diff --git a/src/dobjtype.cpp b/src/dobjtype.cpp
index b9ad1e57d..bca6d7f10 100644
--- a/src/dobjtype.cpp
+++ b/src/dobjtype.cpp
@@ -2280,25 +2280,6 @@ PMap *NewMap(PType *keytype, PType *valuetype)
 
 IMPLEMENT_CLASS(PStruct, false, false)
 
-//==========================================================================
-//
-// WriteFields
-//
-//==========================================================================
-
-static void WriteFields(FSerializer &ar, const void *addr, const TArray<PField *> &fields)
-{
-	for (unsigned i = 0; i < fields.Size(); ++i)
-	{
-		const PField *field = fields[i];
-		// Skip fields without or with native serialization
-		if (!(field->Flags & (VARF_Transient | VARF_Meta)))
-		{
-			field->Type->WriteValue(ar, field->SymbolName.GetChars(), (const uint8_t *)addr + field->Offset);
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // PStruct - Default Constructor
@@ -2369,7 +2350,7 @@ void PStruct::WriteValue(FSerializer &ar, const char *key,const void *addr) cons
 {
 	if (ar.BeginObject(key))
 	{
-		WriteFields(ar, addr, Fields);
+		Symbols.WriteFields(ar, addr);
 		ar.EndObject();
 	}
 }
@@ -2642,7 +2623,7 @@ static void RecurseWriteFields(const PClass *type, FSerializer &ar, const void *
 				key.Format("class:%s", type->TypeName.GetChars());
 				if (ar.BeginObject(key.GetChars()))
 				{
-					WriteFields(ar, addr, type->Fields);
+					type->Symbols.WriteFields(ar, addr);
 					ar.EndObject();
 				}
 				break;
diff --git a/src/scripting/symbols.cpp b/src/scripting/symbols.cpp
index 8b641ac55..57b520113 100644
--- a/src/scripting/symbols.cpp
+++ b/src/scripting/symbols.cpp
@@ -265,11 +265,35 @@ PField *PSymbolTable::AddField(FName name, PType *type, uint32_t flags, unsigned
 	return field;
 }
 
+//==========================================================================
+//
+// PClass :: WriteFields
+//
+//==========================================================================
+
+void PSymbolTable::WriteFields(FSerializer &ar, const void *addr, const void *def) const
+{
+	auto it = MapType::ConstIterator(Symbols);
+	MapType::ConstPair *pair;
+
+	while (it.NextPair(pair))
+	{
+		const PField *field = dyn_cast<PField>(pair->Value);
+		// Skip fields without or with native serialization
+		if (field && !(field->Flags & (VARF_Transient | VARF_Meta)))
+		{
+			// todo: handle defaults in WriteValue
+			//auto defp = def == nullptr ? nullptr : (const uint8_t *)def + field->Offset;
+			field->Type->WriteValue(ar, field->SymbolName.GetChars(), (const uint8_t *)addr + field->Offset);
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 // PClass :: ReadFields
 //
-// This will need some changes later.
 //==========================================================================
 
 bool PSymbolTable::ReadFields(FSerializer &ar, void *addr, const char *TypeName) const
diff --git a/src/scripting/symbols.h b/src/scripting/symbols.h
index f21ec749e..bc9053cb3 100644
--- a/src/scripting/symbols.h
+++ b/src/scripting/symbols.h
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@ struct PSymbolTable
 	PSymbol *AddSymbol (PSymbol *sym);
 	PField *AddField(FName name, PType *type, uint32_t flags, unsigned &Size, unsigned *Align = nullptr);
 	bool ReadFields(FSerializer &ar, void *addr, const char *TypeName) const;
+	void WriteFields(FSerializer &ar, const void *addr, const void *def = nullptr) const;
 
 	// Similar to AddSymbol but always succeeds. Returns the symbol that used
 	// to be in the table with this name, if any.