diff --git a/src/NimBLEAdvertisedDevice.h b/src/NimBLEAdvertisedDevice.h
index f38a9b4..3380f4a 100644
--- a/src/NimBLEAdvertisedDevice.h
+++ b/src/NimBLEAdvertisedDevice.h
@@ -45,10 +45,28 @@ public:
     uint8_t         getAdvType();
     uint16_t        getAppearance();
     std::string     getManufacturerData();
+
+    template<typename T>
+    T               getManufacturerData(bool skipSizeCheck = false) {
+        std::string data = getManufacturerData();
+        if(!skipSizeCheck && data.size() < sizeof(T)) return T();
+        const char *pData = data.data();
+        return *((T *)pData);
+    }
+
     std::string     getName();
     int             getRSSI();
     NimBLEScan*     getScan();
     std::string     getServiceData();
+
+    template<typename T>
+    T               getServiceData(bool skipSizeCheck = false) {
+        std::string data = getServiceData();
+        if(!skipSizeCheck && data.size() < sizeof(T)) return T();
+        const char *pData = data.data();
+        return *((T *)pData);
+    }
+
     NimBLEUUID      getServiceDataUUID();
     NimBLEUUID      getServiceUUID();
     int8_t          getTXPower();
diff --git a/src/NimBLEClient.cpp b/src/NimBLEClient.cpp
index 1bcbeb6..9dcc43e 100644
--- a/src/NimBLEClient.cpp
+++ b/src/NimBLEClient.cpp
@@ -725,6 +725,7 @@ uint16_t NimBLEClient::getMTU() {
                         (*characteristic)->m_timestamp = time(nullptr);
                         (*characteristic)->m_semaphoreReadCharEvt.give();
                     }
+
                     if ((*characteristic)->m_notifyCallback != nullptr) {
                         NIMBLE_LOGD(LOG_TAG, "Invoking callback for notification on characteristic %s",
                                              (*characteristic)->toString().c_str());
diff --git a/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.cpp b/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.cpp
index e818b77..c879d71 100644
--- a/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.cpp
+++ b/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.cpp
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ uint8_t NimBLERemoteCharacteristic::readUInt8() {
  * @brief Read the value of the remote characteristic.
  * @return The value of the remote characteristic.
  */
-std::string NimBLERemoteCharacteristic::readValue() {
+std::string NimBLERemoteCharacteristic::readValue(time_t *timestamp) {
     NIMBLE_LOGD(LOG_TAG, ">> readValue(): uuid: %s, handle: %d 0x%.2x",
                          getUUID().toString().c_str(), getHandle(), getHandle());
 
@@ -437,7 +437,15 @@ std::string NimBLERemoteCharacteristic::readValue() {
     } while(rc != 0 && retryCount--);
 
     NIMBLE_LOGD(LOG_TAG, "<< readValue(): length: %d", m_value.length());
-    return m_value;
+
+    m_semaphoreReadCharEvt.take("returnValue");
+    std::string value = m_value;
+    if(timestamp != nullptr) {
+        *timestamp = m_timestamp;
+    }
+    m_semaphoreReadCharEvt.give();
+
+    return value;
 } // readValue
 
 
@@ -451,6 +459,7 @@ std::string NimBLERemoteCharacteristic::getValue(time_t *timestamp) {
     if(timestamp != nullptr) {
         *timestamp = m_timestamp;
     }
+
     m_semaphoreReadCharEvt.give();
     return value;
 }
diff --git a/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.h b/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.h
index c04e1f4..f6afa21 100644
--- a/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.h
+++ b/src/NimBLERemoteCharacteristic.h
@@ -53,11 +53,29 @@ public:
     uint16_t                                       getHandle();
     uint16_t                                       getDefHandle();
     NimBLEUUID                                     getUUID();
-    std::string                                    readValue();
-    uint8_t                                        readUInt8();
-    uint16_t                                       readUInt16();
-    uint32_t                                       readUInt32();
+    std::string                                    readValue(time_t *timestamp = nullptr);
+
+    template<typename T>
+    T                                              readValue(time_t *timestamp = nullptr, bool skipSizeCheck = false) {
+        std::string value = readValue(timestamp);
+        if(!skipSizeCheck && value.size() < sizeof(T)) return T();
+        const char *pData = value.data();
+        return *((T *)pData);
+    }
+
+    uint8_t                                        readUInt8()  __attribute__ ((deprecated));
+    uint16_t                                       readUInt16() __attribute__ ((deprecated));
+    uint32_t                                       readUInt32() __attribute__ ((deprecated));
     std::string                                    getValue(time_t *timestamp = nullptr);
+
+    template<typename T>
+    T                                              getValue(time_t *timestamp = nullptr, bool skipSizeCheck = false) {
+        std::string value = getValue(timestamp);
+        if(!skipSizeCheck && value.size() < sizeof(T)) return T();
+        const char *pData = value.data();
+        return *((T *)pData);
+    }
+
     bool                                           registerForNotify(notify_callback _callback,
                                                                      bool notifications = true,
                                                                      bool response = true);