diff --git a/src/bytes.rs b/src/bytes.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..495b2c4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/bytes.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,171 @@
+use std::ops;
+
+use ser;
+use de;
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+/// `Bytes` wraps a `&[u8]` in order to serialize into a byte array.
+pub struct Bytes<'a> {
+    bytes: &'a [u8],
+}
+
+impl<'a, T> From<T> for Bytes<'a> where T: Into<&'a [u8]> {
+    fn from(bytes: T) -> Self {
+        Bytes {
+            bytes: bytes.into(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
+impl<'a> ops::Deref for Bytes<'a> {
+    type Target = [u8];
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &[u8] { self.bytes }
+}
+
+impl<'a> ser::Serialize for Bytes<'a> {
+    #[inline]
+    fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: &mut S) -> Result<(), S::Error>
+        where S: ser::Serializer
+    {
+        serializer.visit_bytes(self.bytes)
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+/// `ByteBuf` wraps a `Vec<u8>` in order to hook into serialize and from deserialize a byte array.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Eq, Hash, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Ord)]
+pub struct ByteBuf {
+    bytes: Vec<u8>,
+}
+
+impl ByteBuf {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        ByteBuf {
+            bytes: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn with_capacity(cap: usize) -> Self {
+        ByteBuf {
+            bytes: Vec::with_capacity(cap)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> From<T> for ByteBuf where T: Into<Vec<u8>> {
+    fn from(bytes: T) -> Self {
+        ByteBuf {
+            bytes: bytes.into(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsRef<Vec<u8>> for ByteBuf {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &Vec<u8> {
+        &self.bytes
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsRef<[u8]> for ByteBuf {
+    fn as_ref(&self) -> &[u8] {
+        &self.bytes
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsMut<Vec<u8>> for ByteBuf {
+    fn as_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Vec<u8> {
+        &mut self.bytes
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsMut<[u8]> for ByteBuf {
+    fn as_mut(&mut self) -> &mut [u8] {
+        &mut self.bytes
+    }
+}
+
+impl Into<Vec<u8>> for ByteBuf {
+    fn into(self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        self.bytes
+    }
+}
+
+impl ops::Deref for ByteBuf {
+    type Target = [u8];
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &[u8] { &self.bytes[..] }
+}
+
+impl ops::DerefMut for ByteBuf {
+    fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut [u8] { &mut self.bytes[..] }
+}
+
+impl ser::Serialize for ByteBuf {
+    fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: &mut S) -> Result<(), S::Error>
+        where S: ser::Serializer
+    {
+        serializer.visit_bytes(&self)
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct ByteBufVisitor;
+
+impl de::Visitor for ByteBufVisitor {
+    type Value = ByteBuf;
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn visit_unit<E>(&mut self) -> Result<ByteBuf, E>
+        where E: de::Error,
+    {
+        Ok(ByteBuf {
+            bytes: Vec::new(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn visit_seq<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<ByteBuf, V::Error>
+        where V: de::SeqVisitor,
+    {
+        let (len, _) = visitor.size_hint();
+        let mut values = Vec::with_capacity(len);
+
+        while let Some(value) = try!(visitor.visit()) {
+            values.push(value);
+        }
+
+        try!(visitor.end());
+
+        Ok(ByteBuf {
+            bytes: values,
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn visit_bytes<E>(&mut self, v: &[u8]) -> Result<ByteBuf, E>
+        where E: de::Error,
+    {
+        self.visit_byte_buf(v.to_vec())
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn visit_byte_buf<E>(&mut self, v: Vec<u8>) -> Result<ByteBuf, E>
+        where E: de::Error,
+    {
+        Ok(ByteBuf {
+            bytes: v,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+impl de::Deserialize for ByteBuf {
+    #[inline]
+    fn deserialize<D>(deserializer: &mut D) -> Result<ByteBuf, D::Error>
+        where D: de::Deserializer
+    {
+        deserializer.visit_bytes(ByteBufVisitor)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/de.rs b/src/de.rs
index 5c4006f0..87d02f85 100644
--- a/src/de.rs
+++ b/src/de.rs
@@ -103,6 +103,16 @@ pub trait Deserializer {
     {
         Err(Error::syntax_error())
     }
+
+    /// The `visit_bytes` method allows a `Deserialize` type to inform the `Deserializer` that it's
+    /// expecting a `Vec<u8>`. This allows deserializers that provide a custom byte vector
+    /// serialization to properly deserialize the type.
+    #[inline]
+    fn visit_bytes<V>(&mut self, visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Self::Error>
+        where V: Visitor,
+    {
+        self.visit(visitor)
+    }
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -247,6 +257,18 @@ pub trait Visitor {
     {
         Err(Error::syntax_error())
     }
+
+    fn visit_bytes<E>(&mut self, _v: &[u8]) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+        where E: Error,
+    {
+        Err(Error::syntax_error())
+    }
+
+    fn visit_byte_buf<E>(&mut self, _v: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Self::Value, E>
+        where E: Error,
+    {
+        Err(Error::syntax_error())
+    }
 }
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -981,7 +1003,7 @@ impl Visitor for PathBufVisitor {
     fn visit_str<E>(&mut self, v: &str) -> Result<path::PathBuf, E>
         where E: Error,
     {
-        Ok(path::PathBuf::new(&v))
+        Ok(From::from(v))
     }
 
     fn visit_string<E>(&mut self, v: String) -> Result<path::PathBuf, E>
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 60257b97..6dc36e14 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#![feature(core, std_misc, unicode)]
+#![feature(convert, core, std_misc, unicode)]
 
 extern crate unicode;
 
@@ -8,3 +8,4 @@ pub use de::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Error};
 pub mod ser;
 pub mod de;
 pub mod json;
+pub mod bytes;
diff --git a/src/ser.rs b/src/ser.rs
index 80887812..a63dd783 100644
--- a/src/ser.rs
+++ b/src/ser.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ pub trait Serializer {
 
     fn visit_f64(&mut self, v: f64) -> Result<(), Self::Error>;
 
+    /// `visit_char` serializes a character. By default it serializes it as a `&str` containing a
+    /// single character.
     #[inline]
     fn visit_char(&mut self, v: char) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
         // The unwraps in here should be safe.
@@ -81,8 +83,16 @@ pub trait Serializer {
         self.visit_str(str::from_utf8(&s[..len]).unwrap())
     }
 
+    /// `visit_str` serializes a `&str`.
     fn visit_str(&mut self, value: &str) -> Result<(), Self::Error>;
 
+    /// `visit_bytes` is a hook that enables those serialization formats that support serializing
+    /// byte slices separately from generic arrays. By default it serializes as a regular array. 
+    #[inline]
+    fn visit_bytes(&mut self, value: &[u8]) -> Result<(), Self::Error> {
+        self.visit_seq(SeqIteratorVisitor::new(value.iter(), Some(value.len())))
+    }
+
     fn visit_unit(&mut self) -> Result<(), Self::Error>;
 
     #[inline]
diff --git a/tests/test_bytes.rs b/tests/test_bytes.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b323069
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_bytes.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,210 @@
+#![feature(convert, custom_derive, plugin, test)]
+#![plugin(serde_macros)]
+
+extern crate test;
+extern crate serde;
+
+use serde::Serialize;
+use serde::bytes::{ByteBuf, Bytes};
+use serde::json;
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#[derive(Debug, PartialEq)]
+struct Error;
+
+impl serde::de::Error for Error {
+    fn syntax_error() -> Error { Error }
+
+    fn end_of_stream_error() -> Error { Error }
+
+    fn missing_field_error(_field: &'static str) -> Error { Error }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+struct BytesSerializer {
+    bytes: Vec<u8>,
+}
+
+impl BytesSerializer {
+    fn new(bytes: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        BytesSerializer {
+            bytes: bytes,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl serde::Serializer for BytesSerializer {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit_unit(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_bool(&mut self, _v: bool) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_i64(&mut self, _v: i64) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_u64(&mut self, _v: u64) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_f32(&mut self, _v: f32) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_f64(&mut self, _v: f64) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_char(&mut self, _v: char) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_str(&mut self, _v: &str) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_none(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_some<V>(&mut self, _value: V) -> Result<(), Error>
+        where V: serde::Serialize,
+    {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_seq<V>(&mut self, _visitor: V) -> Result<(), Error>
+        where V: serde::ser::SeqVisitor,
+    {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_seq_elt<T>(&mut self, _value: T) -> Result<(), Error>
+        where T: serde::Serialize
+    {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_map<V>(&mut self, _visitor: V) -> Result<(), Error>
+        where V: serde::ser::MapVisitor,
+    {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_map_elt<K, V>(&mut self, _key: K, _value: V) -> Result<(), Error>
+        where K: serde::Serialize,
+              V: serde::Serialize,
+    {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_bytes(&mut self, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(), Error> {
+        assert_eq!(self.bytes, bytes);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+struct BytesDeserializer {
+    bytes: Option<Vec<u8>>,
+}
+
+impl BytesDeserializer {
+    fn new(bytes: Vec<u8>) -> Self {
+        BytesDeserializer {
+            bytes: Some(bytes),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl serde::Deserializer for BytesDeserializer {
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn visit<V>(&mut self, _visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: serde::de::Visitor,
+    {
+        Err(Error)
+    }
+
+    fn visit_bytes<V>(&mut self, mut visitor: V) -> Result<V::Value, Error>
+        where V: serde::de::Visitor,
+    {
+        visitor.visit_byte_buf(self.bytes.take().unwrap())
+    }
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#[test]
+fn test_bytes_ser_json() {
+    let buf = vec![];
+    let bytes = Bytes::from(&buf);
+    assert_eq!(json::to_string(&bytes).unwrap(), "[]".to_string());
+
+    let buf = vec![1, 2, 3];
+    let bytes = Bytes::from(&buf);
+    assert_eq!(json::to_string(&bytes).unwrap(), "[1,2,3]".to_string());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_bytes_ser_bytes() {
+    let buf = vec![];
+    let bytes = Bytes::from(&buf);
+    let mut ser = BytesSerializer::new(vec![]);
+    bytes.serialize(&mut ser).unwrap();
+
+    let buf = vec![1, 2, 3];
+    let bytes = Bytes::from(&buf);
+    let mut ser = BytesSerializer::new(vec![1, 2, 3]);
+    bytes.serialize(&mut ser).unwrap();
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_byte_buf_ser_json() {
+    let bytes = ByteBuf::new();
+    assert_eq!(json::to_string(&bytes).unwrap(), "[]".to_string());
+
+    let bytes = ByteBuf::from(vec![1, 2, 3]);
+    assert_eq!(json::to_string(&bytes).unwrap(), "[1,2,3]".to_string());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_byte_buf_ser_bytes() {
+    let bytes = ByteBuf::new();
+    let mut ser = BytesSerializer::new(vec![]);
+    bytes.serialize(&mut ser).unwrap();
+
+    let bytes = ByteBuf::from(vec![1, 2, 3]);
+    let mut ser = BytesSerializer::new(vec![1, 2, 3]);
+    bytes.serialize(&mut ser).unwrap();
+}
+
+///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#[test]
+fn test_byte_buf_de_json() {
+    let bytes = ByteBuf::new();
+    assert_eq!(json::from_str("[]").unwrap(), bytes);
+
+    let bytes = ByteBuf::from(vec![1, 2, 3]);
+    assert_eq!(json::from_str("[1, 2, 3]").unwrap(), bytes);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_byte_buf_de_bytes() {
+    let mut de = BytesDeserializer::new(vec![]);
+    let bytes = serde::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de);
+    assert_eq!(bytes, Ok(ByteBuf::new()));
+
+    let mut de = BytesDeserializer::new(vec![1, 2, 3]);
+    let bytes = serde::Deserialize::deserialize(&mut de);
+    assert_eq!(bytes, Ok(ByteBuf::from(vec![1, 2, 3])));
+}