diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 398f0d7e..d195fa0e 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -153,23 +153,13 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "bincode"
-version = "2.0.0-rc.3"
+version = "1.3.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f11ea1a0346b94ef188834a65c068a03aec181c94896d481d7a0a40d85b0ce95"
+checksum = "b1f45e9417d87227c7a56d22e471c6206462cba514c7590c09aff4cf6d1ddcad"
 dependencies = [
- "bincode_derive",
  "serde",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "bincode_derive"
-version = "2.0.0-rc.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "7e30759b3b99a1b802a7a3aa21c85c3ded5c28e1c83170d82d70f08bbf7f3e4c"
-dependencies = [
- "virtue",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "bitflags"
 version = "1.3.2"
@@ -533,6 +523,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "pin-project",
  "rand",
  "repc",
+ "serde",
  "shaderc",
  "smallvec",
  "thiserror",
@@ -545,6 +536,7 @@ version = "0.1.0"
 dependencies = [
  "bincode",
  "log",
+ "serde",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1057,12 +1049,6 @@ version = "0.9.4"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "49874b5167b65d7193b8aba1567f5c7d93d001cafc34600cee003eda787e483f"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "virtue"
-version = "0.0.13"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "9dcc60c0624df774c82a0ef104151231d37da4962957d691c011c852b2473314"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "wasi"
 version = "0.11.0+wasi-snapshot-preview1"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index cfad0d4a..56098442 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ once_cell = "1.19.0"
 rand = "0.8.5"
 smallvec = { version = "1.11.1", features = ["const_generics", "const_new", "union"] }
 byteorder = "1.5.0"
-bincode = "2.0.0-rc.3"
+bincode = "1.3.3"
 jay-config = { path = "jay-config" }
 default-config = { path = "default-config" }
 algorithms = { path = "algorithms" }
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ indexmap = "2.2.0"
 ash = "0.37.3"
 gpu-alloc = "0.6.0"
 gpu-alloc-ash = "0.6.0"
+serde = { version = "1.0.196", features = ["derive"] }
 
 [build-dependencies]
 repc = "0.1.1"
diff --git a/jay-config/Cargo.toml b/jay-config/Cargo.toml
index 88c4e7a9..773dff34 100644
--- a/jay-config/Cargo.toml
+++ b/jay-config/Cargo.toml
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@ license = "GPL-3.0-only"
 description = "Configuration crate for the Jay compositor"
 
 [dependencies]
-bincode = "2.0.0-rc.1"
+bincode = "1.3.3"
+serde = { version = "1.0.196", features = ["derive"] }
 log = "0.4.14"
diff --git a/jay-config/src/_private.rs b/jay-config/src/_private.rs
index 9502e65b..d85d10c5 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/_private.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/_private.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ pub mod client;
 pub mod ipc;
 mod logging;
 
-use std::marker::PhantomData;
+use {bincode::Options, std::marker::PhantomData};
 
 pub const VERSION: u32 = 1;
 
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ pub struct ConfigEntryGen<T> {
 
 impl<T: Config> ConfigEntryGen<T> {}
 
-pub fn bincode_ops() -> impl bincode::config::Config {
-    bincode::config::standard()
-        .with_fixed_int_encoding()
+pub fn bincode_ops() -> impl Options {
+    bincode::DefaultOptions::new()
+        .with_fixint_encoding()
         .with_little_endian()
         .with_no_limit()
 }
diff --git a/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs b/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs
index 8da2c089..62ba9511 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/_private/client.rs
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ use {
         },
         Axis, Direction, ModifiedKeySym, PciId, Workspace,
     },
+    bincode::Options,
     std::{
         cell::{Cell, RefCell},
         collections::{hash_map::Entry, HashMap},
@@ -171,7 +172,7 @@ impl Client {
     fn send(&self, msg: &ClientMessage) {
         let mut buf = self.bufs.borrow_mut().pop().unwrap_or_default();
         buf.clear();
-        bincode::encode_into_std_write(msg, &mut buf, bincode_ops()).unwrap();
+        bincode_ops().serialize_into(&mut buf, msg).unwrap();
         unsafe {
             (self.srv_handler)(self.srv_data, buf.as_ptr(), buf.len());
         }
@@ -700,8 +701,8 @@ impl Client {
     }
 
     fn handle_msg(&self, msg: &[u8]) {
-        let res = bincode::borrow_decode_from_slice::<ServerMessage, _>(msg, bincode_ops());
-        let (msg, _) = match res {
+        let res = bincode_ops().deserialize::<ServerMessage>(msg);
+        let msg = match res {
             Ok(msg) => msg,
             Err(e) => {
                 let msg = format!("could not deserialize message: {}", e);
@@ -787,7 +788,7 @@ impl Client {
     }
 
     fn handle_init_msg(&self, msg: &[u8]) {
-        let (init, _) = match bincode::decode_from_slice::<InitMessage, _>(msg, bincode_ops()) {
+        let init = match bincode_ops().deserialize::<InitMessage>(msg) {
             Ok(m) => m,
             Err(e) => {
                 let msg = format!("could not deserialize message: {}", e);
diff --git a/jay-config/src/_private/ipc.rs b/jay-config/src/_private/ipc.rs
index 7becf1de..dfa05d82 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/_private/ipc.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/_private/ipc.rs
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ use {
         video::{connector_type::ConnectorType, Connector, DrmDevice, GfxApi},
         Axis, Direction, PciId, Workspace,
     },
-    bincode::{BorrowDecode, Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::time::Duration,
 };
 
-#[derive(Encode, BorrowDecode, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub enum ServerMessage {
     Configure {
         reload: bool,
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ pub enum ServerMessage {
     DevicesEnumerated,
 }
 
-#[derive(Encode, BorrowDecode, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub enum ClientMessage<'a> {
     Reload,
     Quit,
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ pub enum ClientMessage<'a> {
     },
 }
 
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub enum Response {
     None,
     GetSeats {
@@ -442,10 +442,10 @@ pub enum Response {
     },
 }
 
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub enum InitMessage {
     V1(V1InitMessage),
 }
 
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub struct V1InitMessage {}
diff --git a/jay-config/src/input.rs b/jay-config/src/input.rs
index 1eaa2ca2..5ee9cc3c 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/input.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/input.rs
@@ -9,11 +9,11 @@ use {
         keyboard::Keymap,
         Axis, Direction, ModifiedKeySym, Workspace,
     },
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
 };
 
 /// An input device.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct InputDevice(pub u64);
 
 impl InputDevice {
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ impl InputDevice {
 }
 
 /// A seat.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Seat(pub u64);
 
 impl Seat {
diff --git a/jay-config/src/input/acceleration.rs b/jay-config/src/input/acceleration.rs
index d2661bcd..4b2f067b 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/input/acceleration.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/input/acceleration.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 //!
 //! See the libinput documentation for details.
 
-use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// The acceleration profile of a device.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct AccelProfile(pub u32);
 
 /// A flat acceleration profile.
diff --git a/jay-config/src/input/capability.rs b/jay-config/src/input/capability.rs
index 7482d6c6..7965367d 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/input/capability.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/input/capability.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 //!
 //! See the libinput documentation for the meanings of these constants.
 
-use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// A capability of an input device.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Capability(pub u32);
 
 pub const CAP_KEYBOARD: Capability = Capability(0);
diff --git a/jay-config/src/keyboard/mod.rs b/jay-config/src/keyboard/mod.rs
index 762acfe0..a061840e 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/keyboard/mod.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/keyboard/mod.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 use {
     crate::keyboard::{mods::Modifiers, syms::KeySym},
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::ops::{BitOr, BitOrAssign},
 };
 
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ pub mod mods;
 pub mod syms;
 
 /// A keysym with zero or more modifiers
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct ModifiedKeySym {
     pub mods: Modifiers,
     pub sym: KeySym,
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl BitOrAssign<Modifiers> for ModifiedKeySym {
 }
 
 /// A keymap.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
 pub struct Keymap(pub u64);
 
 impl Keymap {
diff --git a/jay-config/src/keyboard/mods.rs b/jay-config/src/keyboard/mods.rs
index 2f5c1790..80b1dea8 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/keyboard/mods.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/keyboard/mods.rs
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 use {
     crate::{keyboard::syms::KeySym, ModifiedKeySym},
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::ops::{BitAnd, BitAndAssign, BitOr, BitOrAssign},
 };
 
 /// Zero or more keyboard modifiers
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Default, Hash, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Default, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct Modifiers(pub u32);
 
 /// The Shift modifier
diff --git a/jay-config/src/keyboard/syms.rs b/jay-config/src/keyboard/syms.rs
index 63baa548..91556754 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/keyboard/syms.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/keyboard/syms.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 #![allow(non_upper_case_globals)]
 
-use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// A keysym.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct KeySym(pub u32);
 
 pub const SYM_BackSpace: KeySym = KeySym(0xff08);
diff --git a/jay-config/src/lib.rs b/jay-config/src/lib.rs
index 6faf1c1f..c007e646 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/lib.rs
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 
 use {
     crate::keyboard::ModifiedKeySym,
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::fmt::{Debug, Display, Formatter},
 };
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ pub mod timer;
 pub mod video;
 
 /// A planar direction.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Direction {
     Left,
     Down,
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pub enum Direction {
 }
 
 /// A planar axis.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum Axis {
     Horizontal,
     Vertical,
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ pub fn toggle_default_workspace_capture() {
 }
 
 /// A workspace.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Workspace(pub u64);
 
 impl Workspace {
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ pub fn get_workspace(name: &str) -> Workspace {
 /// PCI IDs can be used to identify a hardware component. See the Debian [documentation][pci].
 ///
 /// [pci]: https://wiki.debian.org/HowToIdentifyADevice/PCI
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Debug, Copy, Clone, Hash, Eq, PartialEq, Default)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug, Copy, Clone, Hash, Eq, PartialEq, Default)]
 pub struct PciId {
     pub vendor: u32,
     pub model: u32,
diff --git a/jay-config/src/logging.rs b/jay-config/src/logging.rs
index adde1df6..4acdcfeb 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/logging.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/logging.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@
 //! Note that you can use the `log` crate for logging. All invocations of `log::info` etc.
 //! automatically log into the compositors log.
 
-use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// The log level of the compositor or a log message.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum LogLevel {
     Error,
     Warn,
diff --git a/jay-config/src/theme.rs b/jay-config/src/theme.rs
index eea873df..ce221ffa 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/theme.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/theme.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! Tools for configuring the look of the compositor.
 
-use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 /// A color.
 ///
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
 ///
 /// When using hexadecimal notation, `#RRGGBBAA`, the RGB values are usually straight.
 // values are stored premultiplied
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Debug)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
 pub struct Color {
     r: f32,
     g: f32,
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@ pub fn reset_font() {
 pub mod colors {
     use {
         crate::theme::Color,
-        bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+        serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     };
 
     /// An element of the GUI whose color can be changed.
-    #[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+    #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
     pub struct Colorable(#[doc(hidden)] pub u32);
 
     impl Colorable {
@@ -262,10 +262,10 @@ pub mod colors {
 
 /// Elements of the compositor whose size can be changed.
 pub mod sized {
-    use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
     /// An element of the GUI whose size can be changed.
-    #[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+    #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
     pub struct Resizable(#[doc(hidden)] pub u32);
 
     impl Resizable {
diff --git a/jay-config/src/timer.rs b/jay-config/src/timer.rs
index 926e183a..9953198a 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/timer.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/timer.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 //! Timers for one-time or repeated actions.
 
 use {
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::time::{Duration, SystemTime, UNIX_EPOCH},
 };
 
 /// A timer.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Timer(pub u64);
 
 /// Creates a new timer or returns an existing one.
diff --git a/jay-config/src/video.rs b/jay-config/src/video.rs
index 6d89c33a..0936a836 100644
--- a/jay-config/src/video.rs
+++ b/jay-config/src/video.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use {
         },
         PciId,
     },
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::str::FromStr,
 };
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ impl Mode {
 ///
 /// A connector is the part that sticks out of your graphics card. A graphics card usually
 /// has many connectors but one few of them are actually connected to a monitor.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct Connector(pub u64);
 
 impl Connector {
@@ -286,10 +286,10 @@ impl ToConnectorId for &'_ str {
 
 /// Module containing all known connector types.
 pub mod connector_type {
-    use bincode::{Decode, Encode};
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
     /// The type of a connector.
-    #[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+    #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
     pub struct ConnectorType(pub u32);
 
     pub const CON_UNKNOWN: ConnectorType = ConnectorType(0);
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ pub mod connector_type {
 /// It's easiest to think of a DRM device as a graphics card.
 /// There are also DRM devices that are emulated in software but you are unlikely to encounter
 /// those accidentally.
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub struct DrmDevice(pub u64);
 
 impl DrmDevice {
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ impl DrmDevice {
 
 /// A graphics API.
 #[non_exhaustive]
-#[derive(Encode, Decode, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Copy, Clone, Debug, Hash, Eq, PartialEq)]
 pub enum GfxApi {
     OpenGl,
     Vulkan,
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 04277eeb..5b48c42f 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use {
             unlink_on_drop::UnlinkOnDrop, xrd::xrd,
         },
     },
+    bincode::Options,
     jay_config::{
         _private::{
             bincode_ops,
@@ -175,8 +176,9 @@ impl ConfigProxy {
             timers_by_name: Default::default(),
             timers_by_id: Default::default(),
         });
-        let init_msg =
-            bincode::encode_to_vec(&InitMessage::V1(V1InitMessage {}), bincode_ops()).unwrap();
+        let init_msg = bincode_ops()
+            .serialize(&InitMessage::V1(V1InitMessage {}))
+            .unwrap();
         unsafe {
             let client_data = (entry.init)(
                 Rc::into_raw(data.clone()) as _,
diff --git a/src/config/handler.rs b/src/config/handler.rs
index e4db824e..48020c12 100644
--- a/src/config/handler.rs
+++ b/src/config/handler.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use {
         },
         xkbcommon::{XkbCommonError, XkbKeymap},
     },
-    bincode::error::DecodeError,
+    bincode::Options,
     jay_config::{
         _private::{
             bincode_ops,
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
     pub fn send(&self, msg: &ServerMessage) {
         let mut buf = self.bufs.pop().unwrap_or_default();
         buf.clear();
-        bincode::encode_into_std_write(msg, &mut buf, bincode_ops()).unwrap();
+        bincode_ops().serialize_into(&mut buf, msg).unwrap();
         unsafe {
             (self.handle_msg)(self.client_data.get(), buf.as_ptr(), buf.len());
         }
@@ -1097,11 +1097,10 @@ impl ConfigProxyHandler {
     }
 
     fn handle_request_(self: &Rc<Self>, msg: &[u8]) -> Result<(), CphError> {
-        let (request, _) =
-            match bincode::borrow_decode_from_slice::<ClientMessage, _>(msg, bincode_ops()) {
-                Ok(msg) => msg,
-                Err(e) => return Err(CphError::ParsingFailed(e)),
-            };
+        let request = match bincode_ops().deserialize::<ClientMessage>(msg) {
+            Ok(msg) => msg,
+            Err(e) => return Err(CphError::ParsingFailed(e)),
+        };
         match request {
             ClientMessage::Log {
                 level,
@@ -1367,7 +1366,7 @@ enum CphError {
     #[error("Sized element {0} is not known")]
     UnknownSized(u32),
     #[error("Could not parse the message")]
-    ParsingFailed(#[source] DecodeError),
+    ParsingFailed(#[source] bincode::Error),
     #[error("Could not process a `{0}` request")]
     FailedRequest(&'static str, #[source] Box<Self>),
     #[error(transparent)]
diff --git a/src/forker.rs b/src/forker.rs
index 78f64031..2d6f5ffd 100644
--- a/src/forker.rs
+++ b/src/forker.rs
@@ -17,12 +17,10 @@ use {
         },
         xwayland,
     },
-    bincode::{
-        error::{DecodeError, EncodeError},
-        Decode, Encode,
-    },
+    bincode::Options,
     jay_config::_private::bincode_ops,
     log::Level,
+    serde::{Deserialize, Serialize},
     std::{
         cell::{Cell, RefCell},
         env,
@@ -65,9 +63,9 @@ pub enum ForkerError {
     #[error("Could not write the next message")]
     WriteFailed(#[source] BufFdError),
     #[error("Could not decode the next message")]
-    DecodeFailed(#[source] DecodeError),
+    DecodeFailed(#[source] bincode::Error),
     #[error("Could not encode the next message")]
-    EncodeFailed(#[source] EncodeError),
+    EncodeFailed(#[source] bincode::Error),
     #[error("Could not fork")]
     PidfdForkFailed,
 }
@@ -264,7 +262,7 @@ impl ForkerProxy {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Encode, Decode)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
 enum ServerMessage {
     SetEnv {
         var: Vec<u8>,
@@ -281,7 +279,7 @@ enum ServerMessage {
     },
 }
 
-#[derive(Encode, Decode)]
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
 enum ForkerMessage {
     Log {
         level: usize,
@@ -319,7 +317,7 @@ impl Forker {
                     level: log::Level::Error as _,
                     msg: format!("The ol' forker panicked: {}", pi),
                 };
-                let msg = bincode::encode_to_vec(msg, bincode_ops()).unwrap();
+                let msg = bincode_ops().serialize(&msg).unwrap();
                 let _ = Fd::new(socket).write_all(&msg);
             })
         });
diff --git a/src/forker/io.rs b/src/forker/io.rs
index c4692dab..9ccde81c 100644
--- a/src/forker/io.rs
+++ b/src/forker/io.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use {
-    bincode::{Decode, Encode},
+    bincode::Options,
+    serde::{de::DeserializeOwned, Serialize},
     std::{mem, rc::Rc},
 };
 
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ impl IoIn {
         self.incoming.get_fd().ok()
     }
 
-    pub async fn read_msg<T: Decode>(&mut self) -> Result<T, ForkerError> {
+    pub async fn read_msg<T: DeserializeOwned>(&mut self) -> Result<T, ForkerError> {
         let mut len = 0usize;
         if let Err(e) = self.incoming.read_full(&mut len).await {
             return Err(ForkerError::ReadFailed(e));
@@ -48,11 +49,9 @@ impl IoIn {
         unsafe {
             self.scratch.set_len(len);
         }
-        let res = bincode::decode_from_slice::<T, _>(&self.scratch, bincode_ops());
-        match res {
-            Ok((msg, _)) => Ok(msg),
-            Err(e) => Err(ForkerError::DecodeFailed(e)),
-        }
+        bincode_ops()
+            .deserialize::<T>(&self.scratch)
+            .map_err(ForkerError::DecodeFailed)
     }
 }
 
@@ -75,14 +74,13 @@ impl IoOut {
         self.fds.push(fd);
     }
 
-    pub async fn write_msg<T: Encode>(&mut self, msg: T) -> Result<(), ForkerError> {
+    pub async fn write_msg<T: Serialize>(&mut self, msg: T) -> Result<(), ForkerError> {
         self.scratch.clear();
         self.scratch.extend_from_slice(uapi::as_bytes(&0usize));
-        let res = bincode::encode_into_std_write(&msg, &mut self.scratch, bincode_ops());
-        let len = match res {
-            Ok(l) => l,
-            Err(e) => return Err(ForkerError::EncodeFailed(e)),
-        };
+        bincode_ops()
+            .serialize_into(&mut self.scratch, &msg)
+            .map_err(ForkerError::EncodeFailed)?;
+        let len = self.scratch.len() - mem::size_of_val(&0usize);
         self.scratch[..mem::size_of_val(&len)].copy_from_slice(uapi::as_bytes(&len));
         let mut buf = self.scratch.borrow();
         match self
diff --git a/src/it/test_config.rs b/src/it/test_config.rs
index ebc190e4..0a3428c5 100644
--- a/src/it/test_config.rs
+++ b/src/it/test_config.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use {
         it::test_error::{TestError, TestResult},
         utils::{copyhashmap::CopyHashMap, stack::Stack},
     },
+    bincode::Options,
     isnt::std_1::primitive::IsntConstPtrExt,
     jay_config::{
         _private::{
@@ -76,8 +77,8 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn unref(data: *const u8) {
 unsafe extern "C" fn handle_msg(data: *const u8, msg: *const u8, size: usize) {
     let tc = &*data.cast::<TestConfig>();
     let msg = std::slice::from_raw_parts(msg, size);
-    let res = bincode::borrow_decode_from_slice::<ServerMessage, _>(msg, bincode_ops());
-    let (msg, _) = match res {
+    let res = bincode_ops().deserialize::<ServerMessage>(msg);
+    let msg = match res {
         Ok(msg) => msg,
         Err(e) => {
             log::error!("could not deserialize message: {}", e);
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ impl TestConfig {
             _ => bail!("srv not set"),
         };
         let mut buf = vec![];
-        bincode::encode_into_std_write(msg, &mut buf, bincode_ops()).unwrap();
+        bincode_ops().serialize_into(&mut buf, msg).unwrap();
         unsafe {
             (srv.srv_handler)(srv.srv_data, buf.as_ptr(), buf.len());
         }