diff --git a/core/networkpacket.cpp b/core/networkpacket.cpp
index 5da65afa8..ced10f816 100644
--- a/core/networkpacket.cpp
+++ b/core/networkpacket.cpp
@@ -71,32 +71,17 @@ void NetworkPacket::createIdentityPacket(NetworkPacket* np)
     //qCDebug(KDECONNECT_CORE) << "createIdentityPacket" << np->serialize();
 }
 
-template<class T>
-QVariantMap qobject2qvariant(const T* object)
-{
-    QVariantMap map;
-    auto metaObject = T::staticMetaObject;
-    for(int i = metaObject.propertyOffset(); i < metaObject.propertyCount(); ++i) {
-        QMetaProperty prop = metaObject.property(i);
-        map.insert(QString::fromLatin1(prop.name()), prop.readOnGadget(object));
-    }
-
-    return map;
-}
-
 QByteArray NetworkPacket::serialize() const
 {
     //Object -> QVariant
-    //QVariantMap variant;
-    //variant["id"] = mId;
-    //variant["type"] = mType;
-    //variant["body"] = mBody;
-    QVariantMap variant = qobject2qvariant(this);
+    QVariantMap variant;
+    variant.insert(QStringLiteral("id"), m_id);
+    variant.insert(QStringLiteral("type"), m_type);
+    variant.insert(QStringLiteral("body"), m_body);
 
     if (hasPayload()) {
-        //qCDebug(KDECONNECT_CORE) << "Serializing payloadTransferInfo";
-        variant[QStringLiteral("payloadSize")] = payloadSize();
-        variant[QStringLiteral("payloadTransferInfo")] = m_payloadTransferInfo;
+        variant.insert(QStringLiteral("payloadSize"), m_payloadSize);
+        variant.insert(QStringLiteral("payloadTransferInfo"), m_payloadTransferInfo);
     }
 
     //QVariant -> json
diff --git a/tests/networkpackettests.cpp b/tests/networkpackettests.cpp
index 09d57d789..e4e8082ab 100644
--- a/tests/networkpackettests.cpp
+++ b/tests/networkpackettests.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "core/networkpacket.h"
 
 #include <QtTest>
+#include <QBuffer>
 
 QTEST_GUILESS_MAIN(NetworkPacketTests);
 
@@ -78,6 +79,53 @@ void NetworkPacketTests::networkPacketIdentityTest()
 
 }
 
+void NetworkPacketTests::networkPacketPayloadTest()
+{
+    QByteArray json;
+    NetworkPacket np;
+
+    // empty package
+    np = NetworkPacket(QStringLiteral("com.test"));
+    json = np.serialize();
+    qDebug() << json;
+    QVERIFY(!json.contains("\"payloadSize\""));
+    QVERIFY(!json.contains("\"payloadTransferInfo\""));
+
+    // package with payload
+    QByteArray buffer("test data");
+    auto payload = QSharedPointer<QIODevice>(new QBuffer(&buffer, this));
+    np = NetworkPacket(QStringLiteral("com.test"));
+    np.setPayload(payload, buffer.size());
+
+    json = np.serialize();
+    qDebug() << json;
+    QVERIFY(json.contains("\"payloadSize\":9"));
+    QVERIFY(json.contains("\"payloadTransferInfo\""));
+
+    // package with empty payload
+    QByteArray emptyBuffer("test data");
+    auto emptyPayload = QSharedPointer<QIODevice>(new QBuffer(&emptyBuffer, this));
+    np = NetworkPacket(QStringLiteral("com.test"));
+    np.setPayload(emptyPayload, 0);
+
+    json = np.serialize();
+    qDebug() << json;
+    QVERIFY(!json.contains("\"payloadSize\""));
+    QVERIFY(!json.contains("\"payloadTransferInfo\""));
+
+    // incoming package without payload
+    np = NetworkPacket();
+    QVERIFY(NetworkPacket::unserialize(
+        "{\"body\":{},\"id\":\"1578136807254\",\"type\":\"com.test\"}\n", &np));
+    QVERIFY(!np.hasPayload());
+
+    // incoming package without payload (but with payload keys)
+    np = NetworkPacket();
+    QVERIFY(NetworkPacket::unserialize(
+        "{\"body\":{},\"id\":\"1578136807254\",\"payloadSize\":0,\"payloadTransferInfo\":{},\"type\":\"com.test\"}\n", &np));
+    QVERIFY(!np.hasPayload());
+}
+
 void NetworkPacketTests::cleanupTestCase()
 {
     // Called after the last testfunction was executed
diff --git a/tests/networkpackettests.h b/tests/networkpackettests.h
index 0d91d6dde..931161ce0 100644
--- a/tests/networkpackettests.h
+++ b/tests/networkpackettests.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 
     void networkPacketTest();
     void networkPacketIdentityTest();
+    void networkPacketPayloadTest();
     //void networkPacketEncryptionTest();
 
     void cleanupTestCase();