diff --git a/zbus/src/blocking/connection/mod.rs b/zbus/src/blocking/connection/mod.rs
index 66a7524c4..f43f7e759 100644
--- a/zbus/src/blocking/connection/mod.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/blocking/connection/mod.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 use enumflags2::BitFlags;
 use event_listener::EventListener;
 use static_assertions::assert_impl_all;
-use std::{io, ops::Deref, sync::Arc};
+use std::{io, ops::Deref};
 use zbus_names::{BusName, ErrorName, InterfaceName, MemberName, OwnedUniqueName, WellKnownName};
 use zvariant::ObjectPath;
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ impl Connection {
         iface: Option<I>,
         method_name: M,
         body: &B,
-    ) -> Result<Arc<Message>>
+    ) -> Result<Message>
     where
         D: TryInto<BusName<'d>>,
         P: TryInto<ObjectPath<'p>>,
diff --git a/zbus/src/blocking/message_iterator.rs b/zbus/src/blocking/message_iterator.rs
index 928c0d43f..288dc66a4 100644
--- a/zbus/src/blocking/message_iterator.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/blocking/message_iterator.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use futures_util::StreamExt;
 use static_assertions::assert_impl_all;
-use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use crate::{
     blocking::Connection, message::Message, utils::block_on, MatchRule, OwnedMatchRule, Result,
@@ -112,7 +111,7 @@ impl MessageIterator {
 }
 
 impl Iterator for MessageIterator {
-    type Item = Result<Arc<Message>>;
+    type Item = Result<Message>;
 
     fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
         block_on(self.azync.as_mut().expect("Inner stream is `None`").next())
diff --git a/zbus/src/blocking/proxy/mod.rs b/zbus/src/blocking/proxy/mod.rs
index c6ada5f58..e1f7f43a8 100644
--- a/zbus/src/blocking/proxy/mod.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/blocking/proxy/mod.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 use enumflags2::BitFlags;
 use futures_util::StreamExt;
 use static_assertions::assert_impl_all;
-use std::{ops::Deref, sync::Arc};
+use std::ops::Deref;
 use zbus_names::{BusName, InterfaceName, MemberName, UniqueName};
 use zvariant::{ObjectPath, OwnedValue, Value};
 
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ impl<'a> Proxy<'a> {
     /// allocation/copying, by deserializing the reply to an unowned type).
     ///
     /// [`call`]: struct.Proxy.html#method.call
-    pub fn call_method<'m, M, B>(&self, method_name: M, body: &B) -> Result<Arc<Message>>
+    pub fn call_method<'m, M, B>(&self, method_name: M, body: &B) -> Result<Message>
     where
         M: TryInto<MemberName<'m>>,
         M::Error: Into<Error>,
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ impl<'a> SignalIterator<'a> {
 assert_impl_all!(SignalIterator<'_>: Send, Sync, Unpin);
 
 impl std::iter::Iterator for SignalIterator<'_> {
-    type Item = Arc<Message>;
+    type Item = Message;
 
     fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
         block_on(self.0.as_mut().expect("`SignalStream` is `None`").next())
diff --git a/zbus/src/connection/mod.rs b/zbus/src/connection/mod.rs
index 88d022240..892d1f72a 100644
--- a/zbus/src/connection/mod.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/connection/mod.rs
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ pub(crate) struct ConnectionInner {
     #[allow(unused)]
     socket_reader_task: OnceCell<Task<()>>,
 
-    pub(crate) msg_receiver: InactiveReceiver<Result<Arc<Message>>>,
-    pub(crate) method_return_receiver: InactiveReceiver<Result<Arc<Message>>>,
+    pub(crate) msg_receiver: InactiveReceiver<Result<Message>>,
+    pub(crate) method_return_receiver: InactiveReceiver<Result<Message>>,
     msg_senders: Arc<Mutex<HashMap<Option<OwnedMatchRule>, MsgBroadcaster>>>,
 
     subscriptions: Mutex<Subscriptions>,
@@ -76,9 +76,9 @@ pub(crate) struct ConnectionInner {
     object_server_dispatch_task: OnceCell<Task<()>>,
 }
 
-type Subscriptions = HashMap<OwnedMatchRule, (u64, InactiveReceiver<Result<Arc<Message>>>)>;
+type Subscriptions = HashMap<OwnedMatchRule, (u64, InactiveReceiver<Result<Message>>)>;
 
-pub(crate) type MsgBroadcaster = Broadcaster<Result<Arc<Message>>>;
+pub(crate) type MsgBroadcaster = Broadcaster<Result<Message>>;
 
 /// A D-Bus connection.
 ///
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ pub(crate) struct PendingMethodCall {
 }
 
 impl Future for PendingMethodCall {
-    type Output = Result<Arc<Message>>;
+    type Output = Result<Message>;
 
     fn poll(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Self::Output> {
         self.poll_before(cx, None).map(|ret| {
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ impl Future for PendingMethodCall {
 }
 
 impl OrderedFuture for PendingMethodCall {
-    type Output = Result<Arc<Message>>;
+    type Output = Result<Message>;
     type Ordering = zbus::message::Sequence;
 
     fn poll_before(
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ impl Connection {
         interface: Option<I>,
         method_name: M,
         body: &B,
-    ) -> Result<Arc<Message>>
+    ) -> Result<Message>
     where
         D: TryInto<BusName<'d>>,
         P: TryInto<ObjectPath<'p>>,
@@ -1028,7 +1028,7 @@ impl Connection {
         &self,
         rule: OwnedMatchRule,
         max_queued: Option<usize>,
-    ) -> Result<Receiver<Result<Arc<Message>>>> {
+    ) -> Result<Receiver<Result<Message>>> {
         use std::collections::hash_map::Entry;
 
         if self.inner.msg_senders.lock().await.is_empty() {
diff --git a/zbus/src/connection/socket_reader.rs b/zbus/src/connection/socket_reader.rs
index 92fc6dab0..9b1713e7d 100644
--- a/zbus/src/connection/socket_reader.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/connection/socket_reader.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ impl SocketReader {
     }
 
     #[instrument]
-    async fn read_socket(&mut self) -> crate::Result<Arc<Message>> {
+    async fn read_socket(&mut self) -> crate::Result<Message> {
         self.activity_event.notify(usize::MAX);
         let mut bytes = self
             .already_received_bytes
@@ -185,6 +185,5 @@ impl SocketReader {
             fds,
             seq,
         )
-        .map(Arc::new)
     }
 }
diff --git a/zbus/src/error.rs b/zbus/src/error.rs
index 3ab0b3ea1..620fce1d8 100644
--- a/zbus/src/error.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/error.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     /// A D-Bus method error reply.
     // According to the spec, there can be all kinds of details in D-Bus errors but nobody adds
     // anything more than a string description.
-    MethodError(OwnedErrorName, Option<String>, Arc<Message>),
+    MethodError(OwnedErrorName, Option<String>, Message),
     /// A required field is missing in the message headers.
     MissingField,
     /// Invalid D-Bus GUID.
@@ -226,12 +226,6 @@ impl From<Infallible> for Error {
 // For messages that are D-Bus error returns
 impl From<Message> for Error {
     fn from(message: Message) -> Error {
-        Self::from(Arc::new(message))
-    }
-}
-
-impl From<Arc<Message>> for Error {
-    fn from(message: Arc<Message>) -> Error {
         // FIXME: Instead of checking this, we should have Method as trait and specific types for
         // each message type.
         let header = message.header();
diff --git a/zbus/src/message_stream.rs b/zbus/src/message_stream.rs
index 7c112f5d2..aac999850 100644
--- a/zbus/src/message_stream.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/message_stream.rs
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ impl MessageStream {
     }
 
     pub(crate) fn for_subscription_channel(
-        msg_receiver: ActiveReceiver<Result<Arc<Message>>>,
+        msg_receiver: ActiveReceiver<Result<Message>>,
         rule: Option<OwnedMatchRule>,
         conn: &Connection,
     ) -> Self {
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ impl MessageStream {
 }
 
 impl stream::Stream for MessageStream {
-    type Item = Result<Arc<Message>>;
+    type Item = Result<Message>;
 
     fn poll_next(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Option<Self::Item>> {
         let this = self.get_mut();
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ impl stream::Stream for MessageStream {
 }
 
 impl OrderedStream for MessageStream {
-    type Data = Result<Arc<Message>>;
+    type Data = Result<Message>;
     type Ordering = Sequence;
 
     fn poll_next_before(
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ impl From<&MessageStream> for Connection {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 struct Inner {
     conn_inner: Arc<ConnectionInner>,
-    msg_receiver: ActiveReceiver<Result<Arc<Message>>>,
+    msg_receiver: ActiveReceiver<Result<Message>>,
     match_rule: Option<OwnedMatchRule>,
 }
 
diff --git a/zbus/src/proxy/mod.rs b/zbus/src/proxy/mod.rs
index 70c8cea90..a929a7898 100644
--- a/zbus/src/proxy/mod.rs
+++ b/zbus/src/proxy/mod.rs
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ impl<'a> Proxy<'a> {
     /// allocation/copying, by deserializing the reply to an unowned type).
     ///
     /// [`call`]: struct.Proxy.html#method.call
-    pub async fn call_method<'m, M, B>(&self, method_name: M, body: &B) -> Result<Arc<Message>>
+    pub async fn call_method<'m, M, B>(&self, method_name: M, body: &B) -> Result<Message>
     where
         M: TryInto<MemberName<'m>>,
         M::Error: Into<Error>,
@@ -1231,7 +1231,7 @@ impl<'a> SignalStream<'a> {
         })
     }
 
-    fn filter(&mut self, msg: &Arc<Message>) -> Result<bool> {
+    fn filter(&mut self, msg: &Message) -> Result<bool> {
         let header = msg.header();
         let sender = header.sender();
         if sender == self.src_unique_name.as_ref() {
@@ -1251,7 +1251,7 @@ impl<'a> SignalStream<'a> {
 assert_impl_all!(SignalStream<'_>: Send, Sync, Unpin);
 
 impl<'a> stream::Stream for SignalStream<'a> {
-    type Item = Arc<Message>;
+    type Item = Message;
 
     fn poll_next(self: Pin<&mut Self>, cx: &mut Context<'_>) -> Poll<Option<Self::Item>> {
         OrderedStream::poll_next_before(self, cx, None).map(|res| res.into_data())
@@ -1259,7 +1259,7 @@ impl<'a> stream::Stream for SignalStream<'a> {
 }
 
 impl<'a> OrderedStream for SignalStream<'a> {
-    type Data = Arc<Message>;
+    type Data = Message;
     type Ordering = Sequence;
 
     fn poll_next_before(
diff --git a/zbus_macros/src/proxy.rs b/zbus_macros/src/proxy.rs
index 35acdb90b..0ec851631 100644
--- a/zbus_macros/src/proxy.rs
+++ b/zbus_macros/src/proxy.rs
@@ -933,7 +933,7 @@ fn gen_proxy_signal(
         quote! {
             #[doc = #args_struct_gen_doc]
             #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
-            pub struct #signal_name_ident(::std::sync::Arc<#zbus::message::Message>);
+            pub struct #signal_name_ident(#zbus::message::Message);
 
             impl ::std::ops::Deref for #signal_name_ident {
                 type Target = #zbus::message::Message;
@@ -943,12 +943,6 @@ fn gen_proxy_signal(
                 }
             }
 
-            impl ::std::convert::AsRef<::std::sync::Arc<#zbus::message::Message>> for #signal_name_ident {
-                fn as_ref(&self) -> &::std::sync::Arc<#zbus::message::Message> {
-                    &self.0
-                }
-            }
-
             impl ::std::convert::AsRef<#zbus::message::Message> for #signal_name_ident {
                 fn as_ref(&self) -> &#zbus::message::Message {
                     &self.0
@@ -961,7 +955,7 @@ fn gen_proxy_signal(
                 #[doc = " from a [::zbus::message::Message]."]
                 pub fn from_message<M>(msg: M) -> ::std::option::Option<Self>
                 where
-                    M: ::std::convert::Into<::std::sync::Arc<#zbus::message::Message>>,
+                    M: ::std::convert::Into<#zbus::message::Message>,
                 {
                     let msg = msg.into();
                     let hdr = msg.header();
diff --git a/zbus_macros/tests/tests.rs b/zbus_macros/tests/tests.rs
index f6595ded4..502030e11 100644
--- a/zbus_macros/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/zbus_macros/tests/tests.rs
@@ -257,7 +257,6 @@ fn test_interface() {
 
 mod signal_from_message {
     use super::*;
-    use std::sync::Arc;
     use zbus::message::Message;
 
     #[dbus_proxy(
@@ -275,16 +274,14 @@ mod signal_from_message {
 
     #[test]
     fn signal_u8() {
-        let message = Arc::new(
-            Message::signal(
-                "/org/freedesktop/zbus_macros/test",
-                "org.freedesktop.zbus_macros.Test",
-                "SignalU8",
-            )
-            .expect("Failed to create signal message builder")
-            .build(&(1u8,))
-            .expect("Failed to build signal message"),
-        );
+        let message = Message::signal(
+            "/org/freedesktop/zbus_macros/test",
+            "org.freedesktop.zbus_macros.Test",
+            "SignalU8",
+        )
+        .expect("Failed to create signal message builder")
+        .build(&(1u8,))
+        .expect("Failed to build signal message");
 
         assert!(
             SignalU8::from_message(message.clone()).is_some(),
@@ -298,16 +295,14 @@ mod signal_from_message {
 
     #[test]
     fn signal_string() {
-        let message = Arc::new(
-            Message::signal(
-                "/org/freedesktop/zbus_macros/test",
-                "org.freedesktop.zbus_macros.Test",
-                "SignalString",
-            )
-            .expect("Failed to create signal message builder")
-            .build(&(String::from("test"),))
-            .expect("Failed to build signal message"),
-        );
+        let message = Message::signal(
+            "/org/freedesktop/zbus_macros/test",
+            "org.freedesktop.zbus_macros.Test",
+            "SignalString",
+        )
+        .expect("Failed to create signal message builder")
+        .build(&(String::from("test"),))
+        .expect("Failed to build signal message");
 
         assert!(
             SignalString::from_message(message.clone()).is_some(),
@@ -321,16 +316,14 @@ mod signal_from_message {
 
     #[test]
     fn wrong_data() {
-        let message = Arc::new(
-            Message::signal(
-                "/org/freedesktop/zbus_macros/test",
-                "org.freedesktop.zbus_macros.Test",
-                "SignalU8",
-            )
-            .expect("Failed to create signal message builder")
-            .build(&(String::from("test"),))
-            .expect("Failed to build signal message"),
-        );
+        let message = Message::signal(
+            "/org/freedesktop/zbus_macros/test",
+            "org.freedesktop.zbus_macros.Test",
+            "SignalU8",
+        )
+        .expect("Failed to create signal message builder")
+        .build(&(String::from("test"),))
+        .expect("Failed to build signal message");
 
         let signal = SignalU8::from_message(message).expect("Message is a SignalU8");
         signal