diff --git a/dbus.cabal b/dbus.cabal
--- a/dbus.cabal
+++ b/dbus.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: dbus
-version: 1.3.11
+version: 1.4.0
 license: Apache-2.0
 license-file: license.txt
 author: John Millikin <john@john-millikin.com>
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@
     , parsec < 3.2
     , random < 1.4
     , split < 0.3
-    , template-haskell >= 2.18 && < 2.23
+    , template-haskell >= 2.18 && < 2.24
     , text < 2.2
     , th-lift < 0.9
     , transformers < 0.7
diff --git a/lib/DBus/Client.hs b/lib/DBus/Client.hs
--- a/lib/DBus/Client.hs
+++ b/lib/DBus/Client.hs
@@ -897,7 +897,7 @@
                                  , methodErrorSender = sender
                                  } $ fromVariant variant
 
--- | Retrieve a property using the method call parameters that were provided.
+-- | Like `getPropertyValue`, but returns the value as a 'Variant'.
 --
 -- Throws a 'ClientError' if the property request couldn't be sent.
 getProperty :: Client -> MethodCall -> IO (Either MethodError Variant)
@@ -913,10 +913,19 @@
                                        ]
                     }
 
+-- | Get a property using the standard @\"org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Get\"@ method.
+-- The interface and property name are given by the 'methodCallInterface' and 'methodCallMember'
+-- fields of the supplied 'MethodCall'.  This function handles properties of fixed type.  For
+-- properties of varying types, use 'getProperty'.
+--
+-- Throws a 'ClientError' if the property request couldn't be sent.
 getPropertyValue :: IsValue a => Client -> MethodCall -> IO (Either MethodError a)
 getPropertyValue client msg =
   (>>= unpackVariant msg) <$> getProperty client msg
 
+-- | Like 'setPropertyValue', but expects the new value to be wrapped in a 'Variant'.
+--
+-- Throws a 'ClientError' if the property request couldn't be sent.
 setProperty :: Client -> MethodCall -> Variant -> IO (Either MethodError MethodReturn)
 setProperty client
             msg@MethodCall { methodCallInterface = interface
@@ -927,10 +936,15 @@
                   , methodCallBody =
                     [ toVariant (coerce (orDefaultInterface interface) :: String)
                     , toVariant (coerce member :: String)
-                    , value
+                    , toVariant value
                     ]
                   }
 
+-- | Set a property using the standard @\"org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties.Set\"@ method.
+-- The interface and property name are given by the 'methodCallInterface' and 'methodCallMember'
+-- fields of the supplied 'MethodCall'.  See `setProperty` for a version that accepts a 'Variant'.
+--
+-- Throws a 'ClientError' if the property request couldn't be sent.
 setPropertyValue
   :: IsValue a
   => Client -> MethodCall -> a -> IO (Maybe MethodError)