diff --git a/packets/helpers.go b/packets/helpers.go
index dce1803..c8985e5 100644
--- a/packets/helpers.go
+++ b/packets/helpers.go
@@ -43,34 +43,44 @@ func StripCRC(buffer []byte) []byte {
 	return buffer[:len(buffer)-2]
 }
 
-// Compress compresses packet data using zlib (matches EQ compression)
+// Compress compresses packet data using zlib or simple encoding (matches C++ EQProtocolPacket::Compress)
+// Uses zlib for packets > 30 bytes, simple encoding for smaller packets
 func Compress(src []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	if len(src) == 0 {
 		return src, nil
 	}
 
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	// C++ uses 30 bytes as threshold between simple encoding and zlib
+	if len(src) > 30 {
+		// Use zlib compression for larger packets
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
 
-	// Write uncompressed length first (4 bytes) - EQ protocol requirement
-	if err := binary.Write(&buf, binary.BigEndian, uint32(len(src))); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		// Write uncompressed length first (4 bytes) - EQ protocol requirement
+		if err := binary.Write(&buf, binary.BigEndian, uint32(len(src))); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		// Compress the data
+		w := zlib.NewWriter(&buf)
+		if _, err := w.Write(src); err != nil {
+			w.Close()
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		return buf.Bytes(), nil
 	}
 
-	// Compress the data
-	w := zlib.NewWriter(&buf)
-	if _, err := w.Write(src); err != nil {
-		w.Close()
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	if err := w.Close(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	return buf.Bytes(), nil
+	// Use simple encoding for smaller packets (just return data as-is)
+	// The 0xa5 flag is added by the caller, not here
+	return src, nil
 }
 
 // Decompress decompresses packet data using zlib
+// This is called after the compression flag has already been checked and removed
 func Decompress(src []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	if len(src) < 4 {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("compressed data too small")
@@ -100,6 +110,110 @@ func Decompress(src []byte) ([]byte, error) {
 	return decompressed, nil
 }
 
+// CompressPacket adds compression with proper flag handling (matches C++ EQProtocolPacket::Compress)
+// Uses zlib (0x5a) for packets > 30 bytes, simple encoding (0xa5) for smaller packets
+func CompressPacket(buffer []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	if len(buffer) < 2 {
+		return buffer, nil
+	}
+
+	// Determine flag offset based on opcode size
+	flagOffset := 1
+	if buffer[0] == 0x00 {
+		flagOffset = 2 // Two-byte opcode
+	}
+
+	if len(buffer) <= flagOffset {
+		return buffer, nil // Too small to compress
+	}
+
+	// Get data to compress (after opcode)
+	dataToCompress := buffer[flagOffset:]
+	
+	// Choose compression method based on size (C++ uses 30 byte threshold)
+	if len(dataToCompress) > 30 {
+		// Use zlib compression
+		compressed, err := Compress(dataToCompress)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		// Only use if compression actually reduced size
+		if len(compressed) < len(dataToCompress) {
+			result := make([]byte, flagOffset+1+len(compressed))
+			copy(result[:flagOffset], buffer[:flagOffset]) // Copy opcode
+			result[flagOffset] = 0x5a                       // Zlib flag
+			copy(result[flagOffset+1:], compressed)         // Compressed data
+			return result, nil
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Use simple encoding - just add flag
+		result := make([]byte, len(buffer)+1)
+		copy(result[:flagOffset], buffer[:flagOffset]) // Copy opcode
+		result[flagOffset] = 0xa5                       // Simple encoding flag
+		copy(result[flagOffset+1:], dataToCompress)     // Original data
+		return result, nil
+	}
+
+	// No compression if it doesn't help
+	return buffer, nil
+}
+
+// DecompressPacket handles decompression with flag checking (matches C++ EQProtocolPacket::Decompress)
+// Supports both zlib compression (0x5a) and simple encoding (0xa5)
+func DecompressPacket(buffer []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+	if len(buffer) < 3 {
+		return buffer, nil // Too small to be compressed
+	}
+
+	// Determine flag offset based on opcode size
+	flagOffset := uint32(1)
+	if buffer[0] == 0x00 {
+		flagOffset = 2 // Two-byte opcode
+	}
+
+	if uint32(len(buffer)) <= flagOffset {
+		return buffer, nil // No room for compression flag
+	}
+
+	compressionFlag := buffer[flagOffset]
+
+	// Check compression type
+	if compressionFlag == 0x5a {
+		// Zlib compression
+		// Decompress data after flag, excluding last 2 CRC bytes
+		dataStart := flagOffset + 1
+		dataEnd := uint32(len(buffer)) - 2
+		if dataEnd <= dataStart {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid compressed packet size")
+		}
+
+		decompressed, err := Decompress(buffer[dataStart:dataEnd])
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("zlib decompression failed: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		// Rebuild packet: opcode + decompressed data + CRC
+		result := make([]byte, flagOffset+uint32(len(decompressed))+2)
+		copy(result[:flagOffset], buffer[:flagOffset]) // Copy opcode
+		copy(result[flagOffset:], decompressed)         // Copy decompressed data
+		// Copy CRC bytes
+		result[len(result)-2] = buffer[len(buffer)-2]
+		result[len(result)-1] = buffer[len(buffer)-1]
+
+		return result, nil
+	} else if compressionFlag == 0xa5 {
+		// Simple encoding - just remove the encoding flag
+		result := make([]byte, len(buffer)-1)
+		copy(result[:flagOffset], buffer[:flagOffset])                    // Copy opcode
+		copy(result[flagOffset:], buffer[flagOffset+1:])                   // Skip flag, copy rest
+		return result, nil
+	}
+
+	// No compression
+	return buffer, nil
+}
+
 // ChatEncode encodes chat data using EQ's XOR-based encoding
 func ChatEncode(buffer []byte, encodeKey int) {
 	if len(buffer) == 0 || encodeKey == 0 {
diff --git a/packets/protopacket.go b/packets/protopacket.go
index 2ff80d2..103b746 100644
--- a/packets/protopacket.go
+++ b/packets/protopacket.go
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func (p *ProtoPacket) IsCompressed() bool {
 	return p.eq2Compressed
 }
 
-// EQ2Compress compresses packet data (matches EQStream::EQ2_Compress)
+// EQ2Compress compresses packet data (matches EQStream::EQ2_Compress and C++ EQProtocolPacket::Compress)
 func (p *ProtoPacket) EQ2Compress(offset int8) int8 {
 	if offset <= 0 || int(offset) >= len(p.Buffer) {
 		return 0
@@ -197,28 +197,53 @@ func (p *ProtoPacket) EQ2Compress(offset int8) int8 {
 
 	// Compress data from offset onwards
 	dataToCompress := p.Buffer[offset:]
-	compressed, err := Compress(dataToCompress)
-	if err != nil || len(compressed) >= len(dataToCompress) {
-		return 0 // Compression failed or didn't reduce size
+	dataLen := len(dataToCompress)
+	
+	// C++ uses 30 bytes as threshold - match this exactly
+	if dataLen > 30 {
+		// Use zlib compression for larger packets
+		compressed, err := Compress(dataToCompress)
+		if err != nil || len(compressed) >= dataLen {
+			return 0 // Compression failed or didn't reduce size
+		}
+
+		// Rebuild buffer with zlib compression flag (0x5a)
+		newSize := int(offset) + len(compressed)
+		newBuffer := make([]byte, newSize)
+
+		// Copy header bytes before offset
+		copy(newBuffer[:offset], p.Buffer[:offset])
+
+		// Set zlib compression flag at offset-1
+		newBuffer[offset-1] = 0x5a
+
+		// Copy compressed data
+		copy(newBuffer[offset:], compressed)
+
+		p.Buffer = newBuffer
+		p.eq2Compressed = true
+
+		return offset - 1 // Return compression flag position
+	} else {
+		// Use simple encoding for smaller packets (0xa5)
+		// Simple encoding just adds a flag, doesn't change data
+		newSize := len(p.Buffer) + 1
+		newBuffer := make([]byte, newSize)
+
+		// Copy header bytes before offset
+		copy(newBuffer[:offset], p.Buffer[:offset])
+
+		// Set simple encoding flag at offset-1
+		newBuffer[offset-1] = 0xa5
+
+		// Copy data after flag (shift by 1 byte)
+		copy(newBuffer[offset:], p.Buffer[offset-1:])
+
+		p.Buffer = newBuffer
+		p.eq2Compressed = true
+
+		return offset - 1 // Return compression flag position
 	}
-
-	// Rebuild buffer with compression flag
-	newSize := int(offset) + len(compressed)
-	newBuffer := make([]byte, newSize)
-
-	// Copy header bytes before offset
-	copy(newBuffer[:offset], p.Buffer[:offset])
-
-	// Set compression flag at offset-1
-	newBuffer[offset-1] = 1 // Compression flag
-
-	// Copy compressed data
-	copy(newBuffer[offset:], compressed)
-
-	p.Buffer = newBuffer
-	p.eq2Compressed = true
-
-	return offset - 1 // Return compression flag position
 }
 
 // EncryptPacket encrypts packet data (matches EQStream::EncryptPacket)
@@ -431,11 +456,35 @@ func (p *ProtoPacket) AppCombine(rhs *ProtoPacket) bool {
 
 // MakeApplicationPacket converts to app packet (matches EQProtocolPacket::MakeApplicationPacket)
 func (p *ProtoPacket) MakeApplicationPacket(opcodeSize uint8) *AppPacket {
-	// Decompress if needed
-	if p.eq2Compressed {
-		if decompressed, err := Decompress(p.Buffer); err == nil {
-			p.Buffer = decompressed
-			p.eq2Compressed = false
+	// Decompress if needed - handle both zlib and simple encoding
+	if p.eq2Compressed && len(p.Buffer) > 2 {
+		// Check compression type at position 2 (after sequence bytes)
+		compressionFlag := byte(0)
+		if len(p.Buffer) > 2 {
+			compressionFlag = p.Buffer[2]
+		}
+		
+		if compressionFlag == 0x5a {
+			// Zlib compression - decompress data after flag
+			if len(p.Buffer) > 3 {
+				if decompressed, err := Decompress(p.Buffer[3:]); err == nil {
+					// Rebuild buffer without compression
+					newBuffer := make([]byte, 2+len(decompressed))
+					copy(newBuffer[:2], p.Buffer[:2]) // Copy sequence
+					copy(newBuffer[2:], decompressed)
+					p.Buffer = newBuffer
+					p.eq2Compressed = false
+				}
+			}
+		} else if compressionFlag == 0xa5 {
+			// Simple encoding - just remove the flag
+			if len(p.Buffer) > 3 {
+				newBuffer := make([]byte, len(p.Buffer)-1)
+				copy(newBuffer[:2], p.Buffer[:2])  // Copy sequence
+				copy(newBuffer[2:], p.Buffer[3:])  // Skip flag
+				p.Buffer = newBuffer
+				p.eq2Compressed = false
+			}
 		}
 	}