diff --git a/server/package-lock.json b/server/package-lock.json
index 6089296..5b8f895 100644
--- a/server/package-lock.json
+++ b/server/package-lock.json
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
         "@prisma/client": "^4.0.0",
         "bloom-filters": "^3.0.0",
         "body-parser": "^1.20.0",
-        "class-transformer": "^0.5.1",
         "class-validator": "^0.13.2",
         "crc": "^4.1.1",
         "dotenv": "^16.0.1",
@@ -939,11 +938,6 @@
         "node": ">=10"
       }
     },
-    "node_modules/class-transformer": {
-      "version": "0.5.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/class-transformer/-/class-transformer-0.5.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-SQa1Ws6hUbfC98vKGxZH3KFY0Y1lm5Zm0SY8XX9zbK7FJCyVEac3ATW0RIpwzW+oOfmHE5PMPufDG9hCfoEOMw=="
-    },
     "node_modules/class-validator": {
       "version": "0.13.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/class-validator/-/class-validator-0.13.2.tgz",
@@ -5983,11 +5977,6 @@
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chownr/-/chownr-2.0.0.tgz",
       "integrity": "sha512-bIomtDF5KGpdogkLd9VspvFzk9KfpyyGlS8YFVZl7TGPBHL5snIOnxeshwVgPteQ9b4Eydl+pVbIyE1DcvCWgQ=="
     },
-    "class-transformer": {
-      "version": "0.5.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/class-transformer/-/class-transformer-0.5.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-SQa1Ws6hUbfC98vKGxZH3KFY0Y1lm5Zm0SY8XX9zbK7FJCyVEac3ATW0RIpwzW+oOfmHE5PMPufDG9hCfoEOMw=="
-    },
     "class-validator": {
       "version": "0.13.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/class-validator/-/class-validator-0.13.2.tgz",
diff --git a/server/package.json b/server/package.json
index 22c3c02..603afa1 100644
--- a/server/package.json
+++ b/server/package.json
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
     "@prisma/client": "^4.0.0",
     "bloom-filters": "^3.0.0",
     "body-parser": "^1.20.0",
-    "class-transformer": "^0.5.1",
     "class-validator": "^0.13.2",
     "crc": "^4.1.1",
     "dotenv": "^16.0.1",
diff --git a/server/src/controllers/note/note.post.controller.ts b/server/src/controllers/note/note.post.controller.ts
index 80e022c..b4f6266 100644
--- a/server/src/controllers/note/note.post.controller.ts
+++ b/server/src/controllers/note/note.post.controller.ts
@@ -12,10 +12,10 @@ import {
   ValidateIf,
   ValidationError,
   Matches,
-  ValidateNested,
   IsString,
+  IsArray,
+  ValidateNested,
 } from "class-validator";
-import { Type } from "class-transformer";
 
 export class EncryptedEmbed {
   @IsBase64()
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ export class NotePostRequest {
   @Matches("^v[0-9]+$")
   crypto_version: string = "v1";
 
-  @ValidateNested({ each: true })
-  @Type(() => EncryptedEmbed)
+  // validate the shape of each item manually, avoid need for class-transformer package
+  @IsArray()
   embeds: EncryptedEmbed[] = [];
 }
 
diff --git a/server/src/util.ts b/server/src/util.ts
index 01b03cf..9305d36 100644
--- a/server/src/util.ts
+++ b/server/src/util.ts
@@ -11,3 +11,13 @@ export function getConnectingIp(req: Request): string {
     req.headers["X-Forwarded-For"] ||
     req.socket.remoteAddress) as string;
 }
+
+// base64 to array buffer (Node JS api, so don't use atob or btoa)
+export function base64ToArrayBuffer(base64: string): ArrayBuffer {
+  return Buffer.from(base64, "base64");
+}
+
+// array buffer to base64 (Node JS api, so don't use atob or btoa)
+export function arrayBufferToBase64(buffer: ArrayBuffer): string {
+  return Buffer.from(buffer).toString("base64");
+}
diff --git a/server/src/util.unit.test.ts b/server/src/util.unit.test.ts
index f9bde62..6c88af1 100644
--- a/server/src/util.unit.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/util.unit.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
-import { addDays, getConnectingIp } from "./util";
+import {
+  addDays,
+  arrayBufferToBase64,
+  base64ToArrayBuffer,
+  getConnectingIp,
+} from "./util";
 
 describe("addDays()", () => {
   it("Should add n days to the input date", () => {
@@ -8,3 +13,19 @@ describe("addDays()", () => {
     expect(addDays(date, 30)).toEqual(expectedDate);
   });
 });
+
+describe("converting to/from base64", () => {
+  it("Should convert a base64 string to an array buffer", () => {
+    const base64 = "EjRWeJA=";
+    const expectedBuffer = new Uint8Array([18, 52, 86, 120, 144]);
+    expect(new Uint8Array(base64ToArrayBuffer(base64))).toStrictEqual(
+      expectedBuffer
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("Should convert an array buffer to a base64 string", () => {
+    const buffer = new Uint8Array([18, 52, 86, 120, 144]);
+    const expectedBase64 = "EjRWeJA=";
+    expect(arrayBufferToBase64(buffer)).toEqual(expectedBase64);
+  });
+});