diff --git a/src/attribute.rs b/src/attribute.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aada6176
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/attribute.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+use crate::configuration::Path;
+use crate::filter::http_context::Filter;
+use chrono::{DateTime, FixedOffset};
+use proxy_wasm::traits::Context;
+
+pub trait Attribute {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String>
+    where
+        Self: Sized;
+}
+
+impl Attribute for String {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        String::from_utf8(raw_attribute).map_err(|err| {
+            format!(
+                "parse: failed to parse selector String value, error: {}",
+                err
+            )
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl Attribute for i64 {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "parse: Int value expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}",
+                raw_attribute.len()
+            ));
+        }
+        Ok(i64::from_le_bytes(
+            raw_attribute[..8]
+                .try_into()
+                .expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!"),
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
+impl Attribute for u64 {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "parse: UInt value expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}",
+                raw_attribute.len()
+            ));
+        }
+        Ok(u64::from_le_bytes(
+            raw_attribute[..8]
+                .try_into()
+                .expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!"),
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
+impl Attribute for f64 {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "parse: Float value expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}",
+                raw_attribute.len()
+            ));
+        }
+        Ok(f64::from_le_bytes(
+            raw_attribute[..8]
+                .try_into()
+                .expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!"),
+        ))
+    }
+}
+
+impl Attribute for Vec<u8> {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        Ok(raw_attribute)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Attribute for bool {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        if raw_attribute.len() != 1 {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "parse: Bool value expected to be 1 byte, but got {}",
+                raw_attribute.len()
+            ));
+        }
+        Ok(raw_attribute[0] & 1 == 1)
+    }
+}
+
+impl Attribute for DateTime<FixedOffset> {
+    fn parse(raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self, String> {
+        if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
+            return Err(format!(
+                "parse: Timestamp expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}",
+                raw_attribute.len()
+            ));
+        }
+
+        let nanos = i64::from_le_bytes(
+            raw_attribute.as_slice()[..8]
+                .try_into()
+                .expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!"),
+        );
+        Ok(DateTime::from_timestamp_nanos(nanos).into())
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub fn get_attribute<T>(f: &Filter, attr: &str) -> Result<T, String>
+where
+    T: Attribute,
+{
+    match f.get_property(Path::from(attr).tokens()) {
+        None => Err(format!(
+            "#{} get_attribute: not found: {}",
+            f.context_id, attr
+        )),
+        Some(attribute_bytes) => T::parse(attribute_bytes),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/configuration.rs b/src/configuration.rs
index 7c815943..d7495ef0 100644
--- a/src/configuration.rs
+++ b/src/configuration.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
-use crate::policy::Policy;
-use crate::policy_index::PolicyIndex;
+use std::cell::OnceCell;
+use std::fmt::{Debug, Display, Formatter};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
 use cel_interpreter::objects::ValueType;
 use cel_interpreter::{Context, Expression, Value};
 use cel_parser::{Atom, RelationOp};
-use chrono::{DateTime, FixedOffset};
 use serde::Deserialize;
-use std::cell::OnceCell;
-use std::fmt::{Debug, Display, Formatter};
-use std::sync::Arc;
+
+use crate::attribute::Attribute;
+use crate::policy::Policy;
+use crate::policy_index::PolicyIndex;
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct SelectorItem {
@@ -168,47 +170,13 @@ impl PatternExpression {
     pub fn eval(&self, raw_attribute: Vec<u8>) -> Result<bool, String> {
         let cel_type = &self.compiled.get().unwrap().cel_type;
         let value = match cel_type {
-            ValueType::String =>
-                Value::String(String::from_utf8(raw_attribute).map_err(|err| format!(
-                    "pattern_expression_applies:  failed to parse selector String value: {}, error: {}",
-                    self.selector, err))?.into()),
-            ValueType::Int => {
-                if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
-                    return Err(format!("Int value expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}", raw_attribute.len()));
-                }
-                Value::Int(i64::from_le_bytes(raw_attribute[..8].try_into().expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!")))
-            },
-            ValueType::UInt => {
-                {
-                    if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
-                        return Err(format!("UInt value expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}", raw_attribute.len()));
-                    }
-                    Value::UInt(u64::from_le_bytes(raw_attribute[..8].try_into().expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!")))
-                }
-            },
-            ValueType::Float => {
-                if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
-                    return Err(format!("Float value expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}", raw_attribute.len()));
-                }
-                Value::Float(f64::from_le_bytes(raw_attribute[..8].try_into().expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!")))
-            },
-            ValueType::Bytes => Value::Bytes(raw_attribute.into()),
-            ValueType::Bool => {
-                if raw_attribute.len() != 1 {
-                    return Err(format!("Bool value expected to be 1 byte, but got {}", raw_attribute.len()));
-                }
-                Value::Bool(raw_attribute[0] & 1 == 1)
-            }
-            ValueType::Timestamp => {
-                {
-                    if raw_attribute.len() != 8 {
-                        return Err(format!("Timestamp expected to be 8 bytes, but got {}", raw_attribute.len()));
-                    }
-                    let nanos = i64::from_le_bytes(raw_attribute[..8].try_into().expect("This has to be 8 bytes long!"));
-                    let time: DateTime<FixedOffset> = DateTime::from_timestamp_nanos(nanos).into();
-                    Value::Timestamp(time)
-                }
-            }
+            ValueType::String => Value::String(Arc::new(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?)),
+            ValueType::Int => Value::Int(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?),
+            ValueType::UInt => Value::UInt(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?),
+            ValueType::Float => Value::Float(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?),
+            ValueType::Bytes => Value::Bytes(Arc::new(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?)),
+            ValueType::Bool => Value::Bool(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?),
+            ValueType::Timestamp => Value::Timestamp(Attribute::parse(raw_attribute)?),
             // todo: Impl support for parsing these two types… Tho List/Map of what?
             // ValueType::List => {}
             // ValueType::Map => {}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 417ec5f5..8ee6c311 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+mod attribute;
 mod configuration;
 mod envoy;
 mod filter;
diff --git a/src/policy.rs b/src/policy.rs
index aa46a38d..7b894c16 100644
--- a/src/policy.rs
+++ b/src/policy.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::attribute::Attribute;
 use crate::configuration::{DataItem, DataType, PatternExpression};
 use crate::envoy::{RateLimitDescriptor, RateLimitDescriptor_Entry};
 use crate::filter::http_context::Filter;
@@ -139,16 +140,10 @@ impl Policy {
                         }
                         // TODO(eastizle): not all fields are strings
                         // https://www.envoyproxy.io/docs/envoy/latest/intro/arch_overview/advanced/attributes
-                        Some(attribute_bytes) => match String::from_utf8(attribute_bytes) {
-                            Err(e) => {
-                                debug!(
-                                    "#{} build_single_descriptor: failed to parse selector value: {}, error: {}",
-                                    filter.context_id, attribute_path, e
-                                );
-                                return None;
-                            }
-                            Ok(attribute_value) => attribute_value,
-                        },
+                        Some(attribute_bytes) => Attribute::parse(attribute_bytes)
+                            .inspect_err(|e| debug!("#{} build_single_descriptor: failed to parse selector value: {}, error: {}",
+                                    filter.context_id, attribute_path, e))
+                            .ok()?,
                     };
                     let mut descriptor_entry = RateLimitDescriptor_Entry::new();
                     descriptor_entry.set_key(descriptor_key);