diff --git a/crates/ember-protocol/src/parse.rs b/crates/ember-protocol/src/parse.rs
index d47d98fc..89c74528 100644
--- a/crates/ember-protocol/src/parse.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-protocol/src/parse.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ const MAX_BULK_LEN: i64 = 512 * 1024 * 1024;
 /// Returns `Ok(Some(frame))` if a complete frame was parsed,
 /// `Ok(None)` if the buffer doesn't contain enough data yet,
 /// or `Err(...)` if the data is malformed.
+#[inline]
 pub fn parse_frame(buf: &[u8]) -> Result<Option<(Frame, usize)>, ProtocolError> {
     if buf.is_empty() {
         return Ok(None);
diff --git a/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs b/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs
index 1f68cc54..4c2df431 100644
--- a/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-protocol/src/serialize.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ impl Frame {
     ///
     /// Writes the full RESP3 wire representation, including type prefix
     /// and trailing `\r\n` delimiters.
+    #[inline]
     pub fn serialize(&self, dst: &mut BytesMut) {
         match self {
             Frame::Simple(s) => {
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ impl Frame {
 }
 
 /// Writes an i64 as its decimal ASCII representation directly into the buffer.
+#[inline]
 fn write_i64(val: i64, dst: &mut BytesMut) {
     let mut buf = itoa::Buffer::new();
     dst.put_slice(buf.format(val).as_bytes());
diff --git a/crates/ember-server/src/connection.rs b/crates/ember-server/src/connection.rs
index def8f565..e0de1290 100644
--- a/crates/ember-server/src/connection.rs
+++ b/crates/ember-server/src/connection.rs
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ fn handle_sub_command(
                 let rx = pubsub.subscribe(&ch);
                 channel_rxs.insert(ch.clone(), rx);
                 let count = channel_rxs.len() + pattern_rxs.len();
-                serialize_sub_response("subscribe", &ch, count, out);
+                serialize_sub_response(b"subscribe", &ch, count, out);
             }
         }
         Command::Unsubscribe { channels } => {
@@ -342,18 +342,18 @@ fn handle_sub_command(
                     channel_rxs.remove(&ch);
                     pubsub.unsubscribe(&ch);
                     let count = channel_rxs.len() + pattern_rxs.len();
-                    serialize_sub_response("unsubscribe", &ch, count, out);
+                    serialize_sub_response(b"unsubscribe", &ch, count, out);
                 }
                 if channel_rxs.is_empty() && pattern_rxs.is_empty() {
                     // send a final response with count 0 if we had nothing
-                    serialize_sub_response("unsubscribe", "", 0, out);
+                    serialize_sub_response(b"unsubscribe", "", 0, out);
                 }
             } else {
                 for ch in channels {
                     channel_rxs.remove(&ch);
                     pubsub.unsubscribe(&ch);
                     let count = channel_rxs.len() + pattern_rxs.len();
-                    serialize_sub_response("unsubscribe", &ch, count, out);
+                    serialize_sub_response(b"unsubscribe", &ch, count, out);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ fn handle_sub_command(
                 let rx = pubsub.psubscribe(&pat);
                 pattern_rxs.insert(pat.clone(), rx);
                 let count = channel_rxs.len() + pattern_rxs.len();
-                serialize_sub_response("psubscribe", &pat, count, out);
+                serialize_sub_response(b"psubscribe", &pat, count, out);
             }
         }
         Command::PUnsubscribe { patterns } => {
@@ -387,17 +387,17 @@ fn handle_sub_command(
                     pattern_rxs.remove(&pat);
                     pubsub.punsubscribe(&pat);
                     let count = channel_rxs.len() + pattern_rxs.len();
-                    serialize_sub_response("punsubscribe", &pat, count, out);
+                    serialize_sub_response(b"punsubscribe", &pat, count, out);
                 }
                 if channel_rxs.is_empty() && pattern_rxs.is_empty() {
-                    serialize_sub_response("punsubscribe", "", 0, out);
+                    serialize_sub_response(b"punsubscribe", "", 0, out);
                 }
             } else {
                 for pat in patterns {
                     pattern_rxs.remove(&pat);
                     pubsub.punsubscribe(&pat);
                     let count = channel_rxs.len() + pattern_rxs.len();
-                    serialize_sub_response("punsubscribe", &pat, count, out);
+                    serialize_sub_response(b"punsubscribe", &pat, count, out);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -462,9 +462,9 @@ async fn recv_any_message(
 }
 
 /// Serializes a subscribe/unsubscribe response: ["type", channel, count]
-fn serialize_sub_response(kind: &str, channel: &str, count: usize, out: &mut BytesMut) {
+fn serialize_sub_response(kind: &'static [u8], channel: &str, count: usize, out: &mut BytesMut) {
     Frame::Array(vec![
-        Frame::Bulk(Bytes::copy_from_slice(kind.as_bytes())),
+        Frame::Bulk(Bytes::from_static(kind)),
         Frame::Bulk(Bytes::copy_from_slice(channel.as_bytes())),
         Frame::Integer(count as i64),
     ])