diff --git a/src/msg.jl b/src/msg.jl
index 701e7c7..9df333b 100644
--- a/src/msg.jl
+++ b/src/msg.jl
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ function trysetproperty!(s::Message, p::Symbol, v)
   hasfield(typeof(s), p) || return s
   ftype = fieldtype(typeof(s), p)
   ftype === Symbol && (v = Symbol(v))
-  ftype === Vector{UInt8} && v isa Vector{Int8} && (v = reinterpret(UInt8, v))
+  Vector{UInt8} <: ftype  && v isa Vector{Int8} && (v = reinterpret(UInt8, v))
   if v === nothing
     ftype === Float32 && (v = NaN32)
     ftype === Float64 && (v = NaN64)