diff --git a/src/moos/goby_moos_app.h b/src/moos/goby_moos_app.h
index 5d3a1b35..f842ffd0 100644
--- a/src/moos/goby_moos_app.h
+++ b/src/moos/goby_moos_app.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 
 #include "goby/moos/moos_header.h"
 #include "goby/util/as.h"
+#include "goby/moos/moos_translator.h"
 
 #include <boost/date_time/posix_time/posix_time.hpp>
 #include <map>
@@ -109,9 +110,11 @@ template <class MOOSAppType = MOOSAppShell>
       template<typename ProtobufMessage>
       void publish_pb(const std::string& key, const ProtobufMessage& msg)
       {
+          
           std::string serialized;
-          serialize_for_moos(&serialized, msg);
-          publish(key, serialized);
+          bool is_binary = serialize_for_moos(&serialized, msg);
+          CMOOSMsg moos_msg = goby::moos::MOOSTranslator::make_moos_msg(key, serialized, is_binary, goby::moos::moos_technique, msg.GetDescriptor()->full_name());
+          publish(moos_msg);
       }
       
   
diff --git a/src/moos/moos_protobuf_helpers.h b/src/moos/moos_protobuf_helpers.h
index 2ae7ffea..890d7bbd 100644
--- a/src/moos/moos_protobuf_helpers.h
+++ b/src/moos/moos_protobuf_helpers.h
@@ -1317,33 +1317,31 @@ namespace goby
 }
 
 
-inline void serialize_for_moos(std::string* out, const google::protobuf::Message& msg)
+inline bool serialize_for_moos(std::string* out, const google::protobuf::Message& msg)
 {
     switch(goby::moos::moos_technique)
     {
         case goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_ENCODED:
             goby::moos::MOOSTranslation<goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_ENCODED>::serialize(out, msg);
-            break;
+            return true;
         case goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_HEX:
             goby::moos::MOOSTranslation<goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_HEX>::serialize(out, msg);
-            break;
+            return false;
         case goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PROTOBUF_TEXT_FORMAT:
             goby::moos::MOOSTranslation<goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PROTOBUF_TEXT_FORMAT>::serialize(out, msg);
-            break;
-        
+            return false;
         case goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PREFIXED_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_ENCODED:
             goby::moos::MOOSTranslation<goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PREFIXED_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_ENCODED>::serialize(out, msg);
-            break;
+            return true;
         case goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PREFIXED_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_HEX:
             goby::moos::MOOSTranslation<goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PREFIXED_PROTOBUF_NATIVE_HEX>::serialize(out, msg);
-            break;
+            return false;
         case goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PREFIXED_PROTOBUF_TEXT_FORMAT:
             goby::moos::MOOSTranslation<goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::TECHNIQUE_PREFIXED_PROTOBUF_TEXT_FORMAT>::serialize(out, msg);
-            break;
+            return false;
         default:
             goby::glog.is(goby::common::logger::DIE) && goby::glog << "Non-PROTOBUF techniques are not supported for 'moos_parser_technique': " << goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::ParserSerializerTechnique_Name(goby::moos::moos_technique) << std::endl;
-            break;
-            
+            return false;
     }    
 }
 
diff --git a/src/moos/moos_translator.h b/src/moos/moos_translator.h
index 31713230..4d22c44c 100644
--- a/src/moos/moos_translator.h
+++ b/src/moos/moos_translator.h
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
 // You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
 // along with Goby.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
+#ifndef MOOS_TRANSLATOR_H
+#define MOOS_TRANSLATOR_H
+
 #include <set>
 #include <map>
 #include <string>
@@ -133,8 +136,7 @@ namespace goby
             
             const std::map<std::string, goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry>&  dictionary() const { return dictionary_; }
             
-          private:
-            CMOOSMsg make_moos_msg(const std::string& var, const std::string& str, bool is_binary, goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::ParserSerializerTechnique technique, const std::string& pb_name)
+            static CMOOSMsg make_moos_msg(const std::string& var, const std::string& str, bool is_binary, goby::moos::protobuf::TranslatorEntry::ParserSerializerTechnique technique, const std::string& pb_name)
             {
                 if(is_binary)
                 {
@@ -157,7 +159,8 @@ namespace goby
                     }
                 }
             }
-            
+        private:
+
             
             void initialize(double lat_origin = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN(),
                             double lon_origin = std::numeric_limits<double>::quiet_NaN(),
@@ -456,3 +459,4 @@ GoogleProtobufMessagePointer goby::moos::MOOSTranslator::moos_to_protobuf(const
 }
 
 
+#endif