diff --git a/src/common.rs b/src/common.rs
index d3e98a1106c63286875543bd83c8429075bc061e..810d1d29f9a313a7005336f337ad784916cfee61 100644
--- a/src/common.rs
+++ b/src/common.rs
@@ -35,18 +35,6 @@ pub struct PortId {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Ord, PartialOrd)]
 pub struct Payload(Arc<Vec<u8>>);
-impl serde::Serialize for Payload {
-    fn serialize<S>(
-        &self,
-        serializer: S,
-    ) -> std::result::Result<<S as serde::Serializer>::Ok, <S as serde::Serializer>::Error>
-    where
-        S: serde::Serializer,
-    {
-        let inner: &Vec<u8> = &self.0;
-        inner.serialize(serializer)
-    }
-}
 
 /// This is a unique identifier for a channel (i.e., port).
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Hash, Copy, Ord, PartialOrd)]
@@ -61,7 +49,9 @@ pub enum Polarity {
     Getter, // input port (from the perspective of the component)
 }
 
-#[derive(Eq, PartialEq, Ord, PartialOrd, Hash, Copy, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(
+    Eq, PartialEq, Ord, PartialOrd, Hash, Copy, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize,
+)]
 #[repr(C)]
 pub struct Port(pub u32); // ports are COPY
 
@@ -153,6 +143,29 @@ impl Payload {
         me.extend(bytes);
     }
 }
+impl serde::Serialize for Payload {
+    fn serialize<S>(
+        &self,
+        serializer: S,
+    ) -> std::result::Result<<S as serde::Serializer>::Ok, <S as serde::Serializer>::Error>
+    where
+        S: serde::Serializer,
+    {
+        let inner: &Vec<u8> = &self.0;
+        inner.serialize(serializer)
+    }
+}
+impl<'de> serde::Deserialize<'de> for Payload {
+    fn deserialize<D>(
+        deserializer: D,
+    ) -> std::result::Result<Self, <D as serde::Deserializer<'de>>::Error>
+    where
+        D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
+    {
+        let inner: Vec<u8> = Vec::deserialize(deserializer)?;
+        Ok(Self(Arc::new(inner)))
+    }
+}
 impl std::iter::FromIterator<u8> for Payload {
     fn from_iter<I: IntoIterator<Item = u8>>(it: I) -> Self {
         Self(Arc::new(it.into_iter().collect()))
diff --git a/src/protocol/arena.rs b/src/protocol/arena.rs
index e83360611516969e9e1e97dfff8898cea39fb9a3..b26df73d73b1cb9e3cac8f6fd76bf93297753a69 100644
--- a/src/protocol/arena.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/arena.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use core::hash::Hash;
 use core::marker::PhantomData;
 
-#[derive(Debug, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct Id<T> {
     index: u32,
     _phantom: PhantomData<T>,
diff --git a/src/protocol/ast.rs b/src/protocol/ast.rs
index b9878be3d35a35deabb372ceea4df0fc82e40d89..1de74c7b9c77605f21db137a138094e87fd89b53 100644
--- a/src/protocol/ast.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/ast.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ impl ExternalIdentifierId {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
 pub struct TypeAnnotationId(Id<TypeAnnotation>);
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct VariableId(Id<Variable>);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ impl LocalId {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct DefinitionId(Id<Definition>);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ impl PrimitiveId {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct StatementId(Id<Statement>);
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq)]
diff --git a/src/protocol/eval.rs b/src/protocol/eval.rs
index 84d71a8d02bac4d9c786e41763b7158cf1f7f31b..6abae219507a6695ef85228d29e85aa628fca629 100644
--- a/src/protocol/eval.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/eval.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ trait ValueImpl {
     fn is_type_compatible(&self, t: &Type) -> bool;
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub enum Value {
     Input(InputValue),
     Output(OutputValue),
@@ -885,7 +885,7 @@ impl Display for Value {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct InputValue(pub Port);
 
 impl Display for InputValue {
@@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for InputValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct OutputValue(pub Port);
 
 impl Display for OutputValue {
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for OutputValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct MessageValue(pub Option<Payload>);
 
 impl Display for MessageValue {
@@ -970,7 +970,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for MessageValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct BooleanValue(bool);
 
 impl Display for BooleanValue {
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for BooleanValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct ByteValue(i8);
 
 impl Display for ByteValue {
@@ -1027,7 +1027,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for ByteValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct ShortValue(i16);
 
 impl Display for ShortValue {
@@ -1054,7 +1054,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for ShortValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct IntValue(i32);
 
 impl Display for IntValue {
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for IntValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct LongValue(i64);
 
 impl Display for LongValue {
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for LongValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct InputArrayValue(Vec<InputValue>);
 
 impl Display for InputArrayValue {
@@ -1139,7 +1139,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for InputArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct OutputArrayValue(Vec<OutputValue>);
 
 impl Display for OutputArrayValue {
@@ -1173,7 +1173,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for OutputArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct MessageArrayValue(Vec<MessageValue>);
 
 impl Display for MessageArrayValue {
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for MessageArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct BooleanArrayValue(Vec<BooleanValue>);
 
 impl Display for BooleanArrayValue {
@@ -1241,7 +1241,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for BooleanArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct ByteArrayValue(Vec<ByteValue>);
 
 impl Display for ByteArrayValue {
@@ -1275,7 +1275,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for ByteArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct ShortArrayValue(Vec<ShortValue>);
 
 impl Display for ShortArrayValue {
@@ -1309,7 +1309,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for ShortArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct IntArrayValue(Vec<IntValue>);
 
 impl Display for IntArrayValue {
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for IntArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct LongArrayValue(Vec<LongValue>);
 
 impl Display for LongArrayValue {
@@ -1377,7 +1377,7 @@ impl ValueImpl for LongArrayValue {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 struct Store {
     map: HashMap<VariableId, Value>,
 }
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@ pub enum EvalContinuation {
     Put(Value, Value),
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct Prompt {
     definition: DefinitionId,
     store: Store,
diff --git a/src/protocol/mod.rs b/src/protocol/mod.rs
index 948853abb2d906743f90a5f803cb25a5a6a4af03..b8adde87457e2c714fc6cefea8019eab0093d3ee 100644
--- a/src/protocol/mod.rs
+++ b/src/protocol/mod.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ impl ProtocolDescription for ProtocolDescriptionImpl {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
 pub struct ComponentStateImpl {
     prompt: Prompt,
 }