diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp
index 1eac869..6a56e15 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,19 @@
 {
 namespace pels
 {
+namespace message = openpower::pels::message;
+
+PEL::PEL(const message::Entry& entry, uint32_t obmcLogID, uint64_t timestamp,
+         phosphor::logging::Entry::Level severity)
+{
+    _ph = std::make_unique<PrivateHeader>(entry.componentID, obmcLogID,
+                                          timestamp);
+    _uh = std::make_unique<UserHeader>(entry, severity);
+
+    // Add future sections here and update the count
+
+    _ph->sectionCount() = 2;
+}
 
 PEL::PEL(const std::vector<uint8_t>& data) : PEL(data, 0)
 {
@@ -15,6 +28,7 @@
 
 PEL::PEL(const std::vector<uint8_t>& data, uint32_t obmcLogID) : _rawPEL(data)
 {
+    _fromStream = true;
     populateFromRawData(obmcLogID);
 }
 
@@ -56,26 +70,26 @@
 void PEL::flatten(std::vector<uint8_t>& pelBuffer)
 {
     Stream pelData{pelBuffer};
-    if (_ph->valid())
-    {
-        _ph->flatten(pelData);
-    }
-    else
+
+    _ph->flatten(pelData);
+
+    // If constructed from a PEL stream originally, don't flatten the
+    // rest of the objects until we support every PEL section type.
+    // Still need the PrivateHeader, as we updated fields in it.
+    if (_fromStream)
     {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (_uh->valid())
-    {
-        _uh->flatten(pelData);
-    }
+    _uh->flatten(pelData);
 }
 
 std::vector<uint8_t> PEL::data()
 {
     // Until we can recreate a complete PEL from objects, need to just flatten
     // on top of the original PEL data which we need to keep around for this
-    // reason.
+    // reason.  If creating a PEL from scratch, _rawPEL will get filled in with
+    // what we do have.
 
     flatten(_rawPEL);
     return _rawPEL;