diff --git a/tlv/bench_test.go b/tlv/bench_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f71a7eb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tlv/bench_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+package tlv_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwallet"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/tlv"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/watchtower/blob"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/watchtower/wtwire"
+)
+
+// CreateSessionTLV mirrors the wtwire.CreateSession message, but uses TLV for
+// encoding/decoding.
+type CreateSessionTLV struct {
+	BlobType     blob.Type
+	MaxUpdates   uint16
+	RewardBase   uint32
+	RewardRate   uint32
+	SweepFeeRate lnwallet.SatPerKWeight
+
+	tlvStream *tlv.Stream
+}
+
+// EBlobType is an encoder for blob.Type.
+func EBlobType(w io.Writer, val interface{}, buf *[8]byte) error {
+	if t, ok := val.(*blob.Type); ok {
+		return tlv.EUint16T(w, uint16(*t), buf)
+	}
+	return tlv.NewTypeForEncodingErr(val, "blob.Type")
+}
+
+// EBlobType is an decoder for blob.Type.
+func DBlobType(r io.Reader, val interface{}, buf *[8]byte, l uint64) error {
+	if typ, ok := val.(*blob.Type); ok {
+		var t uint16
+		err := tlv.DUint16(r, &t, buf, l)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*typ = blob.Type(t)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return tlv.NewTypeForDecodingErr(val, "blob.Type", l, 2)
+}
+
+// ESatPerKW is an encoder for lnwallet.SatPerKWeight.
+func ESatPerKW(w io.Writer, val interface{}, buf *[8]byte) error {
+	if v, ok := val.(*lnwallet.SatPerKWeight); ok {
+		return tlv.EUint64(w, uint64(*v), buf)
+	}
+	return tlv.NewTypeForEncodingErr(val, "lnwallet.SatPerKWeight")
+}
+
+// DSatPerKW is an decoder for lnwallet.SatPerKWeight.
+func DSatPerKW(r io.Reader, val interface{}, buf *[8]byte, l uint64) error {
+	if v, ok := val.(*lnwallet.SatPerKWeight); ok {
+		var sat uint64
+		err := tlv.DUint64(r, &sat, buf, l)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		*v = lnwallet.SatPerKWeight(sat)
+		return nil
+	}
+	return tlv.NewTypeForDecodingErr(val, "lnwallet.SatPerKWeight", l, 8)
+}
+
+// NewCreateSessionTLV initializes a new CreateSessionTLV message.
+func NewCreateSessionTLV() *CreateSessionTLV {
+	m := &CreateSessionTLV{}
+	m.tlvStream = tlv.MustNewStream(
+		tlv.MakeStaticRecord(0, &m.BlobType, 2, EBlobType, DBlobType),
+		tlv.MakePrimitiveRecord(1, &m.MaxUpdates),
+		tlv.MakePrimitiveRecord(2, &m.RewardBase),
+		tlv.MakePrimitiveRecord(3, &m.RewardRate),
+		tlv.MakeStaticRecord(4, &m.SweepFeeRate, 8, ESatPerKW, DSatPerKW),
+	)
+
+	return m
+}
+
+// Encode writes the CreateSessionTLV to the passed io.Writer.
+func (c *CreateSessionTLV) Encode(w io.Writer) error {
+	return c.tlvStream.Encode(w)
+}
+
+// Decode reads the CreateSessionTLV from the passed io.Reader.
+func (c *CreateSessionTLV) Decode(r io.Reader) error {
+	return c.tlvStream.Decode(r)
+}
+
+// BenchmarkEncodeCreateSession benchmarks encoding of the non-TLV
+// CreateSession.
+func BenchmarkEncodeCreateSession(t *testing.B) {
+	m := &wtwire.CreateSession{}
+
+	t.ReportAllocs()
+	t.ResetTimer()
+
+	var err error
+	for i := 0; i < t.N; i++ {
+		err = m.Encode(ioutil.Discard, 0)
+	}
+	_ = err
+}
+
+// BenchmarkEncodeCreateSessionTLV benchmarks encoding of the TLV CreateSession.
+func BenchmarkEncodeCreateSessionTLV(t *testing.B) {
+	m := NewCreateSessionTLV()
+
+	t.ReportAllocs()
+	t.ResetTimer()
+
+	var err error
+	for i := 0; i < t.N; i++ {
+		err = m.Encode(ioutil.Discard)
+	}
+	_ = err
+}
+
+// BenchmarkDecodeCreateSession benchmarks encoding of the non-TLV
+// CreateSession.
+func BenchmarkDecodeCreateSession(t *testing.B) {
+	m := &wtwire.CreateSession{}
+
+	var b bytes.Buffer
+	m.Encode(&b, 0)
+	r := bytes.NewReader(b.Bytes())
+
+	t.ReportAllocs()
+	t.ResetTimer()
+
+	var err error
+	for i := 0; i < t.N; i++ {
+		r.Seek(0, 0)
+		err = m.Decode(r, 0)
+	}
+	_ = err
+}
+
+// BenchmarkDecodeCreateSessionTLV benchmarks decoding of the TLV CreateSession.
+func BenchmarkDecodeCreateSessionTLV(t *testing.B) {
+	m := NewCreateSessionTLV()
+
+	var b bytes.Buffer
+	var err error
+	m.Encode(&b)
+	r := bytes.NewReader(b.Bytes())
+
+	t.ReportAllocs()
+	t.ResetTimer()
+
+	for i := 0; i < t.N; i++ {
+		r.Seek(0, 0)
+		err = m.Decode(r)
+	}
+	_ = err
+}