diff --git a/channeldb/payments.go b/channeldb/payments.go
index 3d8c6e34e..0e2b865df 100644
--- a/channeldb/payments.go
+++ b/channeldb/payments.go
@@ -606,7 +606,9 @@ func serializeHop(w io.Writer, h *route.Hop) error {
 	if h.MPP != nil {
 		records = append(records, h.MPP.Record())
 	}
-	records = append(records, h.TLVRecords...)
+
+	tlvRecords := tlv.MapToRecords(h.CustomRecords)
+	records = append(records, tlvRecords...)
 
 	// Otherwise, we'll transform our slice of records into a map of the
 	// raw bytes, then serialize them in-line with a length (number of
@@ -710,7 +712,7 @@ func deserializeHop(r io.Reader) (*route.Hop, error) {
 		h.MPP = mpp
 	}
 
-	h.TLVRecords = tlv.MapToRecords(tlvMap)
+	h.CustomRecords = tlvMap
 
 	return h, nil
 }
diff --git a/channeldb/payments_test.go b/channeldb/payments_test.go
index bec8e528c..8eba5e5ac 100644
--- a/channeldb/payments_test.go
+++ b/channeldb/payments_test.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package channeldb
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"math/rand"
 	"reflect"
@@ -28,9 +27,9 @@ var (
 		ChannelID:        12345,
 		OutgoingTimeLock: 111,
 		AmtToForward:     555,
-		TLVRecords: []tlv.Record{
-			tlv.MakeStaticRecord(1, nil, 3, tlvEncoder, nil),
-			tlv.MakeStaticRecord(2, nil, 3, tlvEncoder, nil),
+		CustomRecords: record.CustomSet{
+			1: []byte{},
+			2: []byte{},
 		},
 		MPP: record.NewMPP(32, [32]byte{0x42}),
 	}
@@ -144,25 +143,7 @@ func TestSentPaymentSerialization(t *testing.T) {
 // assertRouteEquals compares to routes for equality and returns an error if
 // they are not equal.
 func assertRouteEqual(a, b *route.Route) error {
-	err := assertRouteHopRecordsEqual(a, b)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// TLV records have already been compared and need to be cleared to
-	// properly compare the remaining fields using DeepEqual.
-	copyRouteNoHops := func(r *route.Route) *route.Route {
-		copy := *r
-		copy.Hops = make([]*route.Hop, len(r.Hops))
-		for i, hop := range r.Hops {
-			hopCopy := *hop
-			hopCopy.TLVRecords = nil
-			copy.Hops[i] = &hopCopy
-		}
-		return &copy
-	}
-
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual(copyRouteNoHops(a), copyRouteNoHops(b)) {
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(a, b) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("PaymentAttemptInfos don't match: %v vs %v",
 			spew.Sdump(a), spew.Sdump(b))
 	}
@@ -170,57 +151,6 @@ func assertRouteEqual(a, b *route.Route) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func assertRouteHopRecordsEqual(r1, r2 *route.Route) error {
-	if len(r1.Hops) != len(r2.Hops) {
-		return errors.New("route hop count mismatch")
-	}
-
-	for i := 0; i < len(r1.Hops); i++ {
-		records1 := r1.Hops[i].TLVRecords
-		records2 := r2.Hops[i].TLVRecords
-		if len(records1) != len(records2) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("route record count for hop %v "+
-				"mismatch", i)
-		}
-
-		for j := 0; j < len(records1); j++ {
-			expectedRecord := records1[j]
-			newRecord := records2[j]
-
-			err := assertHopRecordsEqual(expectedRecord, newRecord)
-			if err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("route record mismatch: %v", err)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
-func assertHopRecordsEqual(h1, h2 tlv.Record) error {
-	if h1.Type() != h2.Type() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("wrong type: expected %v, got %v", h1.Type(),
-			h2.Type())
-	}
-
-	var b bytes.Buffer
-	if err := h2.Encode(&b); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to encode record: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	if !bytes.Equal(b.Bytes(), tlvBytes) {
-		return fmt.Errorf("wrong raw record: expected %x, got %x",
-			tlvBytes, b.Bytes())
-	}
-
-	if h1.Size() != h2.Size() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("wrong size: expected %v, "+
-			"got %v", h1.Size(), h2.Size())
-	}
-
-	return nil
-}
-
 func TestRouteSerialization(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend.go b/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend.go
index b9de96174..dd918f541 100644
--- a/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend.go
+++ b/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/record"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/route"
-	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/tlv"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/zpay32"
 )
 
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ type RouterBackend struct {
 	// routes.
 	FindRoute func(source, target route.Vertex,
 		amt lnwire.MilliSatoshi, restrictions *routing.RestrictParams,
-		destTlvRecords []tlv.Record,
+		destCustomRecords record.CustomSet,
 		finalExpiry ...uint16) (*route.Route, error)
 
 	MissionControl MissionControl
@@ -232,7 +231,7 @@ func (r *RouterBackend) QueryRoutes(ctx context.Context,
 	// If we have any TLV records destined for the final hop, then we'll
 	// attempt to decode them now into a form that the router can more
 	// easily manipulate.
-	destTlvRecords, err := UnmarshallCustomRecords(in.DestCustomRecords)
+	err = ValidateCustomRecords(in.DestCustomRecords)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -242,7 +241,7 @@ func (r *RouterBackend) QueryRoutes(ctx context.Context,
 	// the route.
 	route, err := r.FindRoute(
 		sourcePubKey, targetPubKey, amt, restrictions,
-		destTlvRecords, finalCLTVDelta,
+		in.DestCustomRecords, finalCLTVDelta,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -346,11 +345,6 @@ func (r *RouterBackend) MarshallRoute(route *route.Route) (*lnrpc.Route, error)
 			}
 		}
 
-		tlvMap, err := tlv.RecordsToMap(hop.TLVRecords)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
 		resp.Hops[i] = &lnrpc.Hop{
 			ChanId:           hop.ChannelID,
 			ChanCapacity:     int64(chanCapacity),
@@ -362,7 +356,7 @@ func (r *RouterBackend) MarshallRoute(route *route.Route) (*lnrpc.Route, error)
 			PubKey: hex.EncodeToString(
 				hop.PubKeyBytes[:],
 			),
-			CustomRecords: tlvMap,
+			CustomRecords: hop.CustomRecords,
 			TlvPayload:    !hop.LegacyPayload,
 			MppRecord:     mpp,
 		}
@@ -372,24 +366,16 @@ func (r *RouterBackend) MarshallRoute(route *route.Route) (*lnrpc.Route, error)
 	return resp, nil
 }
 
-// UnmarshallCustomRecords unmarshall rpc custom records to tlv records.
-func UnmarshallCustomRecords(rpcRecords map[uint64][]byte) ([]tlv.Record,
-	error) {
-
-	if len(rpcRecords) == 0 {
-		return nil, nil
+// ValidateCustomRecords checks that all custom records are in the custom type
+// range.
+func ValidateCustomRecords(rpcRecords map[uint64][]byte) error {
+	for key := range rpcRecords {
+		if key < record.CustomTypeStart {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no custom records with types "+
+				"below %v allowed", record.CustomTypeStart)
+		}
 	}
-
-	tlvRecords := tlv.MapToRecords(rpcRecords)
-
-	// tlvRecords is sorted, so we only need to check that the first
-	// element is within the custom range.
-	if uint64(tlvRecords[0].Type()) < record.CustomTypeStart {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no custom records with types "+
-			"below %v allowed", record.CustomTypeStart)
-	}
-
-	return tlvRecords, nil
+	return nil
 }
 
 // UnmarshallHopWithPubkey unmarshalls an rpc hop for which the pubkey has
@@ -397,7 +383,7 @@ func UnmarshallCustomRecords(rpcRecords map[uint64][]byte) ([]tlv.Record,
 func UnmarshallHopWithPubkey(rpcHop *lnrpc.Hop, pubkey route.Vertex) (*route.Hop,
 	error) {
 
-	tlvRecords, err := UnmarshallCustomRecords(rpcHop.CustomRecords)
+	err := ValidateCustomRecords(rpcHop.CustomRecords)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -412,7 +398,7 @@ func UnmarshallHopWithPubkey(rpcHop *lnrpc.Hop, pubkey route.Vertex) (*route.Hop
 		AmtToForward:     lnwire.MilliSatoshi(rpcHop.AmtToForwardMsat),
 		PubKeyBytes:      pubkey,
 		ChannelID:        rpcHop.ChanId,
-		TLVRecords:       tlvRecords,
+		CustomRecords:    rpcHop.CustomRecords,
 		LegacyPayload:    !rpcHop.TlvPayload,
 		MPP:              mpp,
 	}, nil
@@ -540,12 +526,11 @@ func (r *RouterBackend) extractIntentFromSendRequest(
 		return nil, errors.New("timeout_seconds must be specified")
 	}
 
-	payIntent.FinalDestRecords, err = UnmarshallCustomRecords(
-		rpcPayReq.DestCustomRecords,
-	)
+	err = ValidateCustomRecords(rpcPayReq.DestCustomRecords)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	payIntent.DestCustomRecords = rpcPayReq.DestCustomRecords
 
 	payIntent.PayAttemptTimeout = time.Second *
 		time.Duration(rpcPayReq.TimeoutSeconds)
diff --git a/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend_test.go b/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend_test.go
index 6e55e5ad8..f6dfc2cce 100644
--- a/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend_test.go
+++ b/lnrpc/routerrpc/router_backend_test.go
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcutil"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwire"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/record"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/route"
-	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/tlv"
 
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnrpc"
 )
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ func testQueryRoutes(t *testing.T, useMissionControl bool, useMsat bool) {
 
 	findRoute := func(source, target route.Vertex,
 		amt lnwire.MilliSatoshi, restrictions *routing.RestrictParams,
-		_ []tlv.Record,
+		_ record.CustomSet,
 		finalExpiry ...uint16) (*route.Route, error) {
 
 		if int64(amt) != amtSat*1000 {
diff --git a/routing/pathfind.go b/routing/pathfind.go
index 3f4f8f603..e8db244a4 100644
--- a/routing/pathfind.go
+++ b/routing/pathfind.go
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/coreos/bbolt"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/channeldb"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwire"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/record"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/route"
-	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/tlv"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ type edgePolicyWithSource struct {
 func newRoute(amtToSend lnwire.MilliSatoshi, sourceVertex route.Vertex,
 	pathEdges []*channeldb.ChannelEdgePolicy, currentHeight uint32,
 	finalCLTVDelta uint16,
-	finalDestRecords []tlv.Record) (*route.Route, error) {
+	destCustomRecords record.CustomSet) (*route.Route, error) {
 
 	var (
 		hops []*route.Hop
@@ -198,8 +198,8 @@ func newRoute(amtToSend lnwire.MilliSatoshi, sourceVertex route.Vertex,
 
 		// If this is the last hop, then we'll populate any TLV records
 		// destined for it.
-		if i == len(pathEdges)-1 && len(finalDestRecords) != 0 {
-			currentHop.TLVRecords = finalDestRecords
+		if i == len(pathEdges)-1 && len(destCustomRecords) != 0 {
+			currentHop.CustomRecords = destCustomRecords
 		}
 
 		hops = append([]*route.Hop{currentHop}, hops...)
diff --git a/routing/payment_session.go b/routing/payment_session.go
index 979b7a7a4..124becbdc 100644
--- a/routing/payment_session.go
+++ b/routing/payment_session.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (p *paymentSession) RequestRoute(payment *LightningPayment,
 	sourceVertex := route.Vertex(ss.SelfNode.PubKeyBytes)
 	route, err := newRoute(
 		payment.Amount, sourceVertex, path, height, finalCltvDelta,
-		payment.FinalDestRecords,
+		payment.DestCustomRecords,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		// TODO(roasbeef): return which edge/vertex didn't work
diff --git a/routing/route/route.go b/routing/route/route.go
index 6858f3b8d..1444b9df2 100644
--- a/routing/route/route.go
+++ b/routing/route/route.go
@@ -107,9 +107,9 @@ type Hop struct {
 	// only be set for the final hop.
 	MPP *record.MPP
 
-	// TLVRecords if non-nil are a set of additional TLV records that
+	// CustomRecords if non-nil are a set of additional TLV records that
 	// should be included in the forwarding instructions for this node.
-	TLVRecords []tlv.Record
+	CustomRecords record.CustomSet
 
 	// LegacyPayload if true, then this signals that this node doesn't
 	// understand the new TLV payload, so we must instead use the legacy
@@ -165,7 +165,8 @@ func (h *Hop) PackHopPayload(w io.Writer, nextChanID uint64) error {
 	}
 
 	// Append any custom types destined for this hop.
-	records = append(records, h.TLVRecords...)
+	tlvRecords := tlv.MapToRecords(h.CustomRecords)
+	records = append(records, tlvRecords...)
 
 	// To ensure we produce a canonical stream, we'll sort the records
 	// before encoding them as a stream in the hop payload.
diff --git a/routing/router.go b/routing/router.go
index 5020aefc4..f157b7bda 100644
--- a/routing/router.go
+++ b/routing/router.go
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwallet/chanvalidate"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwire"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/multimutex"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/record"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/chainview"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/route"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/ticker"
-	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/tlv"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/zpay32"
 )
 
@@ -1401,7 +1401,7 @@ type routingMsg struct {
 // factoring in channel capacities and cumulative fees along the route.
 func (r *ChannelRouter) FindRoute(source, target route.Vertex,
 	amt lnwire.MilliSatoshi, restrictions *RestrictParams,
-	destTlvRecords []tlv.Record,
+	destCustomRecords record.CustomSet,
 	finalExpiry ...uint16) (*route.Route, error) {
 
 	var finalCLTVDelta uint16
@@ -1455,7 +1455,7 @@ func (r *ChannelRouter) FindRoute(source, target route.Vertex,
 	// Create the route with absolute time lock values.
 	route, err := newRoute(
 		amt, source, path, uint32(currentHeight), finalCLTVDelta,
-		destTlvRecords,
+		destCustomRecords,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -1608,11 +1608,11 @@ type LightningPayment struct {
 	// attempting to complete.
 	PaymentRequest []byte
 
-	// FinalDestRecords are TLV records that are to be sent to the final
+	// DestCustomRecords are TLV records that are to be sent to the final
 	// hop in the new onion payload format. If the destination does not
 	// understand this new onion payload format, then the payment will
 	// fail.
-	FinalDestRecords []tlv.Record
+	DestCustomRecords record.CustomSet
 }
 
 // SendPayment attempts to send a payment as described within the passed
diff --git a/rpcserver.go b/rpcserver.go
index 225fdf006..fd2ef044c 100644
--- a/rpcserver.go
+++ b/rpcserver.go
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ import (
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/lnwire"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/macaroons"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/monitoring"
+	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/record"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/routing/route"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/signal"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/sweep"
-	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/tlv"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/watchtower"
 	"github.com/lightningnetwork/lnd/zpay32"
 	"github.com/tv42/zbase32"
@@ -3099,7 +3099,7 @@ type rpcPaymentIntent struct {
 	lastHop           *route.Vertex
 	payReq            []byte
 
-	destTLV []tlv.Record
+	destCustomRecords record.CustomSet
 
 	route *route.Route
 }
@@ -3158,12 +3158,13 @@ func (r *rpcServer) extractPaymentIntent(rpcPayReq *rpcPaymentRequest) (rpcPayme
 	}
 	payIntent.cltvLimit = cltvLimit
 
-	payIntent.destTLV, err = routerrpc.UnmarshallCustomRecords(
+	err = routerrpc.ValidateCustomRecords(
 		rpcPayReq.DestCustomRecords,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
 		return payIntent, err
 	}
+	payIntent.destCustomRecords = rpcPayReq.DestCustomRecords
 
 	validateDest := func(dest route.Vertex) error {
 		if rpcPayReq.AllowSelfPayment {
@@ -3348,7 +3349,7 @@ func (r *rpcServer) dispatchPaymentIntent(
 			LastHop:           payIntent.lastHop,
 			PaymentRequest:    payIntent.payReq,
 			PayAttemptTimeout: routing.DefaultPayAttemptTimeout,
-			FinalDestRecords:  payIntent.destTLV,
+			DestCustomRecords: payIntent.destCustomRecords,
 		}
 
 		preImage, route, routerErr = r.server.chanRouter.SendPayment(