diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
index 4a6e580..514bb8f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ on:
 
 env:
   CONSUL_HTTP_ADDR: "127.0.0.1:8500"
+  CONSUL_VERSION: '1.16.1'
 
 jobs:
   tests:
@@ -33,22 +34,32 @@ jobs:
     name: Tests - PHP ${{ matrix.php-version }}
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@v3
+
       - uses: shivammathur/setup-php@v2
         with:
           php-version: ${{ matrix.php-version }}
           extensions: json
           ini-values: precision=14,serialize_precision=-1
-      - run: |
+
+      - name: 'Composer update'
+        # language=bash
+        run: |
           composer update \
             --no-ansi \
             --no-interaction \
             --no-scripts \
             --no-progress
-      - run: |
-          wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul/1.15.2/consul_1.15.2_linux_amd64.zip
-          unzip consul_1.15.2_linux_amd64.zip -d /usr/local/bin/
-          rm consul_1.15.2_linux_amd64.zip
+
+      - name: 'Install Consul'
+        # language=bash
+        run: |
+          wget https://releases.hashicorp.com/consul/${{ env.CONSUL_VERSION }}/consul_${{ env.CONSUL_VERSION }}_linux_amd64.zip
+          unzip consul_${{ env.CONSUL_VERSION }}_linux_amd64.zip -d /usr/local/bin/
+          rm consul_${{ env.CONSUL_VERSION }}_linux_amd64.zip
           chmod +x /usr/local/bin/consul
           consul --version
-      - run: |
+
+      - name: 'Execute tests'
+        # language=bash
+        run: |
           ./vendor/bin/phpunit -c phpunit.xml
diff --git a/composer.lock b/composer.lock
index b519421..f06ad9b 100644
--- a/composer.lock
+++ b/composer.lock
@@ -235,16 +235,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "guzzlehttp/promises",
-            "version": "2.0.0",
+            "version": "2.0.1",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/guzzle/promises.git",
-                "reference": "3a494dc7dc1d7d12e511890177ae2d0e6c107da6"
+                "reference": "111166291a0f8130081195ac4556a5587d7f1b5d"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/guzzle/promises/zipball/3a494dc7dc1d7d12e511890177ae2d0e6c107da6",
-                "reference": "3a494dc7dc1d7d12e511890177ae2d0e6c107da6",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/guzzle/promises/zipball/111166291a0f8130081195ac4556a5587d7f1b5d",
+                "reference": "111166291a0f8130081195ac4556a5587d7f1b5d",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@
             ],
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/guzzle/promises/issues",
-                "source": "https://github.com/guzzle/promises/tree/2.0.0"
+                "source": "https://github.com/guzzle/promises/tree/2.0.1"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -314,20 +314,20 @@
                     "type": "tidelift"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-05-21T13:50:22+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-08-03T15:11:55+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "guzzlehttp/psr7",
-            "version": "2.5.0",
+            "version": "2.6.0",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/guzzle/psr7.git",
-                "reference": "b635f279edd83fc275f822a1188157ffea568ff6"
+                "reference": "8bd7c33a0734ae1c5d074360512beb716bef3f77"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/guzzle/psr7/zipball/b635f279edd83fc275f822a1188157ffea568ff6",
-                "reference": "b635f279edd83fc275f822a1188157ffea568ff6",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/guzzle/psr7/zipball/8bd7c33a0734ae1c5d074360512beb716bef3f77",
+                "reference": "8bd7c33a0734ae1c5d074360512beb716bef3f77",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -414,7 +414,7 @@
             ],
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/guzzle/psr7/issues",
-                "source": "https://github.com/guzzle/psr7/tree/2.5.0"
+                "source": "https://github.com/guzzle/psr7/tree/2.6.0"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@
                     "type": "tidelift"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-04-17T16:11:26+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-08-03T15:06:02+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "psr/http-client",
@@ -638,16 +638,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "symfony/deprecation-contracts",
-            "version": "v3.2.1",
+            "version": "v3.3.0",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/symfony/deprecation-contracts.git",
-                "reference": "e2d1534420bd723d0ef5aec58a22c5fe60ce6f5e"
+                "reference": "7c3aff79d10325257a001fcf92d991f24fc967cf"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/symfony/deprecation-contracts/zipball/e2d1534420bd723d0ef5aec58a22c5fe60ce6f5e",
-                "reference": "e2d1534420bd723d0ef5aec58a22c5fe60ce6f5e",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/symfony/deprecation-contracts/zipball/7c3aff79d10325257a001fcf92d991f24fc967cf",
+                "reference": "7c3aff79d10325257a001fcf92d991f24fc967cf",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@
             "type": "library",
             "extra": {
                 "branch-alias": {
-                    "dev-main": "3.3-dev"
+                    "dev-main": "3.4-dev"
                 },
                 "thanks": {
                     "name": "symfony/contracts",
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@
             "description": "A generic function and convention to trigger deprecation notices",
             "homepage": "https://symfony.com",
             "support": {
-                "source": "https://github.com/symfony/deprecation-contracts/tree/v3.2.1"
+                "source": "https://github.com/symfony/deprecation-contracts/tree/v3.3.0"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@
                     "type": "tidelift"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-03-01T10:25:55+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-05-23T14:45:45+00:00"
         }
     ],
     "packages-dev": [
@@ -766,16 +766,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "nikic/php-parser",
-            "version": "v4.15.5",
+            "version": "v4.17.1",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/nikic/PHP-Parser.git",
-                "reference": "11e2663a5bc9db5d714eedb4277ee300403b4a9e"
+                "reference": "a6303e50c90c355c7eeee2c4a8b27fe8dc8fef1d"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/nikic/PHP-Parser/zipball/11e2663a5bc9db5d714eedb4277ee300403b4a9e",
-                "reference": "11e2663a5bc9db5d714eedb4277ee300403b4a9e",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/nikic/PHP-Parser/zipball/a6303e50c90c355c7eeee2c4a8b27fe8dc8fef1d",
+                "reference": "a6303e50c90c355c7eeee2c4a8b27fe8dc8fef1d",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -816,9 +816,9 @@
             ],
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/nikic/PHP-Parser/issues",
-                "source": "https://github.com/nikic/PHP-Parser/tree/v4.15.5"
+                "source": "https://github.com/nikic/PHP-Parser/tree/v4.17.1"
             },
-            "time": "2023-05-19T20:20:00+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-08-13T19:53:39+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "phar-io/manifest",
@@ -933,16 +933,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "phpunit/php-code-coverage",
-            "version": "10.1.2",
+            "version": "10.1.3",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage.git",
-                "reference": "db1497ec8dd382e82c962f7abbe0320e4882ee4e"
+                "reference": "be1fe461fdc917de2a29a452ccf2657d325b443d"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage/zipball/db1497ec8dd382e82c962f7abbe0320e4882ee4e",
-                "reference": "db1497ec8dd382e82c962f7abbe0320e4882ee4e",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage/zipball/be1fe461fdc917de2a29a452ccf2657d325b443d",
+                "reference": "be1fe461fdc917de2a29a452ccf2657d325b443d",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage/issues",
                 "security": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage/security/policy",
-                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage/tree/10.1.2"
+                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/php-code-coverage/tree/10.1.3"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -1007,7 +1007,7 @@
                     "type": "github"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-05-22T09:04:27+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-07-26T13:45:28+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "phpunit/php-file-iterator",
@@ -1253,16 +1253,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "phpunit/phpunit",
-            "version": "10.1.3",
+            "version": "10.3.2",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit.git",
-                "reference": "2379ebafc1737e71cdc84f402acb6b7f04198b9d"
+                "reference": "0dafb1175c366dd274eaa9a625e914451506bcd1"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/zipball/2379ebafc1737e71cdc84f402acb6b7f04198b9d",
-                "reference": "2379ebafc1737e71cdc84f402acb6b7f04198b9d",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/zipball/0dafb1175c366dd274eaa9a625e914451506bcd1",
+                "reference": "0dafb1175c366dd274eaa9a625e914451506bcd1",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -1287,7 +1287,7 @@
                 "sebastian/diff": "^5.0",
                 "sebastian/environment": "^6.0",
                 "sebastian/exporter": "^5.0",
-                "sebastian/global-state": "^6.0",
+                "sebastian/global-state": "^6.0.1",
                 "sebastian/object-enumerator": "^5.0",
                 "sebastian/recursion-context": "^5.0",
                 "sebastian/type": "^4.0",
@@ -1302,7 +1302,7 @@
             "type": "library",
             "extra": {
                 "branch-alias": {
-                    "dev-main": "10.1-dev"
+                    "dev-main": "10.3-dev"
                 }
             },
             "autoload": {
@@ -1334,7 +1334,7 @@
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/issues",
                 "security": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/security/policy",
-                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/tree/10.1.3"
+                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/tree/10.3.2"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -1350,7 +1350,7 @@
                     "type": "tidelift"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-05-11T05:16:22+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-08-15T05:34:23+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "sebastian/cli-parser",
@@ -1521,16 +1521,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "sebastian/comparator",
-            "version": "5.0.0",
+            "version": "5.0.1",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/comparator.git",
-                "reference": "72f01e6586e0caf6af81297897bd112eb7e9627c"
+                "reference": "2db5010a484d53ebf536087a70b4a5423c102372"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/comparator/zipball/72f01e6586e0caf6af81297897bd112eb7e9627c",
-                "reference": "72f01e6586e0caf6af81297897bd112eb7e9627c",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/comparator/zipball/2db5010a484d53ebf536087a70b4a5423c102372",
+                "reference": "2db5010a484d53ebf536087a70b4a5423c102372",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -1541,7 +1541,7 @@
                 "sebastian/exporter": "^5.0"
             },
             "require-dev": {
-                "phpunit/phpunit": "^10.0"
+                "phpunit/phpunit": "^10.3"
             },
             "type": "library",
             "extra": {
@@ -1585,7 +1585,8 @@
             ],
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/comparator/issues",
-                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/comparator/tree/5.0.0"
+                "security": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/comparator/security/policy",
+                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/comparator/tree/5.0.1"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -1593,7 +1594,7 @@
                     "type": "github"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-02-03T07:07:16+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-08-14T13:18:12+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "sebastian/complexity",
@@ -1862,16 +1863,16 @@
         },
         {
             "name": "sebastian/global-state",
-            "version": "6.0.0",
+            "version": "6.0.1",
             "source": {
                 "type": "git",
                 "url": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/global-state.git",
-                "reference": "aab257c712de87b90194febd52e4d184551c2d44"
+                "reference": "7ea9ead78f6d380d2a667864c132c2f7b83055e4"
             },
             "dist": {
                 "type": "zip",
-                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/global-state/zipball/aab257c712de87b90194febd52e4d184551c2d44",
-                "reference": "aab257c712de87b90194febd52e4d184551c2d44",
+                "url": "https://api.github.com/repos/sebastianbergmann/global-state/zipball/7ea9ead78f6d380d2a667864c132c2f7b83055e4",
+                "reference": "7ea9ead78f6d380d2a667864c132c2f7b83055e4",
                 "shasum": ""
             },
             "require": {
@@ -1911,7 +1912,8 @@
             ],
             "support": {
                 "issues": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/global-state/issues",
-                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/global-state/tree/6.0.0"
+                "security": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/global-state/security/policy",
+                "source": "https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/global-state/tree/6.0.1"
             },
             "funding": [
                 {
@@ -1919,7 +1921,7 @@
                     "type": "github"
                 }
             ],
-            "time": "2023-02-03T07:07:38+00:00"
+            "time": "2023-07-19T07:19:23+00:00"
         },
         {
             "name": "sebastian/lines-of-code",
diff --git a/phpunit.xml b/phpunit.xml
index ef5e278..623a0bb 100644
--- a/phpunit.xml
+++ b/phpunit.xml
@@ -43,5 +43,9 @@
         <testsuite name="usage-session">
             <directory>./tests/Usage/Session</directory>
         </testsuite>
+
+        <testsuite name="usage-random">
+            <directory>./tests/Usage/Random</directory>
+        </testsuite>
     </testsuites>
 </phpunit>
diff --git a/src/AbstractModel.php b/src/AbstractModel.php
index 53951b9..5aa296c 100644
--- a/src/AbstractModel.php
+++ b/src/AbstractModel.php
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ abstract class AbstractModel implements \JsonSerializable
 
     protected const FIELDS = [];
 
+    /**
+     * Stores dynamically assigned variables
+     * @var array
+     */
+    private array $_dyn = [];
+
     /**
      * AbstractModel constructor.
      *
@@ -49,6 +55,16 @@ public function __construct(?array $data = [])
         }
     }
 
+    public function __set(string $field, $value): void
+    {
+        $this->_dyn[$field] = $value;
+    }
+
+    public function __get(string $field)
+    {
+        return $this->_dyn[$field] ?? null;
+    }
+
     /**
      * todo: this picks up non-public fields.  externalize this at some point.
      *
@@ -57,8 +73,19 @@ public function __construct(?array $data = [])
     public function jsonSerialize(): array
     {
         $out = [];
+        // marshal fields
         foreach ((array)$this as $field => $value) {
-            $this->marshalField($out, $field, $value);
+            // marshal dynamically defined fields
+            // todo: this is crap.
+            if (substr($field, -4) === '_dyn') {
+                if ([] !== $value) {
+                    foreach ($value as $k => $v) {
+                        $this->marshalField($out, $k, $v);
+                    }
+                }
+            } else {
+                $this->marshalField($out, $field, $value);
+            }
         }
         return $out;
     }
diff --git a/src/Unmarshaller.php b/src/Unmarshaller.php
index 1202e55..76cd707 100644
--- a/src/Unmarshaller.php
+++ b/src/Unmarshaller.php
@@ -46,19 +46,22 @@ protected function unmarshalField(string $field, $value): void
             // if the field isn't explicitly defined on the implementing class, just set it to whatever the incoming
             // value is
             $this->{$field} = $value;
-        } /** @noinspection PhpStatementHasEmptyBodyInspection */ elseif (null === $value) {
-            // if the value is null at this point, ignore and move on.
-            // note: this is not checked prior to the property_exists call as if the field is not explicitly defined but
-            // is seen with a null value, we still want to define it as null on the implementing type.
-        } elseif (isset($this->{$field}) && is_scalar($this->{$field})) {
-            // if the property has a scalar default value, unmarshal it as such.
-            $this->unmarshalScalar($field, $value, false);
-        } else {
-            // if we fall down here, try to set the value as-is.  if this barfs, it indicates we have a bug to be
-            // squished.
-            // todo: should this be an exception?
-            $this->{$field} = $value;
+        } elseif (null !== $value) {
+            // at this point, value must be non-null to be operable
+            if (isset($this->{$field}) && is_scalar($this->{$field})) {
+                // if the property has a scalar default value, unmarshal it as such.
+                $this->unmarshalScalar($field, $value, false);
+            } else {
+                // if we fall down here, try to set the value as-is.  if this barfs, it indicates we have a bug to be
+                // squished.
+                // todo: should this be an exception?
+                $this->{$field} = $value;
+            }
         }
+
+        // if the value is null at this point, ignore and move on.
+        // note: this is not checked prior to the property_exists call as if the field is not explicitly defined but
+        // is seen with a null value, we still want to define it as null on the implementing type.
     }
 
     /**
@@ -333,7 +336,7 @@ private function unmarshalArray(string $field, $value, array $def): void
             }
 
             foreach ($value as $k => $v) {
-                // todo: causes double-checking for null if value isn't null, not great...
+                // short circuit to prevent additional func call
                 if (null === $v) {
                     $this->{$field}[$k] = null;
                 } else {
@@ -343,6 +346,7 @@ private function unmarshalArray(string $field, $value, array $def): void
         } else {
             // in all other cases, just set as-is
             foreach ($value as $k => $v) {
+                // short circuit to prevent additional func call
                 if (null === $v) {
                     $this->{$field}[$k] = null;
                 } else {
diff --git a/tests/Usage/Random/RandomWhateverTest.php b/tests/Usage/Random/RandomWhateverTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..965022b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Usage/Random/RandomWhateverTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace DCarbone\PHPConsulAPITests\Usage\Random;
+
+/*
+   Copyright 2016-2023 Daniel Carbone (daniel.p.carbone@gmail.com)
+
+   Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+   You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+       http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+   Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+   distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+   WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+   See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+   limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+use DCarbone\PHPConsulAPI\KV\KVPair;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * Class KVClientTest
+ *
+ * @internal
+ */
+final class RandomWhateverTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public function testDynamicFieldAssignment(): void
+    {
+        static $k = 'nope';
+        static $v = 'should not be here';
+
+        $json = sprintf('{"%s":"%s"}', $k, $v);
+
+        $dec = json_decode($json);
+
+        $this->assertIsObject($dec);
+
+        $kvp = new KVPair((array)$dec, false);
+
+        self::assertEquals($v, $kvp->{$k});
+    }
+}