diff --git a/src/pds.js b/src/pds.js
index 65fb19e..1a75b12 100644
--- a/src/pds.js
+++ b/src/pds.js
@@ -22,6 +22,30 @@ class CID {
 // === CBOR ENCODING ===
 // Minimal deterministic CBOR (RFC 8949) - sorted keys, minimal integers
 
+/**
+ * Encode CBOR type header (major type + length)
+ * @param {number[]} parts - Array to push bytes to
+ * @param {number} majorType - CBOR major type (0-7)
+ * @param {number} length - Value or length to encode
+ */
+function encodeHead(parts, majorType, length) {
+  const mt = majorType << 5
+  if (length < 24) {
+    parts.push(mt | length)
+  } else if (length < 256) {
+    parts.push(mt | 24, length)
+  } else if (length < 65536) {
+    parts.push(mt | 25, length >> 8, length & 0xff)
+  } else if (length < 4294967296) {
+    // Use Math.floor instead of bitshift to avoid 32-bit signed integer overflow
+    parts.push(mt | 26,
+      Math.floor(length / 0x1000000) & 0xff,
+      Math.floor(length / 0x10000) & 0xff,
+      Math.floor(length / 0x100) & 0xff,
+      length & 0xff)
+  }
+}
+
 export function cborEncode(value) {
   const parts = []
 
@@ -36,18 +60,18 @@ export function cborEncode(value) {
       encodeInteger(val)
     } else if (typeof val === 'string') {
       const bytes = new TextEncoder().encode(val)
-      encodeHead(3, bytes.length) // major type 3 = text string
+      encodeHead(parts, 3, bytes.length) // major type 3 = text string
       parts.push(...bytes)
     } else if (val instanceof Uint8Array) {
-      encodeHead(2, val.length) // major type 2 = byte string
+      encodeHead(parts, 2, val.length) // major type 2 = byte string
       parts.push(...val)
     } else if (Array.isArray(val)) {
-      encodeHead(4, val.length) // major type 4 = array
+      encodeHead(parts, 4, val.length) // major type 4 = array
       for (const item of val) encode(item)
     } else if (typeof val === 'object') {
       // Sort keys for deterministic encoding
       const keys = Object.keys(val).sort()
-      encodeHead(5, keys.length) // major type 5 = map
+      encodeHead(parts, 5, keys.length) // major type 5 = map
       for (const key of keys) {
         encode(key)
         encode(val[key])
@@ -55,29 +79,11 @@ export function cborEncode(value) {
     }
   }
 
-  function encodeHead(majorType, length) {
-    const mt = majorType << 5
-    if (length < 24) {
-      parts.push(mt | length)
-    } else if (length < 256) {
-      parts.push(mt | 24, length)
-    } else if (length < 65536) {
-      parts.push(mt | 25, length >> 8, length & 0xff)
-    } else if (length < 4294967296) {
-      // Use Math.floor instead of bitshift to avoid 32-bit signed integer overflow
-      parts.push(mt | 26,
-        Math.floor(length / 0x1000000) & 0xff,
-        Math.floor(length / 0x10000) & 0xff,
-        Math.floor(length / 0x100) & 0xff,
-        length & 0xff)
-    }
-  }
-
   function encodeInteger(n) {
     if (n >= 0) {
-      encodeHead(0, n) // major type 0 = unsigned int
+      encodeHead(parts, 0, n) // major type 0 = unsigned int
     } else {
-      encodeHead(1, -n - 1) // major type 1 = negative int
+      encodeHead(parts, 1, -n - 1) // major type 1 = negative int
     }
   }
 
@@ -98,26 +104,26 @@ function cborEncodeDagCbor(value) {
       parts.push(CBOR_FALSE)
     } else if (typeof val === 'number') {
       if (Number.isInteger(val) && val >= 0) {
-        encodeHead(0, val)
+        encodeHead(parts, 0, val)
       } else if (Number.isInteger(val) && val < 0) {
-        encodeHead(1, -val - 1)
+        encodeHead(parts, 1, -val - 1)
       }
     } else if (typeof val === 'string') {
       const bytes = new TextEncoder().encode(val)
-      encodeHead(3, bytes.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 3, bytes.length)
       parts.push(...bytes)
     } else if (val instanceof CID) {
       // CID - encode with CBOR tag 42 + 0x00 prefix
       parts.push(0xd8, CBOR_TAG_CID)
-      encodeHead(2, val.bytes.length + 1) // +1 for 0x00 prefix
+      encodeHead(parts, 2, val.bytes.length + 1) // +1 for 0x00 prefix
       parts.push(0x00) // multibase identity prefix
       parts.push(...val.bytes)
     } else if (val instanceof Uint8Array) {
       // Regular byte string
-      encodeHead(2, val.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 2, val.length)
       parts.push(...val)
     } else if (Array.isArray(val)) {
-      encodeHead(4, val.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 4, val.length)
       for (const item of val) encode(item)
     } else if (typeof val === 'object') {
       // DAG-CBOR: sort keys by length first, then lexicographically
@@ -126,34 +132,16 @@ function cborEncodeDagCbor(value) {
         if (a.length !== b.length) return a.length - b.length
         return a < b ? -1 : a > b ? 1 : 0
       })
-      encodeHead(5, keys.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 5, keys.length)
       for (const key of keys) {
         const keyBytes = new TextEncoder().encode(key)
-        encodeHead(3, keyBytes.length)
+        encodeHead(parts, 3, keyBytes.length)
         parts.push(...keyBytes)
         encode(val[key])
       }
     }
   }
 
-  function encodeHead(majorType, length) {
-    const mt = majorType << 5
-    if (length < 24) {
-      parts.push(mt | length)
-    } else if (length < 256) {
-      parts.push(mt | 24, length)
-    } else if (length < 65536) {
-      parts.push(mt | 25, length >> 8, length & 0xff)
-    } else if (length < 4294967296) {
-      // Use Math.floor instead of bitshift to avoid 32-bit signed integer overflow
-      parts.push(mt | 26,
-        Math.floor(length / 0x1000000) & 0xff,
-        Math.floor(length / 0x10000) & 0xff,
-        Math.floor(length / 0x100) & 0xff,
-        length & 0xff)
-    }
-  }
-
   encode(value)
   return new Uint8Array(parts)
 }
@@ -580,19 +568,19 @@ function cborEncodeMstNode(node) {
     if (val === null || val === undefined) {
       parts.push(CBOR_NULL)
     } else if (typeof val === 'number') {
-      encodeHead(0, val) // unsigned int
+      encodeHead(parts, 0, val) // unsigned int
     } else if (val instanceof CID) {
       // CID - encode with CBOR tag 42 + 0x00 prefix (DAG-CBOR CID link)
       parts.push(0xd8, CBOR_TAG_CID)
-      encodeHead(2, val.bytes.length + 1) // +1 for 0x00 prefix
+      encodeHead(parts, 2, val.bytes.length + 1) // +1 for 0x00 prefix
       parts.push(0x00) // multibase identity prefix
       parts.push(...val.bytes)
     } else if (val instanceof Uint8Array) {
       // Regular bytes
-      encodeHead(2, val.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 2, val.length)
       parts.push(...val)
     } else if (Array.isArray(val)) {
-      encodeHead(4, val.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 4, val.length)
       for (const item of val) encode(item)
     } else if (typeof val === 'object') {
       // Sort keys for deterministic encoding (DAG-CBOR style)
@@ -603,11 +591,11 @@ function cborEncodeMstNode(node) {
         if (a.length !== b.length) return a.length - b.length
         return a < b ? -1 : a > b ? 1 : 0
       })
-      encodeHead(5, keys.length)
+      encodeHead(parts, 5, keys.length)
       for (const key of keys) {
         // Encode key as text string
         const keyBytes = new TextEncoder().encode(key)
-        encodeHead(3, keyBytes.length)
+        encodeHead(parts, 3, keyBytes.length)
         parts.push(...keyBytes)
         // Encode value
         encode(val[key])
@@ -615,17 +603,6 @@ function cborEncodeMstNode(node) {
     }
   }
 
-  function encodeHead(majorType, length) {
-    const mt = majorType << 5
-    if (length < 24) {
-      parts.push(mt | length)
-    } else if (length < 256) {
-      parts.push(mt | 24, length)
-    } else if (length < 65536) {
-      parts.push(mt | 25, length >> 8, length & 0xff)
-    }
-  }
-
   encode(node)
   return new Uint8Array(parts)
 }