diff --git a/src/util/serialize.zig b/src/util/serialize.zig
index 0cf2324..0cc7a05 100644
--- a/src/util/serialize.zig
+++ b/src/util/serialize.zig
@@ -82,39 +82,42 @@ const DynamicField = struct {
 };
 
 pub const SerializationOptions = struct {
-    embed_unions: bool,
     isScalar: fn (type) bool,
 };
 
 pub const default_options = SerializationOptions{
-    .embed_unions = true,
     .isScalar = defaultIsScalar,
 };
 
 fn StaticIntermediary(comptime Result: type, comptime From: type, comptime options: SerializationOptions) type {
     const field_refs = getStaticFieldList(Result, &.{}, options);
 
-    var fields: [field_refs.len + 1]std.builtin.Type.StructField = undefined;
-    for (field_refs) |ref, i| {
-        fields[i] = .{
-            .name = util.comptimeJoin(".", ref),
+    // avert compiler crash by having at least one field
+    var fields = [_]std.builtin.Type.StructField{.{
+        .name = "__dummy",
+        .default_value = &{},
+        .field_type = void,
+        .is_comptime = false,
+        .alignment = 0,
+    }} ** (field_refs.len + 1);
+
+    var count: usize = 1;
+    outer: for (field_refs) |ref| {
+        const name = util.comptimeJoin(".", ref);
+        for (fields[0..count]) |f| if (std.mem.eql(u8, f.name, name)) continue :outer;
+        fields[count] = .{
+            .name = name,
             .field_type = ?From,
             .default_value = &@as(?From, null),
             .is_comptime = false,
             .alignment = @alignOf(?From),
         };
+        count += 1;
     }
 
-    fields[fields.len - 1] = .{
-        .name = "__dummy",
-        .default_value = &1,
-        .field_type = usize,
-        .is_comptime = false,
-        .alignment = @alignOf(usize),
-    };
     return @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
         .layout = .Auto,
-        .fields = &fields,
+        .fields = fields[0..count],
         .decls = &.{},
         .is_tuple = false,
     } });
@@ -123,28 +126,33 @@ fn StaticIntermediary(comptime Result: type, comptime From: type, comptime optio
 fn DynamicIntermediary(comptime Result: type, comptime From: type, comptime options: SerializationOptions) type {
     const field_refs = getDynamicFieldList(Result, &.{}, options);
 
-    var fields: [field_refs.len + 1]std.builtin.Type.StructField = undefined;
-    for (field_refs) |f, i| {
-        const T = std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Intermediary(f.child_type, From, options));
-        fields[i] = .{
-            .name = util.comptimeJoin(".", f.ref),
+    var fields = [_]std.builtin.Type.StructField{.{
+        .name = "__dummy",
+        .default_value = &{},
+        .field_type = void,
+        .is_comptime = false,
+        .alignment = 0,
+    }} ** (field_refs.len + 1);
+
+    var count: usize = 1;
+    outer: for (field_refs) |ref| {
+        const name = util.comptimeJoin(".", ref.ref);
+        for (fields[0..count]) |f| if (std.mem.eql(u8, f.name, name)) continue :outer;
+
+        const T = std.ArrayListUnmanaged(Intermediary(ref.child_type, From, options));
+        fields[count] = .{
+            .name = name,
             .default_value = &T{},
             .field_type = T,
             .is_comptime = false,
             .alignment = @alignOf(T),
         };
+        count += 1;
     }
 
-    fields[fields.len - 1] = .{
-        .name = "__dummy",
-        .default_value = &1,
-        .field_type = usize,
-        .is_comptime = false,
-        .alignment = @alignOf(usize),
-    };
     return @Type(.{ .Struct = .{
         .layout = .Auto,
-        .fields = &fields,
+        .fields = fields[0..count],
         .decls = &.{},
         .is_tuple = false,
     } });