diff --git a/_generated/pointer.go b/_generated/pointer.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9860004d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/_generated/pointer.go
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+package _generated
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/tinylib/msgp/msgp"
+)
+
+//go:generate msgp $GOFILE$
+
+// Generate only pointer receivers:
+
+//msgp:pointer
+
+var mustNoInterf = []interface{}{
+	Pointer0{},
+	NamedBoolPointer(true),
+	NamedIntPointer(0),
+	NamedFloat64Pointer(0),
+	NamedStringPointer(""),
+	NamedMapStructPointer(nil),
+	NamedMapStructPointer2(nil),
+	NamedMapStringPointer(nil),
+	NamedMapStringPointer2(nil),
+	EmbeddableStructPointer{},
+	EmbeddableStruct2Pointer{},
+	PointerHalfFull{},
+	PointerNoName{},
+}
+
+var mustHaveInterf = []interface{}{
+	&Pointer0{},
+	mustPtr(NamedBoolPointer(true)),
+	mustPtr(NamedIntPointer(0)),
+	mustPtr(NamedFloat64Pointer(0)),
+	mustPtr(NamedStringPointer("")),
+	mustPtr(NamedMapStructPointer(nil)),
+	mustPtr(NamedMapStructPointer2(nil)),
+	mustPtr(NamedMapStringPointer(nil)),
+	mustPtr(NamedMapStringPointer2(nil)),
+	&EmbeddableStructPointer{},
+	&EmbeddableStruct2Pointer{},
+	&PointerHalfFull{},
+	&PointerNoName{},
+}
+
+func mustPtr[T any](v T) *T {
+	return &v
+}
+
+func init() {
+	for _, v := range mustNoInterf {
+		if _, ok := v.(msgp.Marshaler); ok {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("type %T supports interface", v))
+		}
+		if _, ok := v.(msgp.Encodable); ok {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("type %T supports interface", v))
+		}
+	}
+	for _, v := range mustHaveInterf {
+		if _, ok := v.(msgp.Marshaler); !ok {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("type %T does not support interface", v))
+		}
+		if _, ok := v.(msgp.Encodable); !ok {
+			panic(fmt.Sprintf("type %T does not support interface", v))
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+type Pointer0 struct {
+	ABool       bool       `msg:"abool"`
+	AInt        int        `msg:"aint"`
+	AInt8       int8       `msg:"aint8"`
+	AInt16      int16      `msg:"aint16"`
+	AInt32      int32      `msg:"aint32"`
+	AInt64      int64      `msg:"aint64"`
+	AUint       uint       `msg:"auint"`
+	AUint8      uint8      `msg:"auint8"`
+	AUint16     uint16     `msg:"auint16"`
+	AUint32     uint32     `msg:"auint32"`
+	AUint64     uint64     `msg:"auint64"`
+	AFloat32    float32    `msg:"afloat32"`
+	AFloat64    float64    `msg:"afloat64"`
+	AComplex64  complex64  `msg:"acomplex64"`
+	AComplex128 complex128 `msg:"acomplex128"`
+
+	ANamedBool    bool    `msg:"anamedbool"`
+	ANamedInt     int     `msg:"anamedint"`
+	ANamedFloat64 float64 `msg:"anamedfloat64"`
+
+	AMapStrStr map[string]string `msg:"amapstrstr"`
+
+	APtrNamedStr *NamedString `msg:"aptrnamedstr"`
+
+	AString      string `msg:"astring"`
+	ANamedString string `msg:"anamedstring"`
+	AByteSlice   []byte `msg:"abyteslice"`
+
+	ASliceString      []string      `msg:"aslicestring"`
+	ASliceNamedString []NamedString `msg:"aslicenamedstring"`
+
+	ANamedStruct    NamedStruct  `msg:"anamedstruct"`
+	APtrNamedStruct *NamedStruct `msg:"aptrnamedstruct"`
+
+	AUnnamedStruct struct {
+		A string `msg:"a"`
+	} `msg:"aunnamedstruct"` // omitempty not supported on unnamed struct
+
+	EmbeddableStruct `msg:",flatten"` // embed flat
+
+	EmbeddableStruct2 `msg:"embeddablestruct2"` // embed non-flat
+
+	AArrayInt [5]int `msg:"aarrayint"` // not supported
+
+	ATime time.Time `msg:"atime"`
+}
+
+type (
+	NamedBoolPointer       bool
+	NamedIntPointer        int
+	NamedFloat64Pointer    float64
+	NamedStringPointer     string
+	NamedMapStructPointer  map[string]Pointer0
+	NamedMapStructPointer2 map[string]*Pointer0
+	NamedMapStringPointer  map[string]NamedStringPointer
+	NamedMapStringPointer2 map[string]*NamedStringPointer
+)
+
+type EmbeddableStructPointer struct {
+	SomeEmbed string `msg:"someembed"`
+}
+
+type EmbeddableStruct2Pointer struct {
+	SomeEmbed2 string `msg:"someembed2"`
+}
+
+type NamedStructPointer struct {
+	A string `msg:"a"`
+	B string `msg:"b"`
+}
+
+type PointerHalfFull struct {
+	Field00 string `msg:"field00"`
+	Field01 string `msg:"field01"`
+	Field02 string `msg:"field02"`
+	Field03 string `msg:"field03"`
+}
+
+type PointerNoName struct {
+	ABool       bool       `msg:""`
+	AInt        int        `msg:""`
+	AInt8       int8       `msg:""`
+	AInt16      int16      `msg:""`
+	AInt32      int32      `msg:""`
+	AInt64      int64      `msg:""`
+	AUint       uint       `msg:""`
+	AUint8      uint8      `msg:""`
+	AUint16     uint16     `msg:""`
+	AUint32     uint32     `msg:""`
+	AUint64     uint64     `msg:""`
+	AFloat32    float32    `msg:""`
+	AFloat64    float64    `msg:""`
+	AComplex64  complex64  `msg:""`
+	AComplex128 complex128 `msg:""`
+
+	ANamedBool    bool    `msg:""`
+	ANamedInt     int     `msg:""`
+	ANamedFloat64 float64 `msg:""`
+
+	AMapStrF       map[string]NamedFloat64Pointer `msg:""`
+	AMapStrStruct  map[string]PointerHalfFull     `msg:""`
+	AMapStrStruct2 map[string]*PointerHalfFull    `msg:""`
+
+	APtrNamedStr *NamedStringPointer `msg:""`
+
+	AString    string `msg:""`
+	AByteSlice []byte `msg:""`
+
+	ASliceString      []string             `msg:""`
+	ASliceNamedString []NamedStringPointer `msg:""`
+
+	ANamedStruct    NamedStructPointer  `msg:""`
+	APtrNamedStruct *NamedStructPointer `msg:""`
+
+	AUnnamedStruct struct {
+		A string `msg:""`
+	} `msg:""` // omitempty not supported on unnamed struct
+
+	EmbeddableStructPointer `msg:",flatten"` // embed flat
+
+	EmbeddableStruct2Pointer `msg:""` // embed non-flat
+
+	AArrayInt [5]int `msg:""` // not supported
+
+	ATime time.Time     `msg:""`
+	ADur  time.Duration `msg:""`
+}
diff --git a/gen/elem.go b/gen/elem.go
index c2c84b65..d397cbed 100644
--- a/gen/elem.go
+++ b/gen/elem.go
@@ -134,13 +134,22 @@ var builtins = map[string]struct{}{
 }
 
 // common data/methods for every Elem
-type common struct{ vname, alias string }
+type common struct {
+	vname, alias string
+	ptrRcv       bool
+}
 
 func (c *common) SetVarname(s string) { c.vname = s }
 func (c *common) Varname() string     { return c.vname }
 func (c *common) Alias(typ string)    { c.alias = typ }
 func (c *common) hidden()             {}
 func (c *common) AllowNil() bool      { return false }
+func (c *common) AlwaysPtr(set *bool) bool {
+	if c != nil && set != nil {
+		c.ptrRcv = *set
+	}
+	return c.ptrRcv
+}
 
 func IsPrintable(e Elem) bool {
 	if be, ok := e.(*BaseElem); ok && !be.Printable() {
@@ -191,6 +200,9 @@ type Elem interface {
 	// This is true for slices and maps.
 	AllowNil() bool
 
+	// AlwaysPtr will return true if receiver should always be a pointer.
+	AlwaysPtr(set *bool) bool
+
 	// IfZeroExpr returns the expression to compare to an empty value
 	// for this type, per the rules of the `omitempty` feature.
 	// It is meant to be used in an if statement
diff --git a/gen/encode.go b/gen/encode.go
index 900c847b..af83e456 100644
--- a/gen/encode.go
+++ b/gen/encode.go
@@ -62,9 +62,16 @@ func (e *encodeGen) Execute(p Elem) error {
 	e.ctx = &Context{}
 
 	e.p.comment("EncodeMsg implements msgp.Encodable")
-
-	e.p.printf("\nfunc (%s %s) EncodeMsg(en *msgp.Writer) (err error) {", p.Varname(), imutMethodReceiver(p))
+	rcv := imutMethodReceiver(p)
+	ogVar := p.Varname()
+	if p.AlwaysPtr(nil) {
+		rcv = methodReceiver(p)
+	}
+	e.p.printf("\nfunc (%s %s) EncodeMsg(en *msgp.Writer) (err error) {", ogVar, rcv)
 	next(e, p)
+	if p.AlwaysPtr(nil) {
+		p.SetVarname(ogVar)
+	}
 	e.p.nakedReturn()
 	return e.p.err
 }
diff --git a/gen/marshal.go b/gen/marshal.go
index 66f280eb..5b94ff39 100644
--- a/gen/marshal.go
+++ b/gen/marshal.go
@@ -47,10 +47,18 @@ func (m *marshalGen) Execute(p Elem) error {
 	// calling methodReceiver so
 	// that z.Msgsize() is printed correctly
 	c := p.Varname()
-
-	m.p.printf("\nfunc (%s %s) MarshalMsg(b []byte) (o []byte, err error) {", p.Varname(), imutMethodReceiver(p))
+	rcv := imutMethodReceiver(p)
+	ogVar := p.Varname()
+	if p.AlwaysPtr(nil) {
+		rcv = methodReceiver(p)
+	}
+	m.p.printf("\nfunc (%s %s) MarshalMsg(b []byte) (o []byte, err error) {", ogVar, rcv)
 	m.p.printf("\no = msgp.Require(b, %s.Msgsize())", c)
 	next(m, p)
+	if p.AlwaysPtr(nil) {
+		p.SetVarname(ogVar)
+	}
+
 	m.p.nakedReturn()
 	return m.p.err
 }
@@ -280,7 +288,6 @@ func (m *marshalGen) gBase(b *BaseElem) {
 	}
 	m.fuseHook()
 	vname := b.Varname()
-
 	if b.Convert {
 		if b.ShimMode == Cast {
 			vname = tobaseConvert(b)
diff --git a/gen/size.go b/gen/size.go
index e96e0319..3798532f 100644
--- a/gen/size.go
+++ b/gen/size.go
@@ -86,9 +86,17 @@ func (s *sizeGen) Execute(p Elem) error {
 
 	s.p.comment("Msgsize returns an upper bound estimate of the number of bytes occupied by the serialized message")
 
-	s.p.printf("\nfunc (%s %s) Msgsize() (s int) {", p.Varname(), imutMethodReceiver(p))
+	rcv := imutMethodReceiver(p)
+	ogVar := p.Varname()
+	if p.AlwaysPtr(nil) {
+		rcv = methodReceiver(p)
+	}
+	s.p.printf("\nfunc (%s %s) Msgsize() (s int) {", ogVar, rcv)
 	s.state = assign
 	next(s, p)
+	if p.AlwaysPtr(nil) {
+		p.SetVarname(ogVar)
+	}
 	s.p.nakedReturn()
 	return s.p.err
 }
diff --git a/parse/directives.go b/parse/directives.go
index ca565171..620589d6 100644
--- a/parse/directives.go
+++ b/parse/directives.go
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ var directives = map[string]directive{
 // to add an early directive, define a func([]string, *FileSet) error
 // and then add it to this list.
 var earlyDirectives = map[string]directive{
-	"tag": tag,
+	"tag":     tag,
+	"pointer": pointer,
 }
 
 var passDirectives = map[string]passDirective{
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ func replace(text []string, f *FileSet) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	e := f.parseExpr(expr)
+	e.AlwaysPtr(&f.pointerRcv)
 
 	if be, ok := e.(*gen.BaseElem); ok {
 		be.Convert = true
@@ -178,3 +180,9 @@ func tag(text []string, f *FileSet) error {
 	f.tagName = strings.TrimSpace(text[1])
 	return nil
 }
+
+//msgp:pointer
+func pointer(text []string, f *FileSet) error {
+	f.pointerRcv = true
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/parse/getast.go b/parse/getast.go
index f767601c..ef9782f0 100644
--- a/parse/getast.go
+++ b/parse/getast.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ type FileSet struct {
 	Directives []string            // raw preprocessor directives
 	Imports    []*ast.ImportSpec   // imports
 	tagName    string              // tag to read field names from
+	pointerRcv bool                // generate with pointer receivers.
 }
 
 // File parses a file at the relative path
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ parse:
 			popstate()
 			continue parse
 		}
+		el.AlwaysPtr(&f.pointerRcv)
 		// push unresolved identities into
 		// the graph of links and resolve after
 		// we've handled every possible named type.
diff --git a/printer/print.go b/printer/print.go
index e9f0334d..0f31e15c 100644
--- a/printer/print.go
+++ b/printer/print.go
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ func PrintFile(file string, f *parse.FileSet, mode gen.Method) error {
 	}
 	err = <-res
 	if err != nil {
+		os.WriteFile(file+".broken", out.Bytes(), os.ModePerm)
+		if Logf != nil {
+			Logf("Error: %s. Wrote broken output to %s\n", err, file+".broken")
+		}
+
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil