diff --git a/src/lib/nbt.cpp b/src/lib/nbt.cpp
index 1d53efa..b6ec029 100644
--- a/src/lib/nbt.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/nbt.cpp
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ namespace NBT {
         //
         // Does not work for compound tags and lists. This is an intended
         // feature as compound tags and lists need to be dealt with
-        // separately to avoid unnecessarily complex code.
+        // separately to avoid unnecessarily long and complex code.
         //
         // Regardinng lists specifically: The size of some lists can can
         // be determined easily by looking at the contained data type and
@@ -397,81 +397,53 @@ namespace NBT {
             if (nextTag == TagType::COMPOUND || nextTag == TagType::LIST) return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(false, ErrorCodes::NOT_YET_KNOWN);
             // deal with end tag before trying to access the name
             if (nextTag == TagType::END) return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(1);
-            // get name size
+
             ErrorOr<int16_t> nameSize = helper::readInt16(data, dataSize, currentPosition+1);
             if (nameSize.isError) {
                 return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, nameSize.errorCode);
             }
+            // add type byte and name size bytes
+            uint64_t prefixSize = (uint64_t) nameSize.value + 3;
             switch (nextTag) {
                 case TagType::INT8:
-                    // type byte + name size + data byte -> 4 bytes
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) nameSize.value+4);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(prefixSize+1);
                 case TagType::INT16:
-                    // type byte + name size + 2 data bytes -> 5 bytes
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) nameSize.value+5);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(prefixSize+2);
                 case TagType::INT32:
-                    // type byte + name size + 4 data bytes -> 7 bytes
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) nameSize.value+7);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(prefixSize+4);
                 case TagType::INT64:
-                    // type byte + name size + 8 data bytes -> 11 bytes
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) nameSize.value+11);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(prefixSize+8);
                 case TagType::FLOAT:
-                    // type byte + name size + 4 data bytes -> 7 bytes
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) nameSize.value+7);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(prefixSize+4);
                 case TagType::DOUBLE:
-                    // type byte + name size + 8 data bytes -> 11 bytes
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) nameSize.value+11);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(prefixSize+8);
                 case TagType::INT8_ARRAY: {
-                    // type byte + name size + 4 size bytes -> 7 bytes
-                    uint64_t totalSize = (uint64_t) nameSize.value+7;
-
-                    // add size of actual data (1 byte per entry)
-                    ErrorOr<int32_t> arraySize = helper::readInt32(data, dataSize, currentPosition+totalSize);
-                    if (arraySize.isError) {
-                        return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, arraySize.errorCode);
+                    ErrorOr<int32_t> arrayLength = helper::readInt32(data, dataSize, currentPosition+prefixSize);
+                    if (arrayLength.isError) {
+                        return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, arrayLength.errorCode);
                     }
-                    totalSize += (uint64_t) arraySize.value;
-
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(totalSize);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) arrayLength.value + prefixSize + 4);
                 }
                 case TagType::STRING: {
-                    // type byte + name size + 2 size bytes -> 5 bytes
-                    uint64_t totalSize = (uint64_t) nameSize.value+5;
-
-                    // add size of actual data
-                    ErrorOr<int16_t> stringSize = helper::readInt16(data, dataSize, currentPosition+totalSize);
+                    ErrorOr<int16_t> stringSize = helper::readInt16(data, dataSize, currentPosition+prefixSize);
                     if (stringSize.isError) {
                         return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, stringSize.errorCode);
                     }
-                    totalSize += (uint64_t) stringSize.value;
-
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(totalSize);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) stringSize.value + prefixSize + 2);
                 }
                 case TagType::INT32_ARRAY: {
-                    // type byte + name size + 4 size bytes -> 7 bytes
-                    uint64_t totalSize = (uint64_t) nameSize.value+7;
-
-                    // add size of actual data (4 bytes per entry)
-                    ErrorOr<int16_t> arraySize = helper::readInt16(data, dataSize, currentPosition+totalSize);
-                    if (arraySize.isError) {
-                        return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, arraySize.errorCode);
+                    ErrorOr<int32_t> arrayLength = helper::readInt32(data, dataSize, currentPosition+prefixSize);
+                    if (arrayLength.isError) {
+                        return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, arrayLength.errorCode);
                     }
-                    totalSize += (uint64_t) arraySize.value*4;
-
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(totalSize);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) arrayLength.value*4 + prefixSize + 4);
                 }
                 case TagType::INT64_ARRAY: {
-                    // type byte + name size + 4 size bytes -> 7 bytes
-                    uint64_t totalSize = (uint64_t) nameSize.value+7;
-
-                    // add size of actual data (8 bytes per entry)
-                    ErrorOr<int16_t> arraySize = helper::readInt16(data, dataSize, currentPosition+totalSize);
-                    if (arraySize.isError) {
-                        return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, arraySize.errorCode);
+                    ErrorOr<int32_t> arrayLength = helper::readInt32(data, dataSize, currentPosition+prefixSize);
+                    if (arrayLength.isError) {
+                        return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(true, arrayLength.errorCode);
                     }
-                    totalSize += (uint64_t) arraySize.value*8;
-
-                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>(totalSize);
+                    return ErrorOr<uint64_t>((uint64_t) arrayLength.value*8 + prefixSize + 4);
                 }
                 // unknown tag or parsing error
                 default: