This disclosure relates to systems and methods for managing protected electronic content that employ relatively efficient messaging schemes. Rights management architectures are described that may, among other things, provide end-to-end protection of content keys from their point of origination at a content creator and/or content service to end user devices. Certain embodiments may further provide for message protocols where fewer messages are sent in connection with a protected content license request process, thereby reducing latency associated with license request and provisioning processes.