diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 08f4ddf..cfbe4ba 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ edition = "2021"
 crossterm = { version = "0.26.1", optional = true}
 openssh = { version = "0.9.9", features = ["native-mux"], default-features = false, optional = true}
 ratatui = { version = "0.20.1", optional = true}
-serde = { version = "1.0.159", features = ["derive"] }
+serde = { version = "1.0.159", features = ["derive"], optional = true }
 serde_json = { version = "1.0.95", optional = true}
 structopt = { version = "0.3.26", optional = true}
 tokio = { version = "1.27.0", features = ["rt"], optional = true}
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ tempfile = "3.5.0"
 [features]
 default = ["database-json", "library-beets"]
 bin = ["structopt"]
-database-json = ["serde_json"]
+database-json = ["serde", "serde_json"]
 library-beets = []
 ssh-library = ["openssh", "tokio"]
 tui = ["crossterm", "ratatui"]