diff --git a/include/components/controller.hpp b/include/components/controller.hpp
index fd3d54a6..7af3f14d 100644
--- a/include/components/controller.hpp
+++ b/include/components/controller.hpp
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ namespace sig_ui = signals::ui;
 namespace sig_ipc = signals::ipc;
 
 class controller : public signal_receiver<SIGN_PRIORITY_CONTROLLER, sig_ev::exit_terminate, sig_ev::exit_reload,
-                       sig_ev::update, sig_ev::notify_change, sig_ev::check_state, sig_ipc::process_action,
-                       sig_ipc::process_command, sig_ipc::process_hook, sig_ui::button_press> {
+                       sig_ev::update, sig_ev::notify_change, sig_ev::check_state, sig_ipc::action, sig_ipc::command,
+                       sig_ipc::hook, sig_ui::button_press> {
  public:
   using make_type = unique_ptr<controller>;
   static make_type make(unique_ptr<ipc>&& ipc, unique_ptr<inotify_watch>&& config_watch);
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ class controller : public signal_receiver<SIGN_PRIORITY_CONTROLLER, sig_ev::exit
   bool on(const sig_ev::exit_reload& evt);
   bool on(const sig_ev::check_state& evt);
   bool on(const sig_ui::button_press& evt);
-  bool on(const sig_ipc::process_action& evt);
-  bool on(const sig_ipc::process_command& evt);
-  bool on(const sig_ipc::process_hook& evt);
+  bool on(const sig_ipc::action& evt);
+  bool on(const sig_ipc::command& evt);
+  bool on(const sig_ipc::hook& evt);
 
  private:
   connection& m_connection;
diff --git a/include/events/signal.hpp b/include/events/signal.hpp
index 423af447..cdad4bca 100644
--- a/include/events/signal.hpp
+++ b/include/events/signal.hpp
@@ -100,9 +100,9 @@ namespace signals {
   }
 
   namespace ipc {
-    DEFINE_VALUE_SIGNAL(20, process_command, ipc_command);
-    DEFINE_VALUE_SIGNAL(21, process_hook, ipc_hook);
-    DEFINE_VALUE_SIGNAL(22, process_action, ipc_action);
+    DEFINE_VALUE_SIGNAL(20, command, string);
+    DEFINE_VALUE_SIGNAL(21, hook, string);
+    DEFINE_VALUE_SIGNAL(22, action, string);
   }
 
   namespace ui {
diff --git a/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp b/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp
index b9f40469..10888b7c 100644
--- a/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp
+++ b/include/events/signal_fwd.hpp
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 
+template <uint8_t Priority, typename Signal, typename... Signals>
+class signal_receiver;
+
 namespace signals {
   namespace eventqueue {
     struct exit_terminate;
@@ -13,9 +16,9 @@ namespace signals {
     struct update;
   }
   namespace ipc {
-    struct process_command;
-    struct process_hook;
-    struct process_action;
+    struct command;
+    struct hook;
+    struct action;
   }
   namespace ui {
     struct tick;
diff --git a/include/modules/ipc.hpp b/include/modules/ipc.hpp
index ca463430..35454997 100644
--- a/include/modules/ipc.hpp
+++ b/include/modules/ipc.hpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace modules {
     void update() {}
     string get_output();
     bool build(builder* builder, const string& tag) const;
-    void on_message(const ipc_hook& message);
+    void on_message(const string& message);
 
    private:
     static constexpr auto TAG_OUTPUT = "<output>";
diff --git a/src/components/controller.cpp b/src/components/controller.cpp
index f89ff589..0c00419b 100644
--- a/src/components/controller.cpp
+++ b/src/components/controller.cpp
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@
 #include "components/types.hpp"
 #include "events/signal.hpp"
 #include "events/signal_emitter.hpp"
+#include "events/signal_receiver.hpp"
 #include "modules/meta/event_handler.hpp"
 #include "modules/meta/factory.hpp"
 #include "utils/command.hpp"
 #include "utils/factory.hpp"
 #include "utils/inotify.hpp"
-#include "utils/process.hpp"
 #include "utils/string.hpp"
 #include "utils/time.hpp"
 #include "x11/connection.hpp"
+#include "x11/events.hpp"
 #include "x11/extensions/all.hpp"
 #include "x11/tray_manager.hpp"
-#include "x11/xutils.hpp"
+#include "x11/types.hpp"
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 
@@ -543,9 +544,8 @@ bool controller::on(const sig_ui::button_press& evt) {
 /**
  * Process ipc action messages
  */
-bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::process_action& evt) {
-  string action{(*evt()).payload};
-  action.erase(0, strlen(ipc_action::prefix));
+bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::action& evt) {
+  string action{*evt()};
 
   if (action.empty()) {
     m_log.err("Cannot enqueue empty ipc action");
@@ -560,9 +560,8 @@ bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::process_action& evt) {
 /**
  * Process ipc command messages
  */
-bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::process_command& evt) {
-  string command{(*evt()).payload};
-  command.erase(0, strlen(ipc_command::prefix));
+bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::command& evt) {
+  string command{*evt()};
 
   if (command.empty()) {
     return false;
@@ -582,8 +581,8 @@ bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::process_command& evt) {
 /**
  * Process ipc hook messages
  */
-bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::process_hook& evt) {
-  const ipc_hook hook{*evt()};
+bool controller::on(const sig_ipc::hook& evt) {
+  string hook{*evt()};
 
   for (const auto& block : m_modules) {
     for (const auto& module : block.second) {
diff --git a/src/components/ipc.cpp b/src/components/ipc.cpp
index f2061c61..506bfb23 100644
--- a/src/components/ipc.cpp
+++ b/src/components/ipc.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 
-using namespace signals::ipc;
+namespace sig_ipc = signals::ipc;
 
 /**
  * Create instance
@@ -68,17 +68,11 @@ void ipc::receive_message() {
   string payload{string_util::trim(string{buffer}, '\n')};
 
   if (payload.find(ipc_command::prefix) == 0) {
-    ipc_command msg{};
-    memcpy(msg.payload, &payload[0], payload.size());
-    m_sig.emit(process_command{move(msg)});
+    m_sig.emit(sig_ipc::command{payload.substr(strlen(ipc_command::prefix))});
   } else if (payload.find(ipc_hook::prefix) == 0) {
-    ipc_hook msg{};
-    memcpy(msg.payload, &payload[0], payload.size());
-    m_sig.emit(process_hook{move(msg)});
+    m_sig.emit(sig_ipc::hook{payload.substr(strlen(ipc_hook::prefix))});
   } else if (payload.find(ipc_action::prefix) == 0) {
-    ipc_action msg{};
-    memcpy(msg.payload, &payload[0], payload.size());
-    m_sig.emit(process_action{move(msg)});
+    m_sig.emit(sig_ipc::action{payload.substr(strlen(ipc_action::prefix))});
   } else if (!payload.empty()) {
     m_log.warn("Received unknown ipc message: (payload=%s)", payload);
   }
diff --git a/src/modules/ipc.cpp b/src/modules/ipc.cpp
index c886e45e..bf555524 100644
--- a/src/modules/ipc.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/ipc.cpp
@@ -80,11 +80,11 @@ namespace modules {
    * configured from the user config and
    * execute its command
    */
-  void ipc_module::on_message(const ipc_hook& message) {
+  void ipc_module::on_message(const string& message) {
     bool match = false;
 
     for (auto&& hook : m_hooks) {
-      if (ipc_hook::prefix + hook->payload != message.payload) {
+      if (hook->payload != message) {
         continue;
       }