diff --git a/src/block/Block.php b/src/block/Block.php
index 934a485d9..d557411fe 100644
--- a/src/block/Block.php
+++ b/src/block/Block.php
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ use function get_class;
 use const PHP_INT_MAX;
 
 class Block{
-	public const INTERNAL_STATE_DATA_BITS = 9;
+	public const INTERNAL_STATE_DATA_BITS = 8;
 	public const INTERNAL_STATE_DATA_MASK = ~(~0 << self::INTERNAL_STATE_DATA_BITS);
 
 	protected BlockIdentifier $idInfo;
diff --git a/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataReader.php b/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataReader.php
index 14fbca209..ded875385 100644
--- a/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataReader.php
+++ b/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataReader.php
@@ -144,9 +144,10 @@ final class RuntimeDataReader implements RuntimeDataDescriber{
 	 */
 	public function wallConnections(array &$connections) : void{
 		$result = [];
-		//TODO: we can pack this into 7 bits instead of 8
+		$offset = 0;
+		$packed = $this->readBoundedInt(7, 0, (3 ** 4) - 1);
 		foreach(Facing::HORIZONTAL as $facing){
-			$type = $this->readBoundedInt(2, 0, 2);
+			$type = intdiv($packed,  (3 ** $offset)) % 3;
 			if($type !== 0){
 				$result[$facing] = match($type){
 					1 => WallConnectionType::SHORT(),
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ final class RuntimeDataReader implements RuntimeDataDescriber{
 					default => throw new AssumptionFailedError("Unreachable")
 				};
 			}
+			$offset++;
 		}
 
 		$connections = $result;
diff --git a/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataSizeCalculator.php b/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataSizeCalculator.php
index 5678ffd81..ded209470 100644
--- a/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataSizeCalculator.php
+++ b/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataSizeCalculator.php
@@ -81,8 +81,7 @@ final class RuntimeDataSizeCalculator implements RuntimeDataDescriber{
 	}
 
 	public function wallConnections(array &$connections) : void{
-		//TODO: this can be reduced to 7 if we pack the trinary values
-		$this->addBits(8);
+		$this->addBits(7);
 	}
 
 	public function brewingStandSlots(array &$slots) : void{
diff --git a/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataWriter.php b/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataWriter.php
index feaef3698..0b3cd73e3 100644
--- a/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataWriter.php
+++ b/src/data/runtime/RuntimeDataWriter.php
@@ -133,15 +133,18 @@ final class RuntimeDataWriter implements RuntimeDataDescriber{
 	 * @phpstan-param array<Facing::NORTH|Facing::EAST|Facing::SOUTH|Facing::WEST, WallConnectionType> $connections
 	 */
 	public function wallConnections(array &$connections) : void{
-		//TODO: we can pack this into 7 bits instead of 8
+		$packed = 0;
+		$offset = 0;
 		foreach(Facing::HORIZONTAL as $facing){
-			$this->writeBoundedInt(2, 0, 2, match($connections[$facing] ?? null){
+			$packed += match($connections[$facing] ?? null){
 				null => 0,
 				WallConnectionType::SHORT() => 1,
 				WallConnectionType::TALL() => 2,
 				default => throw new AssumptionFailedError("Unreachable")
-			});
+			} * (3 ** $offset);
+			$offset++;
 		}
+		$this->writeBoundedInt(7, 0, (3 ** 4) - 1, $packed);
 	}
 
 	/**