diff --git a/radicle-surf/Cargo.toml b/radicle-surf/Cargo.toml
index a720eed..d32026e 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/Cargo.toml
+++ b/radicle-surf/Cargo.toml
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ test = false
 doctest = false
 
 [features]
-serialize = ["serde"]
 syntax = ["syntect", "lazy_static"]
 # NOTE: testing `test_submodule_failure` on GH actions
 # is painful since it uses this specific repo and expects
@@ -32,7 +31,6 @@ gh-actions = []
 base64 = "0.13"
 log = "0.4"
 nonempty = "0.5"
-serde = { features = ["serde_derive"], optional = true, version = "1" }
 thiserror = "1.0"
 
 [dependencies.git2]
@@ -58,6 +56,11 @@ features = ["serde"]
 version = "0.1.0"
 path = "../radicle-std-ext"
 
+[dependencies.serde]
+version = "1"
+features = ["serde_derive"]
+optional = true
+
 [dependencies.syntect]
 version = "5"
 optional = true
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/diff.rs b/radicle-surf/src/diff.rs
index 855894c..8742734 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/diff.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/diff.rs
@@ -19,16 +19,12 @@
 
 use std::{convert::TryFrom, path::PathBuf, slice};
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{ser, Serialize, Serializer};
 
 pub mod git;
 
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Diff {
     pub created: Vec<CreateFile>,
@@ -44,47 +40,35 @@ impl Default for Diff {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct CreateFile {
     pub path: PathBuf,
     pub diff: FileDiff,
 }
 
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct DeleteFile {
     pub path: PathBuf,
     pub diff: FileDiff,
 }
 
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct MoveFile {
     pub old_path: PathBuf,
     pub new_path: PathBuf,
 }
 
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct CopyFile {
     pub old_path: PathBuf,
     pub new_path: PathBuf,
 }
 
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum EofNewLine {
     OldMissing,
@@ -92,11 +76,7 @@ pub enum EofNewLine {
     BothMissing,
 }
 
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct ModifiedFile {
     pub path: PathBuf,
@@ -106,25 +86,21 @@ pub struct ModifiedFile {
 
 /// A set of changes belonging to one file.
 #[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
+    feature = "serde",
     derive(Serialize),
     serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "camelCase")
 )]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum FileDiff {
     Binary,
-    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
     Plain {
         hunks: Hunks,
     },
 }
 
 /// Statistics describing a particular [`Diff`].
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Stats {
     /// Get the total number of files changed in a diff.
@@ -136,11 +112,7 @@ pub struct Stats {
 }
 
 /// A set of line changes.
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Hunk {
     pub header: Line,
@@ -148,7 +120,7 @@ pub struct Hunk {
 }
 
 /// A set of [`Hunk`]s.
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Hunks(pub Vec<Hunk>);
 
@@ -215,7 +187,7 @@ impl From<String> for Line {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 impl Serialize for Line {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
@@ -230,22 +202,22 @@ impl Serialize for Line {
 /// Single line delta. Two of these are need to represented a modified line: one
 /// addition and one deletion. Context is also represented with this type.
 #[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
+    feature = "serde",
     derive(Serialize),
     serde(tag = "type", rename_all = "camelCase")
 )]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub enum LineDiff {
     /// Line added.
-    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
     Addition { line: Line, line_num: u32 },
 
     /// Line deleted.
-    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
     Deletion { line: Line, line_num: u32 },
 
     /// Line context.
-    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
+    #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
     Context {
         line: Line,
         line_num_old: u32,
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/git/commit.rs b/radicle-surf/src/git/commit.rs
index 97ed8e7..272da9f 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/git/commit.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/git/commit.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use std::{convert::TryFrom, str};
 use git_ext::Oid;
 use thiserror::Error;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{ser::SerializeStruct, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Error)]
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 /// `Author` is the static information of a [`git2::Signature`].
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize, Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord)]
 pub struct Author {
     /// Name of the author.
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ pub struct Author {
     pub email: String,
     /// Time the action was taken, e.g. time of commit.
     #[cfg_attr(
-        feature = "serialize",
+        feature = "serde",
         serde(
             serialize_with = "serialize_time",
             deserialize_with = "deserialize_time"
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ pub struct Author {
     pub time: git2::Time,
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 fn deserialize_time<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<git2::Time, D::Error>
 where
     D: Deserializer<'de>,
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ where
     Ok(git2::Time::new(seconds, 0))
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 fn serialize_time<S>(t: &git2::Time, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
 where
     S: Serializer,
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ impl<'repo> TryFrom<git2::Signature<'repo>> for Author {
 /// `Commit` is the static information of a [`git2::Commit`]. To get back the
 /// original `Commit` in the repository we can use the [`Oid`] to retrieve
 /// it.
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Deserialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Deserialize))]
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord)]
 pub struct Commit {
     /// Object Id
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ impl Commit {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 impl Serialize for Commit {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/git/stats.rs b/radicle-surf/src/git/stats.rs
index 5f0ad79..c2ac38b 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/git/stats.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/git/stats.rs
@@ -17,15 +17,11 @@
 
 pub use radicle_git_ext::Oid;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::Serialize;
 
 /// Stats for a repository
-#[cfg_attr(
-    feature = "serialize",
-    derive(Serialize),
-    serde(rename_all = "camelCase")
-)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize), serde(rename_all = "camelCase"))]
 pub struct Stats {
     /// Number of commits
     pub commits: usize,
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/source/commit.rs b/radicle-surf/src/source/commit.rs
index 109f285..3bb3ce6 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/source/commit.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/source/commit.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 use git_ref_format::RefString;
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{
     ser::{SerializeStruct as _, Serializer},
     Serialize,
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ use crate::{
 use radicle_git_ext::Oid;
 
 /// Commit statistics.
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Stats {
     /// Additions.
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ pub struct Stats {
 }
 
 /// Representation of a changeset between two revs.
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct Commit {
     /// The commit header.
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ impl From<git::Commit> for Header {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 impl Serialize for Header {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ impl Serialize for Header {
 }
 
 /// A selection of commit headers and their statistics.
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize))]
 pub struct Commits {
     /// The commit headers
     pub headers: Vec<Header>,
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/source/object/blob.rs b/radicle-surf/src/source/object/blob.rs
index 24b165f..9c89b4b 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/source/object/blob.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/source/object/blob.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 use std::{path::Path, str};
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{
     ser::{SerializeStruct as _, Serializer},
     Serialize,
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ impl Blob {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 impl Serialize for Blob {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ pub enum BlobContent {
     Binary(Vec<u8>),
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 impl Serialize for BlobContent {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/source/object/tree.rs b/radicle-surf/src/source/object/tree.rs
index 3c83670..c06c416 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/source/object/tree.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/source/object/tree.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 use std::path::Path;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 use serde::{
     ser::{SerializeStruct as _, Serializer},
     Serialize,
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ impl From<TreeEntry> for directory::Entry {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 impl Serialize for TreeEntry {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
diff --git a/radicle-surf/src/source/person.rs b/radicle-surf/src/source/person.rs
index e200715..ad7ceec 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/src/source/person.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/src/source/person.rs
@@ -17,12 +17,9 @@
 
 //! Represents a person in a repo.
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
-use serde::Serialize;
-
 /// Representation of a person (e.g. committer, author, signer) from a
 /// repository. Usually extracted from a signature.
-#[cfg_attr(feature = "serialize", derive(Serialize))]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct Person {
     /// Name part of the commit signature.
diff --git a/radicle-surf/t/Cargo.toml b/radicle-surf/t/Cargo.toml
index efda92d..c9a737b 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/t/Cargo.toml
+++ b/radicle-surf/t/Cargo.toml
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ publish = false
 test = true
 
 [features]
-serialize = []
 test = []
 
 [dev-dependencies]
@@ -37,7 +36,7 @@ path = "../../radicle-git-ext"
 
 [dev-dependencies.radicle-surf]
 path = ".."
-features = ["serialize"]
+features = ["serde", "syntax"]
 
 [dev-dependencies.test-helpers]
 path = "../../test/test-helpers"
diff --git a/radicle-surf/t/src/git.rs b/radicle-surf/t/src/git.rs
index 513583a..1c989d1 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/t/src/git.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/t/src/git.rs
@@ -5,12 +5,10 @@
 
 const GIT_PLATINUM: &str = "../data/git-platinum";
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod branch;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod code_browsing;
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod commit;
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/radicle-surf/t/src/git/commit.rs b/radicle-surf/t/src/git/commit.rs
index ef90cf5..5ad1bed 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/t/src/git/commit.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/t/src/git/commit.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ use radicle_git_ext::Oid;
 use radicle_surf::git::{Author, Commit};
 use test_helpers::roundtrip;
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
 proptest! {
     #[test]
     fn prop_test_commits(commit in commits_strategy()) {
diff --git a/radicle-surf/t/src/git/diff.rs b/radicle-surf/t/src/git/diff.rs
index 1b89d5c..fa00741 100644
--- a/radicle-surf/t/src/git/diff.rs
+++ b/radicle-surf/t/src/git/diff.rs
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ fn test_branch_diff() -> Result<(), Error> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serialize")]
 #[test]
 fn test_diff_serde() {
     use radicle_surf::diff::{Hunks, MoveFile};
diff --git a/test/Cargo.toml b/test/Cargo.toml
index 5e21e10..14761cb 100644
--- a/test/Cargo.toml
+++ b/test/Cargo.toml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ features = ["test"]
 
 [dev-dependencies.radicle-surf-test]
 path = "../radicle-surf/t"
-features = ["serialize", "test"]
+features = ["test"]
 
 [dev-dependencies.git-storage-test]
 path = "../git-storage/t"