diff --git a/carddav/client.go b/carddav/client.go
index cd9d157..9d03987 100644
--- a/carddav/client.go
+++ b/carddav/client.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func NewClient(c *http.Client, endpoint string) (*Client, error) {
 
 func (c *Client) FindAddressBookHomeSet(principal string) (string, error) {
 	name := xml.Name{namespace, "addressbook-home-set"}
-	propfind := internal.NewPropPropfind(name)
+	propfind := internal.NewPropNamePropfind(name)
 
 	resp, err := c.ic.PropfindFlat(principal, propfind)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func (c *Client) FindAddressBookHomeSet(principal string) (string, error) {
 func (c *Client) FindAddressBooks(addressBookHomeSet string) ([]AddressBook, error) {
 	resTypeName := xml.Name{"DAV:", "resourcetype"}
 	descName := xml.Name{namespace, "addressbook-description"}
-	propfind := internal.NewPropPropfind(resTypeName, descName)
+	propfind := internal.NewPropNamePropfind(resTypeName, descName)
 
 	req, err := c.ic.NewXMLRequest("PROPFIND", addressBookHomeSet, propfind)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -92,19 +92,20 @@ func (c *Client) FindAddressBooks(addressBookHomeSet string) ([]AddressBook, err
 }
 
 func (c *Client) QueryAddressBook(addressBook string, query *AddressBookQuery) ([]Address, error) {
-	// TODO: add a better way to format the request
-	addrProps := make([]internal.RawXMLValue, 0, len(query.Props))
-	for _, name := range query.Props {
-		addrProps = append(addrProps, *newProp(name, false))
-	}
-
 	addrDataName := xml.Name{namespace, "address-data"}
-	addrDataReq := internal.NewRawXMLElement(addrDataName, nil, addrProps)
 
-	addressbookQuery := addressbookQuery{
-		Prop: &internal.Prop{Raw: []internal.RawXMLValue{*addrDataReq}},
+	var addrDataReq addressDataReq
+	for _, name := range query.Props {
+		addrDataReq.Props = append(addrDataReq.Props, prop{Name: name})
 	}
 
+	propReq, err := internal.EncodeProp(&addrDataReq)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	addressbookQuery := addressbookQuery{Prop: propReq}
+
 	req, err := c.ic.NewXMLRequest("REPORT", addressBook, &addressbookQuery)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index ca9a844..9aab567 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func NewClient(c *http.Client, endpoint string) (*Client, error) {
 
 func (c *Client) FindCurrentUserPrincipal() (string, error) {
 	name := xml.Name{"DAV:", "current-user-principal"}
-	propfind := internal.NewPropPropfind(name)
+	propfind := internal.NewPropNamePropfind(name)
 
 	resp, err := c.c.PropfindFlat("/", propfind)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/elements.go b/internal/elements.go
index aa2ace1..9f441e2 100644
--- a/internal/elements.go
+++ b/internal/elements.go
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ type Prop struct {
 	Raw     []RawXMLValue `xml:",any"`
 }
 
+func EncodeProp(values ...interface{}) (*Prop, error) {
+	l := make([]RawXMLValue, len(values))
+	for i, v := range values {
+		raw, err := EncodeRawXMLElement(v)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		l[i] = *raw
+	}
+	return &Prop{Raw: l}, nil
+}
+
 // https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc4918#section-14.20
 type Propfind struct {
 	XMLName xml.Name `xml:"DAV: propfind"`
@@ -121,7 +133,7 @@ type Propfind struct {
 	// TODO: propname | (allprop, include?)
 }
 
-func NewPropPropfind(names ...xml.Name) *Propfind {
+func NewPropNamePropfind(names ...xml.Name) *Propfind {
 	children := make([]RawXMLValue, len(names))
 	for i, name := range names {
 		children[i] = *NewRawXMLElement(name, nil, nil)