diff --git a/src/meshcore/commands/contact.py b/src/meshcore/commands/contact.py
index 5201fc2..19ccfa9 100644
--- a/src/meshcore/commands/contact.py
+++ b/src/meshcore/commands/contact.py
@@ -105,24 +105,46 @@ class ContactCommands(CommandHandlerBase):
         data = b"\x0f" + key_bytes
         return await self.send(data, [EventType.OK, EventType.ERROR])
 
-    async def update_contact(self, contact, path=None, flags=None) -> Event:
+    async def update_contact(self, contact, path=None, flags=None, path_hash_mode=None) -> Event:
         if path is None:
             out_path_hex = contact["out_path"]
             out_path_len = contact["out_path_len"]
+            out_path_hash_mode = contact["out_path_hash_mode"]
         else:
-            path_hash_size = 1
-            res = await self.send_device_query()
-            if not res is None and res.type != EventType.ERROR:
-                if "path_hash_mode" in res.payload:
-                    path_hash_size = res.payload["path_hash_mode"] + 1
+            if path_hash_mode is None: # not specified when calling func
+                if ":" in path: # mode specified in path string
+                    path_hash_mode = int(path.split(":")[1])
+                    path = path.split(":")[0].replace(":","")
+                else: # use device one by default
+                    path_hash_mode = contact["out_path_len"] >> 6 # would fallback to previous val
+                    res = await self.send_device_query()
+                    if not res is None and res.type != EventType.ERROR:
+                        if "path_hash_mode" in res.payload:
+                            path_hash_size = res.payload["path_hash_mode"] + 1
+            else:
+                if ":" in path: # remove as it has been specified in args
+                    path = path.split(":")[0].replace(":","")
+
+            path_hash_size = path_hash_mode + 1
+
+            print(path_hash_size)
 
             out_path_hex = path
             out_path_len = int(len(path) / (2 * path_hash_size))
+            out_path_hash_mode = path_hash_mode
+
+            print(f"Setting {contact["adv_name"]} path to {out_path_hex} with mode {out_path_hash_mode}")
 
             # reflect the change
+            contact["out_path_hash_mode"] = path_hash_mode
             contact["out_path"] = out_path_hex
             contact["out_path_len"] = out_path_len
+
         out_path_hex = out_path_hex + (128 - len(out_path_hex)) * "0"
+        if out_path_len == -1: # path did not change and contact was flood
+            out_path_len = 255 # we are signed
+        else:
+            out_path_len = out_path_len | (path_hash_mode << 6)
 
         if flags is None:
             flags = contact["flags"]
@@ -137,7 +159,7 @@ class ContactCommands(CommandHandlerBase):
             + bytes.fromhex(contact["public_key"])
             + contact["type"].to_bytes(1, "little")
             + flags.to_bytes(1, "little")
-            + out_path_len.to_bytes(1, "little", signed=True)
+            + int(out_path_len).to_bytes(1, "little", signed=False)
             + bytes.fromhex(out_path_hex)
             + bytes.fromhex(adv_name_hex)
             + contact["last_advert"].to_bytes(4, "little")
@@ -149,8 +171,8 @@ class ContactCommands(CommandHandlerBase):
     async def add_contact(self, contact) -> Event:
         return await self.update_contact(contact)
 
-    async def change_contact_path(self, contact, path) -> Event:
-        return await self.update_contact(contact, path)
+    async def change_contact_path(self, contact, path, path_hash_mode=None) -> Event:
+        return await self.update_contact(contact, path, path_hash_mode)
 
     async def change_contact_flags(self, contact, flags) -> Event:
         return await self.update_contact(contact, flags=flags)
@@ -162,4 +184,3 @@ class ContactCommands(CommandHandlerBase):
     async def get_autoadd_config(self) -> Event:
         data = b"\x3B"
         return await self.send(data, [EventType.AUTOADD_CONFIG, EventType.ERROR])
-        
diff --git a/src/meshcore/reader.py b/src/meshcore/reader.py
index 4471e11..54052a5 100644
--- a/src/meshcore/reader.py
+++ b/src/meshcore/reader.py
@@ -99,7 +99,13 @@ class MessageReader:
             c["public_key"] = dbuf.read(32).hex()
             c["type"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
             c["flags"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
-            c["out_path_len"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(1), signed=True, byteorder="little")
+            plen = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(1), signed=False, byteorder="little")
+            if plen == 255: # flood
+                c["out_path_hash_mode"] = -1
+                c["out_path_len"] = -1 # 6 LSB
+            else:
+                c["out_path_hash_mode"] = plen >> 6 
+                c["out_path_len"] = plen & 0x3F # 6 LSB
             c["out_path"] = dbuf.read(64).replace(b"\0", b"").hex()
             c["adv_name"] = dbuf.read(32).decode("utf-8", "ignore").replace("\0", "")
             c["last_advert"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(4), byteorder="little")
@@ -173,7 +179,13 @@ class MessageReader:
             res = {}
             res["type"] = "PRIV"
             res["pubkey_prefix"] = dbuf.read(6).hex()
-            res["path_len"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            plen = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            if plen == 255 : # direct message
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = -1
+                res["path_len"] = plen
+            else:
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = plen >> 6
+                res["path_len"] = plen & 0x3F
             txt_type = dbuf.read(1)[0]
             res["txt_type"] = txt_type
             res["sender_timestamp"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(4), byteorder="little")
@@ -196,7 +208,13 @@ class MessageReader:
             res["SNR"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(1), byteorder="little", signed=True) / 4
             dbuf.read(2) # reserved
             res["pubkey_prefix"] = dbuf.read(6).hex()
-            res["path_len"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            plen = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            if plen == 255 : # direct message
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = -1
+                res["path_len"] = plen
+            else:
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = plen >> 6
+                res["path_len"] = plen & 0x3F
             txt_type = dbuf.read(1)[0]
             res["txt_type"] = txt_type
             res["sender_timestamp"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(4), byteorder="little")
@@ -217,7 +235,13 @@ class MessageReader:
             res = {}
             res["type"] = "CHAN"
             res["channel_idx"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
-            res["path_len"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            plen = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            if plen == 255 : # direct message
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = -1
+                res["path_len"] = plen
+            else:
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = plen >> 6
+                res["path_len"] = plen & 0x3F
             res["txt_type"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
             res["sender_timestamp"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(4), byteorder="little", signed=False)
             text = dbuf.read().strip(b"\0")
@@ -249,7 +273,13 @@ class MessageReader:
             res["SNR"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(1), byteorder="little", signed=True) / 4
             dbuf.read(2) # reserved
             res["channel_idx"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
-            res["path_len"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            plen = dbuf.read(1)[0]
+            if plen == 255 : # direct message
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = -1
+                res["path_len"] = plen
+            else:
+                res["path_hash_mode"] = plen >> 6
+                res["path_len"] = plen & 0x3F
             res["txt_type"] = dbuf.read(1)[0]
             res["sender_timestamp"] = int.from_bytes(dbuf.read(4), byteorder="little", signed=False)
             text = dbuf.read()