
 }
 
 type GetConfigReply struct {
-	XMLName xml.Name `xml:"data"`
-	Config  []byte   `xml:",innerxml"`
+	Data []byte `xml:"data"`
 }
 
 // GetConfig implements the <get-config> rpc operation defined in [RFC6241 7.1].
@@ -113,7 +112,7 @@ func (s *Session) GetConfig(ctx context.Context, source Datastore) ([]byte, erro
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	return resp.Config, nil
+	return resp.Data, nil
 }
 
 // MergeStrategy defines the strategies for merging configuration in a
@@ -272,7 +271,7 @@ func (s *Session) EditConfig(ctx context.Context, target Datastore, config any,
 		opt.apply(&req)
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -297,7 +296,7 @@ func (s *Session) CopyConfig(ctx context.Context, source, target any) error {
 		Target: target,
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -311,7 +310,7 @@ func (s *Session) DeleteConfig(ctx context.Context, target Datastore) error {
 		Target: target,
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -326,7 +325,7 @@ func (s *Session) Lock(ctx context.Context, target Datastore) error {
 		Target:  target,
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -336,7 +335,7 @@ func (s *Session) Unlock(ctx context.Context, target Datastore) error {
 		Target:  target,
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -356,7 +355,7 @@ func (s *Session) KillSession(ctx context.Context, sessionID uint32) error {
 		SessionID: sessionID,
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -370,7 +369,7 @@ func (s *Session) Validate(ctx context.Context, source any) error {
 		Source: source,
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -444,7 +443,7 @@ func (s *Session) Commit(ctx context.Context, opts ...CommitOption) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("PersistID cannot be used with Confirmed/ConfirmedTimeout or Persist options")
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -466,7 +465,7 @@ func (s *Session) CancelCommit(ctx context.Context, opts ...CancelCommitOption)
 		opt.applyCancelCommit(&req)
 	}
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
 
@@ -509,6 +508,6 @@ func (s *Session) CreateSubscription(ctx context.Context, opts ...CreateSubscrip
 	}
 	// TODO: eventual custom notifications rpc logic, e.g. create subscription only if notification capability is present
 
-	var resp OKResp
+	var resp OKReply
 	return s.Call(ctx, &req, &resp)
 }
diff --git a/session.go b/session.go
index 5c38ee8..c574573 100644
--- a/session.go
+++ b/session.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package netconf
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/xml"
 	"errors"
@@ -189,30 +190,26 @@ func (s *Session) recvMsg() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer r.Close()
-	dec := xml.NewDecoder(r)
 
-	root, err := startElement(dec)
+	msg, err := io.ReadAll(r)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	const (
-		ncNamespace    = "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0"
-		notifNamespace = "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:notification:1.0"
-	)
+	return s.parseMsg(msg)
+}
+
+func (s *Session) parseMsg(msg []byte) error {
+	dec := xml.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(msg))
+
+	root, err := startElement(dec)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	switch root.Name {
-	case xml.Name{Space: notifNamespace, Local: "notification"}:
-		if s.notificationHandler == nil {
-			return nil
-		}
-		var notif Notification
-		if err := dec.DecodeElement(&notif, root); err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode notification message: %w", err)
-		}
-		s.notificationHandler(notif)
-	case xml.Name{Space: ncNamespace, Local: "rpc-reply"}:
-		var reply Reply
+	case RPCReplyName:
+		reply := Reply{raw: msg}
 		if err := dec.DecodeElement(&reply, root); err != nil {
 			// What should we do here?  Kill the connection?
 			return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode rpc-reply message: %w", err)
@@ -228,6 +225,17 @@ func (s *Session) recvMsg() error {
 		case <-req.ctx.Done():
 			return fmt.Errorf("message %d context canceled: %s", reply.MessageID, req.ctx.Err().Error())
 		}
+
+	case NofificationName:
+		if s.notificationHandler == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+		notif := Notification{raw: msg}
+		if err := dec.DecodeElement(&notif, root); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode notification message: %w", err)
+		}
+		s.notificationHandler(notif)
+
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("unknown message type: %q", root.Name.Local)
 	}
@@ -342,6 +350,8 @@ func (s *Session) Call(ctx context.Context, req any, resp any) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Return any <rpc-error>.  This defaults to a severity of `error` (warning
+	// are omitted).
 	if err := reply.Err(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -377,7 +387,9 @@ func (s *Session) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if callErr != io.EOF {
+	// it's ok if we are already closed
+	if !errors.Is(callErr, io.EOF) &&
+		!errors.Is(callErr, ErrClosed) {
 		return callErr
 	}