diff --git a/src/extension/__tests__/rpc.test.ts b/src/extension/__tests__/rpc.test.ts
index 36d468577..2aa8b89c0 100644
--- a/src/extension/__tests__/rpc.test.ts
+++ b/src/extension/__tests__/rpc.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,6 @@
 import { MessageAdapter } from "../messageAdapters";
 import { ApolloClientDevtoolsRPCMessage, MessageType } from "../messages";
-import {
-  RPCMessage,
-  createRPCBridge,
-  createRpcClient,
-  createRpcHandler,
-} from "../rpc";
+import { createRPCBridge, createRpcClient, createRpcHandler } from "../rpc";
 
 interface TestAdapter
   extends MessageAdapter<
@@ -67,7 +62,9 @@ function createBridge(adapter1: TestAdapter, adapter2: TestAdapter) {
 }
 
 test("can send and receive rpc messages", async () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
   // Since these are sent over separate instances in the real world, we want to
   // simulate that as best as we can with separate adapters
   const handlerAdapter = createTestAdapter();
@@ -85,7 +82,9 @@ test("can send and receive rpc messages", async () => {
 });
 
 test("resolves async handlers", async () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
   // Since these are sent over separate instances in the real world, we want to
   // simulate that as best as we can with separate adapters
   const handlerAdapter = createTestAdapter();
@@ -109,7 +108,9 @@ test("resolves async handlers", async () => {
 });
 
 test("does not mistakenly handle messages from different rpc calls", async () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
   const clientAdapter = createTestAdapter();
   const client = createRpcClient<Message>(clientAdapter);
 
@@ -132,7 +133,9 @@ test("does not mistakenly handle messages from different rpc calls", async () =>
 });
 
 test("rejects when handler throws error", async () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
   // Since these are sent over separate instances in the real world, we want to
   // simulate that as best as we can with separate adapters
   const handlerAdapter = createTestAdapter();
@@ -152,7 +155,9 @@ test("rejects when handler throws error", async () => {
 });
 
 test("rejects when async handler rejects", async () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
   // Since these are sent over separate instances in the real world, we want to
   // simulate that as best as we can with separate adapters
   const handlerAdapter = createTestAdapter();
@@ -170,9 +175,12 @@ test("rejects when async handler rejects", async () => {
 });
 
 test("can handle multiple rpc messages", async () => {
-  type Message =
-    | RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>
-    | RPCMessage<"shout", { text: string }, string>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+    // while we're at it, let's have this one return a Promise in the definition
+    // it should not matter for the implementation
+    shout({ text }: { text: string }): Promise<string>;
+  };
 
   const handlerAdapter = createTestAdapter();
   const clientAdapter = createTestAdapter();
@@ -192,7 +200,9 @@ test("can handle multiple rpc messages", async () => {
 });
 
 test("only allows one handler per type", async () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(createTestAdapter());
 
@@ -204,7 +214,9 @@ test("only allows one handler per type", async () => {
 });
 
 test("ignores messages that don't originate from devtools", () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -221,7 +233,9 @@ test("ignores messages that don't originate from devtools", () => {
 // actor message type collides with an rpc message type, we want to ignore the
 // actor message type.
 test("ignores messages that aren't rpc messages", () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -239,7 +253,9 @@ test("ignores messages that aren't rpc messages", () => {
 });
 
 test("does not add listener to adapter until first subscribed handler", () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -252,10 +268,11 @@ test("does not add listener to adapter until first subscribed handler", () => {
 });
 
 test("adds a single listener regardless of active handlers", () => {
-  type Message =
-    | RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>
-    | RPCMessage<"subtract", { x: number; y: number }, number>
-    | RPCMessage<"shout", { text: string }, string>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+    subtract({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+    shout({ text }: { text: string }): string;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -270,7 +287,9 @@ test("adds a single listener regardless of active handlers", () => {
 });
 
 test("can unsubscribe from a handler by calling the returned function", () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -297,9 +316,10 @@ test("can unsubscribe from a handler by calling the returned function", () => {
 });
 
 test("removes listener on adapter when unsubscribing from last handler", () => {
-  type Message =
-    | RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>
-    | RPCMessage<"shout", { text: string }, string>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+    shout({ text }: { text: string }): string;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -315,7 +335,9 @@ test("removes listener on adapter when unsubscribing from last handler", () => {
 });
 
 test("re-adds listener on adapter when subscribing after unsubscribing", () => {
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const handle = createRpcHandler<Message>(adapter);
@@ -332,7 +354,9 @@ test("re-adds listener on adapter when subscribing after unsubscribing", () => {
 
 test("times out if no message received within default timeout", async () => {
   jest.useFakeTimers();
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const client = createRpcClient<Message>(adapter);
@@ -350,7 +374,9 @@ test("times out if no message received within default timeout", async () => {
 
 test("times out if no message received within configured timeout", async () => {
   jest.useFakeTimers();
-  type Message = RPCMessage<"add", { x: number; y: number }, number>;
+  type Message = {
+    add({ x, y }: { x: number; y: number }): number;
+  };
 
   const adapter = createTestAdapter();
   const client = createRpcClient<Message>(adapter);
diff --git a/src/extension/devtools/devtools.ts b/src/extension/devtools/devtools.ts
index 6de0aed01..4a1563bc0 100755
--- a/src/extension/devtools/devtools.ts
+++ b/src/extension/devtools/devtools.ts
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ function startRequestInterval(ms = 500) {
   let id: NodeJS.Timeout;
 
   async function getClientData() {
-    const payload = await rpcClient.request("getClientOperations", {});
+    const payload = await rpcClient.request("getClientOperations", undefined);
 
     if (panelWindow) {
       panelWindow.send({ type: "update", payload });
diff --git a/src/extension/messages.ts b/src/extension/messages.ts
index b9ead50b2..9ea6be5dc 100644
--- a/src/extension/messages.ts
+++ b/src/extension/messages.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { ExplorerResponse } from "../types";
 import { GetStates, GetContext } from "../application/stateMachine";
 import { DevtoolsMachine } from "../application/machines";
-import { RPCMessage } from "./rpc";
 
 export interface MessageFormat {
   type: string;
@@ -76,11 +75,9 @@ export type PanelMessage =
   | { type: "devtoolsStateChanged"; state: GetStates<DevtoolsMachine> }
   | { type: "update"; payload: GetContext<DevtoolsMachine>["clientContext"] };
 
-export type DevtoolsRPCMessage = RPCMessage<
-  "getClientOperations",
-  Record<string, never>,
-  GetContext<DevtoolsMachine>["clientContext"]
->;
+export type DevtoolsRPCMessage = {
+  getClientOperations(): GetContext<DevtoolsMachine>["clientContext"];
+};
 
 export function isApolloClientDevtoolsMessage<
   Message extends Record<string, unknown>,
diff --git a/src/extension/rpc.ts b/src/extension/rpc.ts
index f7ded5140..cd62e7b13 100644
--- a/src/extension/rpc.ts
+++ b/src/extension/rpc.ts
@@ -17,32 +17,20 @@ type RPCResponseMessageFormat =
   | { sourceId: number; result: unknown }
   | { sourceId: number; error: unknown };
 
-export type RPCMessage<
-  Name extends string,
-  Params extends RPCParams,
-  ReturnType,
-> = {
-  __name: Name;
-  __params: Params;
-  __returnType: ReturnType;
-};
+type MessageCollection = Record<string, (...parameters: [SafeAny]) => SafeAny>;
 
-export interface RpcClient<
-  Messages extends RPCMessage<string, RPCParams, SafeAny>,
-> {
-  request: <TName extends Messages["__name"]>(
+export interface RpcClient<Messages extends MessageCollection> {
+  request: <TName extends keyof Messages & string>(
     name: TName,
-    params: Extract<Messages, { __name: TName }>["__params"],
+    params: Parameters<Messages[TName]>[0],
     options?: { timeoutMs?: number }
-  ) => Promise<Extract<Messages, { __name: TName }>["__returnType"]>;
+  ) => Promise<Awaited<ReturnType<Messages[TName]>>>;
 }
 
 let nextMessageId = 0;
 const DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 30_000;
 
-export function createRpcClient<
-  Messages extends RPCMessage<string, RPCParams, SafeAny>,
->(
+export function createRpcClient<Messages extends MessageCollection>(
   adapter: MessageAdapter<
     ApolloClientDevtoolsRPCMessage<RPCRequestMessageFormat>
   >
@@ -50,13 +38,13 @@ export function createRpcClient<
   return {
     request: (name, params, options) => {
       return Promise.race([
-        new Promise((_, reject) => {
+        new Promise<never>((_, reject) => {
           setTimeout(
             () => reject(new Error("Timeout waiting for message")),
             options?.timeoutMs ?? DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
           );
         }),
-        new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        new Promise<SafeAny>((resolve, reject) => {
           const id = ++nextMessageId;
 
           const removeListener = adapter.addListener((message) => {
@@ -87,9 +75,7 @@ export function createRpcClient<
   };
 }
 
-export function createRpcHandler<
-  Messages extends RPCMessage<string, RPCParams, SafeAny>,
->(
+export function createRpcHandler<Messages extends MessageCollection>(
   adapter: MessageAdapter<
     ApolloClientDevtoolsRPCMessage<RPCResponseMessageFormat>
   >
@@ -119,14 +105,13 @@ export function createRpcHandler<
     }
   }
 
-  return function <
-    TName extends Messages["__name"],
-    TReturnType = Extract<Messages, { __name: TName }>["__returnType"],
-  >(
+  return function <TName extends keyof Messages & string>(
     name: TName,
     execute: (
-      params: Extract<Messages, { __name: TName }>["__params"]
-    ) => NoInfer<TReturnType> | Promise<NoInfer<TReturnType>>
+      params: Parameters<Messages[TName]>[0]
+    ) =>
+      | NoInfer<Awaited<ReturnType<Messages[TName]>>>
+      | Promise<NoInfer<Awaited<ReturnType<Messages[TName]>>>>
   ) {
     if (listeners.has(name)) {
       throw new Error("Only one rpc handler can be registered per type");