diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BaseCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BaseCharacteristic.java
index 1d2d55c5b..38d1d8e6d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BaseCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BaseCharacteristic.java
@@ -183,14 +183,14 @@ public void unsubscribe() {
    * @param value the new value to set.
    * @throws Exception if the value cannot be set.
    */
-  protected abstract void setValue(T value) throws Exception;
+  public abstract void setValue(T value) throws Exception;
 
   /**
    * Retrieves the current value of the characteristic.
    *
    * @return a future that will complete with the current value.
    */
-  protected abstract CompletableFuture<T> getValue();
+  public abstract CompletableFuture<T> getValue();
 
   /**
    * Supplies a default value for the characteristic to send to connected clients when the real
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BooleanCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BooleanCharacteristic.java
index 3e07936a8..4b484eb85 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BooleanCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/BooleanCharacteristic.java
@@ -60,12 +60,12 @@ protected Boolean convert(JsonValue jsonValue) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected CompletableFuture<Boolean> getValue() {
+  public CompletableFuture<Boolean> getValue() {
     return getter.isPresent() ? getter.map(booleanGetter -> booleanGetter.get()).get() : null;
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected void setValue(Boolean value) throws Exception {
+  public void setValue(Boolean value) throws Exception {
     if (setter.isPresent()) setter.get().accept(value);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/EnumCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/EnumCharacteristic.java
index df3287de5..65e82747f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/EnumCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/EnumCharacteristic.java
@@ -84,16 +84,35 @@ protected Integer convert(JsonValue jsonValue) {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @return the current value of this characteristic, or null if it has no value or can't be
+   *     fetched
+   */
+  public CompletableFuture<T> getEnumValue() {
+    if (!getter.isPresent()) {
+      return null;
+    }
+    return getter.get().get();
+  }
+
   @Override
-  protected CompletableFuture<Integer> getValue() {
+  public CompletableFuture<Integer> getValue() {
     if (!getter.isPresent()) {
       return null;
     }
     return getter.get().get().thenApply(T::getCode);
   }
 
+  public void setValue(T value) throws Exception {
+    if (!setter.isPresent()) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    setter.get().accept(value);
+  }
+
   @Override
-  protected void setValue(Integer value) throws Exception {
+  public void setValue(Integer value) throws Exception {
     if (!setter.isPresent()) {
       return;
     }
@@ -102,7 +121,7 @@ protected void setValue(Integer value) throws Exception {
     if (validValues != null && value != null) {
       for (T valid : validValues) {
         if (valid.getCode() == value) {
-          setter.get().accept(valid);
+          setValue(valid);
           return;
         }
       }
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/FloatCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/FloatCharacteristic.java
index a8a98dc27..f504322a0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/FloatCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/FloatCharacteristic.java
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ protected Double convert(JsonValue jsonValue) {
    * the constructor.
    */
   @Override
-  protected final CompletableFuture<Double> getValue() {
+  public final CompletableFuture<Double> getValue() {
     if (!getter.isPresent()) {
       return null;
     }
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ protected final CompletableFuture<Double> getValue() {
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected void setValue(Double value) throws Exception {
+  public void setValue(Double value) throws Exception {
     if (setter.isPresent()) setter.get().accept(value);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/IntegerCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/IntegerCharacteristic.java
index 22a6dce83..6d1b7df6d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/IntegerCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/IntegerCharacteristic.java
@@ -71,12 +71,12 @@ protected CompletableFuture<JsonObjectBuilder> makeBuilder(int iid) {
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected CompletableFuture<Integer> getValue() {
+  public CompletableFuture<Integer> getValue() {
     return getter.map(integerGetter -> integerGetter.get()).orElse(null);
   }
 
   @Override
-  protected void setValue(Integer value) throws Exception {
+  public void setValue(Integer value) throws Exception {
     if (setter.isPresent()) setter.get().accept(value);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StaticStringCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StaticStringCharacteristic.java
index 576df7e0e..fc5961d4d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StaticStringCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StaticStringCharacteristic.java
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public void setValue(String value) throws Exception {
 
   /** {@inheritDoc} */
   @Override
-  protected CompletableFuture<String> getValue() {
+  public CompletableFuture<String> getValue() {
     return getter.map(stringGetter -> stringGetter.get()).orElse(null);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StringCharacteristic.java b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StringCharacteristic.java
index 65cf45a71..53196efb9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StringCharacteristic.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/github/hapjava/characteristics/impl/base/StringCharacteristic.java
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ public void setValue(String value) throws Exception {
 
   /** {@inheritDoc} */
   @Override
-  protected CompletableFuture<String> getValue() {
+  public CompletableFuture<String> getValue() {
     return getter.map(stringGetter -> stringGetter.get()).orElse(null);
   }