diff --git a/docs/release.rst b/docs/release.rst
index bfb4c387..78687d49 100644
--- a/docs/release.rst
+++ b/docs/release.rst
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ Release notes
 * Handle (new) buffer protocol conforming types in ``Pickle.decode``.
   (by :user:`John Kirkham <jakirkham>`, :issue:`143`).
 
+* Fix other ``VLen*`` encode() methods to return numpy arrays as well.
+  By :user:`John Kirkham <jakirkham>`, :issue:`144`.
+
 
 .. _release_0.6.1:
 
diff --git a/numcodecs/vlen.c b/numcodecs/vlen.c
index 06ec4314..6163b905 100644
--- a/numcodecs/vlen.c
+++ b/numcodecs/vlen.c
@@ -4315,7 +4315,7 @@ static PyObject *__pyx_pf_9numcodecs_4vlen_9VLenBytes_2encode(CYTHON_UNUSED PyOb
  *             memcpy(data, encv, l)
  *             data += l             # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
  * 
- *         return out
+ *         return ensure_ndarray(out)
  */
     __pyx_v_data = (__pyx_v_data + __pyx_v_l);
   }
@@ -4323,13 +4323,30 @@ static PyObject *__pyx_pf_9numcodecs_4vlen_9VLenBytes_2encode(CYTHON_UNUSED PyOb
   /* "numcodecs/vlen.pyx":261
  *             data += l
  * 
- *         return out             # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+ *         return ensure_ndarray(out)             # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
  * 
  *     @cython.wraparound(False)
  */
   __Pyx_XDECREF(__pyx_r);
-  __Pyx_INCREF(__pyx_v_out);
-  __pyx_r = __pyx_v_out;
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   /* "numcodecs/vlen.pyx":212
@@ -5808,7 +5825,7 @@ static PyObject *__pyx_pf_9numcodecs_4vlen_9VLenArray_6encode(CYTHON_UNUSED PyOb
  *             data += l
  *             value_buffer.release()             # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
  * 
- *         return out
+ *         return ensure_ndarray(out)
  */
     __pyx_t_1 = ((struct __pyx_vtabstruct_9numcodecs_10compat_ext_Buffer *)__pyx_v_value_buffer->__pyx_vtab)->release(__pyx_v_value_buffer, 0); if (unlikely(!__pyx_t_1)) __PYX_ERR(0, 406, __pyx_L1_error)
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@@ -5818,13 +5835,30 @@ static PyObject *__pyx_pf_9numcodecs_4vlen_9VLenArray_6encode(CYTHON_UNUSED PyOb
   /* "numcodecs/vlen.pyx":408
  *             value_buffer.release()
  * 
- *         return out             # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+ *         return ensure_ndarray(out)             # <<<<<<<<<<<<<<
  * 
  *     @cython.wraparound(False)
  */
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+  __Pyx_XDECREF(__pyx_t_3); __pyx_t_3 = 0;
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   /* "numcodecs/vlen.pyx":350
diff --git a/numcodecs/vlen.pyx b/numcodecs/vlen.pyx
index 5cc90490..02c4cdde 100644
--- a/numcodecs/vlen.pyx
+++ b/numcodecs/vlen.pyx
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ class VLenBytes(Codec):
             memcpy(data, encv, l)
             data += l
 
-        return out
+        return ensure_ndarray(out)
 
     @cython.wraparound(False)
     @cython.boundscheck(False)
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ class VLenArray(Codec):
             data += l
             value_buffer.release()
 
-        return out
+        return ensure_ndarray(out)
 
     @cython.wraparound(False)
     @cython.boundscheck(False)