diff --git a/contrib/msggen/msggen/model.py b/contrib/msggen/msggen/model.py
index 2acc589a484f..1d887e018d1e 100644
--- a/contrib/msggen/msggen/model.py
+++ b/contrib/msggen/msggen/model.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.added = added
         self.deprecated = deprecated
         self.required = False
+        self.parent: Optional["Field"] = None
 
     @property
     def name(self):
@@ -117,6 +118,8 @@ def __init__(
         )
         self.typename = typename
         self.fields = fields
+        for f in self.fields:
+            f.parent = self
 
     @classmethod
     def from_js(cls, js, path):
@@ -315,11 +318,12 @@ def __str__(self):
 
 
 class ArrayField(Field):
-    def __init__(self, itemtype, dims, path, description, added, deprecated):
+    def __init__(self, itemtype: Field, dims, path, description, added, deprecated):
         Field.__init__(self, path, description, added=added, deprecated=deprecated)
         self.itemtype = itemtype
         self.dims = dims
         self.path = path
+        self.itemtype.parent = self
 
     @classmethod
     def from_js(cls, path, js):
@@ -357,9 +361,11 @@ def from_js(cls, path, js):
 
 
 class Command:
-    def __init__(self, name, fields):
+    def __init__(self, name, fields: List[Field]):
         self.name = name
         self.fields = fields
+        for f in fields:
+            f.parent = self
 
     def __str__(self):
         fieldnames = ",".join([f.path.split(".")[-1] for f in self.fields])
diff --git a/contrib/msggen/msggen/patch.py b/contrib/msggen/msggen/patch.py
index 63250e037aba..c224eea33bc4 100644
--- a/contrib/msggen/msggen/patch.py
+++ b/contrib/msggen/msggen/patch.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from abc import ABC
 from msggen import model
+import logging
+
 
 class Patch(ABC):
     """A patch that can be applied to an in-memory model
@@ -130,3 +132,77 @@ def visit(self, f: model.Field) -> None:
 
         if f.deprecated and self.versions.index(f.deprecated) < idx[1]:
             f.optional = True
+
+class ParentAnnotation(Patch):
+    """Annotate each field with its parent if there is one.
+    """
+    def visit(self, field: model.Field) -> None:
+        if isinstance(field, model.CompositeField):
+            for f in field.fields:
+                f.parent = field
+
+
+class GrpcNumberingPatch(Patch):
+    """GRPC uses fixed numberings for its field, annotate the model
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, meta) -> None:
+        """Create a patch that can annotate `added` and `deprecated`
+        """
+        self.meta = meta
+        self.logger = logging.getLogger("msggen.patch.GrpcNumberingPatch")
+
+    def visit(self, f: model.Field) -> None:
+        if not f.parent:
+            return
+
+        # Our number is stored in the context of our parent, hence
+        # this lookup here.
+        typename = f.parent.typename
+        if isinstance(f, model.EnumField):
+            for v in f.variants:
+                self.visit_variant(typename, v)
+        else:
+            f.grpc_id = self.field2number(typename, f)
+
+    def visit_variant(self, typename, v):
+        v.grpc_id = self.enumvar2number(typename, v)
+
+    def field2number(self, message_name, field):
+        m = self.meta['grpc-field-map']
+        # Ensure new types are actually added to the map
+        if message_name not in m:
+            m[message_name] = {}
+        m = m[message_name]
+
+        # Simple case first: if we've already assigned a number let's
+        # reuse that
+        if field.path in m:
+            return m[field.path]
+
+        # Now let's find the highest number we have in the parent
+        # context
+        maxnum = max([0] + list(m.values()))
+        m[field.path] = maxnum + 1
+        self.logger.warn(f"Assigning new field number to {field.path} => {m[field.path]}")
+        return m[field.path]
+
+    def enumvar2number(self, typename, variant):
+        """Find an existing variant number of generate a new one.
+
+        If we don't have a variant number yet we'll just take the
+        largest one assigned so far and increment it by 1.  """
+        m = self.meta['grpc-enum-map']
+        variant = str(variant)
+        if typename not in m:
+            m[typename] = {}
+
+        variants = m[typename]
+        if variant in variants:
+            return variants[variant]
+
+        # Now find the maximum and increment once
+        n = max(variants.values()) if len(variants) else -1
+
+        m[typename][variant] = n + 1
+        return m[typename][variant]