diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/README.md b/packages/xrpc-server/README.md
index 7c53339bc12..1228b425d2d 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/README.md
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/README.md
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ TypeScript library for implementing [atproto](https://atproto.com) HTTP API serv
 ## Usage
 
 ```typescript
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import * as xrpc from '@atproto/xrpc-server'
 import express from 'express'
 
-// create xrpc server
-const server = xrpc.createServer([
+const lexicons: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.ping',
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ const server = xrpc.createServer([
       },
     },
   },
-])
+]
+
+// create xrpc server
+const server = xrpc.createServer(lexicons)
 
 function ping(ctx: {
   auth: xrpc.HandlerAuth | undefined
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/auth.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/auth.test.ts
index 53f3a6c6d24..bbd202d1024 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/auth.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/auth.test.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import KeyEncoder from 'key-encoder'
 import * as ui8 from 'uint8arrays'
 import { MINUTE } from '@atproto/common'
 import { Secp256k1Keypair } from '@atproto/crypto'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient, XRPCError } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 import {
@@ -15,7 +16,7 @@ import {
   basicAuthHeaders,
 } from './_util'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.authTest',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/bodies.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/bodies.test.ts
index 725146907e2..072299cdcd7 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/bodies.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/bodies.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as http from 'http'
 import { Readable } from 'stream'
 import { gzipSync } from 'zlib'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import { bytesToStream, cidForCbor } from '@atproto/common'
 import { randomBytes } from '@atproto/crypto'
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 import logger from '../src/logger'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.validationTest',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/errors.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/errors.test.ts
index 4703c5231f0..c7781e71907 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/errors.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/errors.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 import xrpc, {
@@ -9,7 +10,7 @@ import xrpc, {
   XRPCInvalidResponseError,
 } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.error',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/ipld.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/ipld.test.ts
index 2c84e8ed5dc..4ba1fec867e 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/ipld.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/ipld.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import { CID } from 'multiformats/cid'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.ipld',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/parameters.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/parameters.test.ts
index a6575f121da..6ab2066ae8f 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/parameters.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/parameters.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.paramTest',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/procedures.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/procedures.test.ts
index 6d4cef19d02..df38fc855f9 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/procedures.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/procedures.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
 import { Readable } from 'stream'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.pingOne',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/queries.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/queries.test.ts
index a80e813ec4e..fd45d812e00 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/queries.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/queries.test.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.pingOne',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/rate-limiter.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/rate-limiter.test.ts
index 09a235a38b9..20610c95688 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/rate-limiter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/rate-limiter.test.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 import { RateLimiter } from '../src'
 import { MINUTE } from '@atproto/common'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.routeLimit',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/responses.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/responses.test.ts
index 0eaccba0633..b61467dca22 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/responses.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/responses.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import * as http from 'http'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc, { ServiceClient } from '@atproto/xrpc'
 import { byteIterableToStream } from '@atproto/common'
 import { createServer, closeServer } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.readableStream',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/subscriptions.test.ts b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/subscriptions.test.ts
index 13b0301ca87..e23cef5e3d4 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc-server/tests/subscriptions.test.ts
+++ b/packages/xrpc-server/tests/subscriptions.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as http from 'http'
 import { WebSocket, WebSocketServer, createWebSocketStream } from 'ws'
 import getPort from 'get-port'
 import { wait } from '@atproto/common'
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import { byFrame, MessageFrame, ErrorFrame, Frame, Subscription } from '../src'
 import {
   createServer,
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ import {
 } from './_util'
 import * as xrpcServer from '../src'
 
-const LEXICONS = [
+const LEXICONS: LexiconDoc[] = [
   {
     lexicon: 1,
     id: 'io.example.streamOne',
diff --git a/packages/xrpc/README.md b/packages/xrpc/README.md
index 31b66e7f32c..17c48c93735 100644
--- a/packages/xrpc/README.md
+++ b/packages/xrpc/README.md
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ TypeScript client library for talking to [atproto](https://atproto.com) services
 ## Usage
 
 ```typescript
+import { LexiconDoc } from '@atproto/lexicon'
 import xrpc from '@atproto/xrpc'
 
-xrpc.addLexicon({
+const pingLexicon: LexiconDoc = {
   lexicon: 1,
   id: 'io.example.ping',
   defs: {
@@ -31,7 +32,8 @@ xrpc.addLexicon({
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
+xrpc.addLexicon(pingLexicon)
 
 const res1 = await xrpc.call('https://example.com', 'io.example.ping', {
   message: 'hello world',
@@ -44,7 +46,7 @@ const res2 = await xrpc
 res2.encoding // => 'application/json'
 res2.body // => {message: 'hello world'}
 
-xrpc.addLexicon({
+const writeJsonLexicon: LexiconDoc = {
   lexicon: 1,
   id: 'io.example.writeJsonFile',
   defs: {
@@ -60,7 +62,8 @@ xrpc.addLexicon({
       },
     },
   },
-})
+}
+xrpc.addLexicon(writeJsonLexicon)
 
 const res3 = await xrpc.service('https://example.com').call(
   'io.example.writeJsonFile',