diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index c1c686555..ed0d39170 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ default = [
   "mio-uds",
   "num_cpus",
   "pin-project-lite",
+  "serde",
 ]
 docs = ["attributes", "unstable"]
 unstable = ["default", "broadcaster"]
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ once_cell = { version = "1.2.0", optional = true }
 pin-project-lite = { version = "0.1", optional = true }
 pin-utils = { version = "0.1.0-alpha.4", optional = true }
 slab = { version = "0.4.2", optional = true }
+serde = { version = "1.0.0", optional = true, default-features = false, features = ["derive"] }
 
 [dev-dependencies]
 femme = "1.2.0"
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index ddc6462ca..f015e614b 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -171,6 +171,18 @@
 //! features = ["attributes"]
 //! ```
 //!
+//! When the `serde` feature is enabled, it is possible to use `async_std` types such as [`path::PathBuf`]
+//! within types that are serialized or deserialized using [`serde`] compatible crates.
+//!
+//! [`serde`]: https://serde.rs
+//! [`path::PathBuf`]: path/struct.PathBuf.html
+//!
+//! ```toml
+//! [dependencies.async-std]
+//! version = "1.0.0"
+//! features = ["serde"]
+//! ```
+//!
 //! Additionally it's possible to only use the core traits and combinators by
 //! only enabling the `std` Cargo feature:
 //!
diff --git a/src/path/pathbuf.rs b/src/path/pathbuf.rs
index 56a63a47e..a25a6d5aa 100644
--- a/src/path/pathbuf.rs
+++ b/src/path/pathbuf.rs
@@ -13,14 +13,15 @@ use crate::path::Path;
 use crate::prelude::*;
 #[cfg(feature = "unstable")]
 use crate::stream::{self, FromStream, IntoStream};
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
 
 /// This struct is an async version of [`std::path::PathBuf`].
 ///
 /// [`std::path::Path`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/std/path/struct.PathBuf.html
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(Serialize, Deserialize))]
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Default, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
-pub struct PathBuf {
-    inner: std::path::PathBuf,
-}
+pub struct PathBuf(std::path::PathBuf);
 
 impl PathBuf {
     /// Allocates an empty `PathBuf`.
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// assert_eq!(Path::new("/test"), p.as_path());
     /// ```
     pub fn as_path(&self) -> &Path {
-        self.inner.as_path().into()
+        self.0.as_path().into()
     }
 
     /// Extends `self` with `path`.
@@ -84,7 +85,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// assert_eq!(path, PathBuf::from("/etc"));
     /// ```
     pub fn push<P: AsRef<Path>>(&mut self, path: P) {
-        self.inner.push(path.as_ref())
+        self.0.push(path.as_ref())
     }
 
     /// Truncates `self` to [`self.parent`].
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// assert_eq!(Path::new("/"), p);
     /// ```
     pub fn pop(&mut self) -> bool {
-        self.inner.pop()
+        self.0.pop()
     }
 
     /// Updates [`self.file_name`] to `file_name`.
@@ -138,7 +139,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// assert!(buf == PathBuf::from("/baz.txt"));
     /// ```
     pub fn set_file_name<S: AsRef<OsStr>>(&mut self, file_name: S) {
-        self.inner.set_file_name(file_name)
+        self.0.set_file_name(file_name)
     }
 
     /// Updates [`self.extension`] to `extension`.
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// assert_eq!(Path::new("/feel/the.dark_side"), p.as_path());
     /// ```
     pub fn set_extension<S: AsRef<OsStr>>(&mut self, extension: S) -> bool {
-        self.inner.set_extension(extension)
+        self.0.set_extension(extension)
     }
 
     /// Consumes the `PathBuf`, returning its internal [`OsString`] storage.
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// let os_str = p.into_os_string();
     /// ```
     pub fn into_os_string(self) -> OsString {
-        self.inner.into_os_string()
+        self.0.into_os_string()
     }
 
     /// Converts this `PathBuf` into a [boxed][`Box`] [`Path`].
@@ -191,7 +192,7 @@ impl PathBuf {
     /// [`Box`]: https://doc.rust-lang.org/std/boxed/struct.Box.html
     /// [`Path`]: struct.Path.html
     pub fn into_boxed_path(self) -> Box<Path> {
-        let rw = Box::into_raw(self.inner.into_boxed_path()) as *mut Path;
+        let rw = Box::into_raw(self.0.into_boxed_path()) as *mut Path;
         unsafe { Box::from_raw(rw) }
     }
 }
@@ -223,13 +224,13 @@ impl<T: ?Sized + AsRef<OsStr>> From<&T> for PathBuf {
 
 impl From<OsString> for PathBuf {
     fn from(s: OsString) -> PathBuf {
-        PathBuf { inner: s.into() }
+        PathBuf(s.into())
     }
 }
 
 impl From<PathBuf> for OsString {
     fn from(path_buf: PathBuf) -> OsString {
-        path_buf.inner.into()
+        path_buf.0.into()
     }
 }
 
@@ -265,7 +266,7 @@ impl Deref for PathBuf {
     type Target = Path;
 
     fn deref(&self) -> &Path {
-        Path::new(&self.inner)
+        Path::new(&self.0)
     }
 }
 
@@ -314,7 +315,7 @@ impl From<PathBuf> for Rc<Path> {
 
 impl AsRef<OsStr> for PathBuf {
     fn as_ref(&self) -> &OsStr {
-        self.inner.as_ref()
+        self.0.as_ref()
     }
 }
 
@@ -355,18 +356,18 @@ impl<'b, P: AsRef<Path> + 'b> FromStream<P> for PathBuf {
 
 impl From<std::path::PathBuf> for PathBuf {
     fn from(path: std::path::PathBuf) -> PathBuf {
-        PathBuf { inner: path }
+        PathBuf(path)
     }
 }
 
 impl Into<std::path::PathBuf> for PathBuf {
     fn into(self) -> std::path::PathBuf {
-        self.inner
+        self.0
     }
 }
 
 impl AsRef<std::path::Path> for PathBuf {
     fn as_ref(&self) -> &std::path::Path {
-        self.inner.as_ref()
+        self.0.as_ref()
     }
 }