diff --git a/lib/active_model/serializer.rb b/lib/active_model/serializer.rb
index 5e3477905..45e929ed5 100644
--- a/lib/active_model/serializer.rb
+++ b/lib/active_model/serializer.rb
@@ -366,9 +366,10 @@ def associations(include_directive = ActiveModelSerializers.default_include_dire
     def serializable_hash(adapter_options = nil, options = {}, adapter_instance = self.class.serialization_adapter_instance)
       adapter_options ||= {}
       options[:include_directive] ||= ActiveModel::Serializer.include_directive_from_options(adapter_options)
-      if (fieldset = adapter_options[:fieldset])
-        options[:fields] = fieldset.fields_for(json_key)
-      end
+
+      fieldset = adapter_options[:fieldset]
+      options[:fields] = fieldset.fields_for(json_key) if fieldset
+
       resource = attributes_hash(adapter_options, options, adapter_instance)
       relationships = associations_hash(adapter_options, options, adapter_instance)
       resource.merge(relationships)
diff --git a/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/attributes.rb b/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/attributes.rb
index 3372e2be8..ff9fedd64 100644
--- a/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/attributes.rb
+++ b/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/attributes.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,10 @@ module Adapter
     class Attributes < Base
       def initialize(*)
         super
-        instance_options[:fieldset] ||= ActiveModel::Serializer::Fieldset.new(fields_to_fieldset(instance_options.delete(:fields)))
+
+        fields = instance_options.delete(:fields)
+        fieldset = fields_to_fieldset(fields)
+        instance_options[:fieldset] = ActiveModel::Serializer::Fieldset.new(fieldset) if fieldset
       end
 
       def serializable_hash(options = nil)
@@ -19,9 +22,11 @@ def serializable_hash(options = nil)
       private
 
       def fields_to_fieldset(fields)
-        return fields if fields.nil?
+        return if fields.nil?
+
         resource_fields = []
         relationship_fields = {}
+
         fields.each do |field|
           case field
           when Symbol, String then resource_fields << field
@@ -29,6 +34,7 @@ def fields_to_fieldset(fields)
           else fail ArgumentError, "Unknown conversion of fields to fieldset: '#{field.inspect}' in '#{fields.inspect}'"
           end
         end
+
         relationship_fields.merge!(serializer.json_key.to_sym => resource_fields)
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/json_api.rb b/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/json_api.rb
index 83c75ea82..187319ed5 100644
--- a/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/json_api.rb
+++ b/lib/active_model_serializers/adapter/json_api.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ def self.fragment_cache(cached_hash, non_cached_hash, root = true)
       def initialize(serializer, options = {})
         super
         @include_directive = JSONAPI::IncludeDirective.new(options[:include], allow_wildcard: true)
-        @fieldset = options[:fieldset] || ActiveModel::Serializer::Fieldset.new(options.delete(:fields))
+        option_fields = options.delete(:fields)
+        @fieldset = ActiveModel::Serializer::Fieldset.new(option_fields) if option_fields
       end
 
       # {http://jsonapi.org/format/#crud Requests are transactional, i.e. success or failure}
@@ -348,7 +349,8 @@ def data_for(serializer, include_slice)
         data.tap do |resource_object|
           next if resource_object.nil?
           # NOTE(BF): the attributes are cached above, separately from the relationships, below.
-          requested_associations = fieldset.fields_for(resource_object[:type]) || '*'
+          requested_fields = fieldset && fieldset.fields_for(resource_object[:type])
+          requested_associations = requested_fields || '*'
           relationships = relationships_for(serializer, requested_associations, include_slice)
           resource_object[:relationships] = relationships if relationships.any?
         end