diff --git a/command/payload_cmds.cpp b/command/payload_cmds.cpp
index c5d64fb..c8e682e 100644
--- a/command/payload_cmds.cpp
+++ b/command/payload_cmds.cpp
@@ -20,19 +20,18 @@
 std::vector<uint8_t> activatePayload(const std::vector<uint8_t>& inPayload,
                                      const message::Handler& handler)
 {
-    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(ActivatePayloadResponse));
     auto request =
         reinterpret_cast<const ActivatePayloadRequest*>(inPayload.data());
+    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(*request))
+    {
+        std::vector<uint8_t> errorPayload{IPMI_CC_REQ_DATA_LEN_INVALID};
+        return errorPayload;
+    }
+
+    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(ActivatePayloadResponse));
     auto response =
         reinterpret_cast<ActivatePayloadResponse*>(outPayload.data());
 
-    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(ActivatePayloadRequest))
-    {
-        response->completionCode = ipmi::ccReqDataLenInvalid;
-        outPayload.resize(sizeof(response->completionCode));
-        return outPayload;
-    }
-
     response->completionCode = IPMI_CC_OK;
 
     // SOL is the payload currently supported for activation.
@@ -113,20 +112,19 @@
 std::vector<uint8_t> deactivatePayload(const std::vector<uint8_t>& inPayload,
                                        const message::Handler& handler)
 {
-    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(DeactivatePayloadResponse));
     auto request =
         reinterpret_cast<const DeactivatePayloadRequest*>(inPayload.data());
+    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(*request))
+    {
+        std::vector<uint8_t> errorPayload{IPMI_CC_REQ_DATA_LEN_INVALID};
+        return errorPayload;
+    }
+
+    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(DeactivatePayloadResponse));
     auto response =
         reinterpret_cast<DeactivatePayloadResponse*>(outPayload.data());
-
     response->completionCode = IPMI_CC_OK;
 
-    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(DeactivatePayloadRequest))
-    {
-        response->completionCode = IPMI_CC_REQ_DATA_LEN_INVALID;
-        return outPayload;
-    }
-
     // SOL is the payload currently supported for deactivation
     if (static_cast<uint8_t>(message::PayloadType::SOL) != request->payloadType)
     {
@@ -187,9 +185,15 @@
 std::vector<uint8_t> getPayloadStatus(const std::vector<uint8_t>& inPayload,
                                       const message::Handler& handler)
 {
-    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(GetPayloadStatusResponse));
     auto request =
         reinterpret_cast<const GetPayloadStatusRequest*>(inPayload.data());
+    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(*request))
+    {
+        std::vector<uint8_t> errorPayload{IPMI_CC_REQ_DATA_LEN_INVALID};
+        return errorPayload;
+    }
+
+    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(GetPayloadStatusResponse));
     auto response =
         reinterpret_cast<GetPayloadStatusResponse*>(outPayload.data());
 
@@ -215,17 +219,19 @@
 std::vector<uint8_t> getPayloadInfo(const std::vector<uint8_t>& inPayload,
                                     const message::Handler& handler)
 {
-    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(GetPayloadInfoResponse));
     auto request =
         reinterpret_cast<const GetPayloadInfoRequest*>(inPayload.data());
+
+    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(*request))
+    {
+        std::vector<uint8_t> errorPayload{IPMI_CC_REQ_DATA_LEN_INVALID};
+        return errorPayload;
+    }
+
+    std::vector<uint8_t> outPayload(sizeof(GetPayloadInfoResponse));
     auto response =
         reinterpret_cast<GetPayloadInfoResponse*>(outPayload.data());
 
-    if (inPayload.size() != sizeof(GetPayloadInfoRequest))
-    {
-        response->completionCode = IPMI_CC_REQ_DATA_LEN_INVALID;
-        return outPayload;
-    }
     // SOL is the payload currently supported for payload status & only one
     // instance of SOL is supported.
     if (static_cast<uint8_t>(message::PayloadType::SOL) !=