diff --git a/src/main/java/pvws/ws/Vtype2Json.java b/src/main/java/pvws/ws/Vtype2Json.java
index 48fcef2..c59680f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pvws/ws/Vtype2Json.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pvws/ws/Vtype2Json.java
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ public class Vtype2Json
      *  @return JSON text
      *  @throws Exception on error
      */
-    public static String toJson(final String name, final VType value, final VType last_value, final boolean last_readonly, final boolean readonly) throws Exception
+    public static String toJson(final String name, final VType value, final VType last_value, final Boolean last_readonly, final Boolean readonly) throws Exception
     {
         final ByteArrayOutputStream buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
         final JsonGenerator g = json_factory.createGenerator(buf);
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ else if (value != null)
         // null: Neither 'value' nor 'text'
 
         // Change in read/write access?
-        if (last_readonly != readonly)
+        if (last_readonly == null || !last_readonly.equals(readonly))
             g.writeBooleanField("readonly", readonly);
 
         final Time time = Time.timeOf(value);
@@ -113,10 +113,20 @@ else if (value != null)
     private static void handleString(final JsonGenerator g, final VString value, final VType last_value) throws Exception
     {
         final AlarmSeverity severity = value.getAlarm().getSeverity();
-        if (last_value == null  ||
-            (last_value instanceof VString  &&
-             ((VString) last_value).getAlarm().getSeverity() != severity))
-            g.writeStringField("severity", value.getAlarm().getSeverity().name());
+        if (last_value == null)
+        {
+            // Initially, add complete metadata
+            g.writeStringField("vtype", VType.typeOf(value).getSimpleName());
+            // Initial severity
+            g.writeStringField("severity", severity.name());
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            // Add severity if it changed
+            if ((last_value instanceof VString) &&
+                 ((VString) last_value).getAlarm().getSeverity() != severity)
+                g.writeStringField("severity", severity.name());
+        }
 
         g.writeStringField("text", value.getValue());
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocket.java b/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocket.java
index eb41ebe..5520a4d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocket.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocket.java
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ public void onError(final Throwable ex)
      *  @param last_readonly Was the PV read-only?
      *  @param readonly Is the PV read-only?
      */
-    public void sendUpdate(final String name, final VType value, final VType last_value, final boolean last_readonly, final boolean readonly)
+    public void sendUpdate(final String name, final VType value, final VType last_value, final Boolean last_readonly, final Boolean readonly)
     {
         try
         {
diff --git a/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocketPV.java b/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocketPV.java
index 0eb06ef..ec9dd72 100644
--- a/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocketPV.java
+++ b/src/main/java/pvws/ws/WebSocketPV.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public class WebSocketPV
                                         subscription_access = new AtomicReference<>();
     private volatile boolean subscribed_for_array = false;
     private volatile VType last_value = null;
-    private volatile boolean last_readonly = true;
+    private volatile Boolean last_readonly = null;
 
     static
     {
@@ -134,9 +134,10 @@ private void handleUpdates(final VType value)
             }
         }
 
-        socket.sendUpdate(name, value, last_value, last_readonly, pv.isReadonly() || !PV_WRITE_SUPPORT);
+        Boolean current_readonly = pv.isReadonly() || !PV_WRITE_SUPPORT;
+        socket.sendUpdate(name, value, last_value, last_readonly, current_readonly);
         last_value = value;
-        last_readonly = pv.isReadonly();
+        last_readonly = current_readonly;
     }
 
     /** Handle change in access permissions
@@ -144,8 +145,9 @@ private void handleUpdates(final VType value)
      */
     private void handleAccessChanges(final Boolean readonly)
     {
-        socket.sendUpdate(name, last_value, last_value, last_readonly, pv.isReadonly() || !PV_WRITE_SUPPORT);
-        last_readonly = pv.isReadonly();
+        Boolean current_readonly = pv.isReadonly() || !PV_WRITE_SUPPORT;
+        socket.sendUpdate(name, last_value, last_value, last_readonly, current_readonly);
+        last_readonly = current_readonly;
     }
 
     /** @return Most recent value or null */