diff --git a/mlx/export.cpp b/mlx/export.cpp
index 7c2342864..cad7d9641 100644
--- a/mlx/export.cpp
+++ b/mlx/export.cpp
@@ -55,16 +55,16 @@ constexpr bool is_iterable<
         decltype(std::declval<T>().end())>> = true;
 
 template <template <typename...> class T, typename U>
-struct is_specialization_of : std::false_type {};
+constexpr bool is_specialization_of = false;
 
 template <template <typename...> class T, typename... Us>
-struct is_specialization_of<T, T<Us...>> : std::true_type {};
+constexpr bool is_specialization_of<T, T<Us...>> = true;
 
 template <typename T>
-constexpr bool is_pair = is_specialization_of<std::pair, std::decay_t<T>>{};
+constexpr bool is_pair = is_specialization_of<std::pair, std::decay_t<T>>;
 
 template <typename T>
-constexpr bool is_tuple = is_specialization_of<std::tuple, std::decay_t<T>>{};
+constexpr bool is_tuple = is_specialization_of<std::tuple, std::decay_t<T>>;
 
 template <typename>
 constexpr bool dependent_false = false;
@@ -168,25 +168,6 @@ array deserialize(Reader& is) {
   return array(std::move(shape), type, nullptr, std::vector<array>{});
 }
 
-template <typename T, typename U>
-std::shared_ptr<T> construct_primitive(Stream s, U&& arg) {
-  return std::make_shared<T>(s, std::forward<U>(arg));
-}
-template <typename T, typename... Args>
-std::shared_ptr<T> construct_primitive(Stream s, std::tuple<Args...> args) {
-  auto fn = [s](auto&&... args) {
-    return std::make_shared<T>(s, std::forward<decltype(args)>(args)...);
-  };
-  return std::apply(fn, args);
-}
-template <typename T, typename... Args>
-std::shared_ptr<T> construct_primitive(Stream s, std::pair<Args...> args) {
-  auto fn = [s](auto&&... args) {
-    return std::make_shared<T>(s, std::forward<decltype(args)>(args)...);
-  };
-  return std::apply(fn, args);
-}
-
 template <typename, typename = void>
 constexpr bool has_state = false;
 
@@ -205,7 +186,14 @@ template <typename T>
 std::shared_ptr<T> deserialize_primitive(Reader& is, Stream s) {
   if constexpr (has_state<T>) {
     auto args = deserialize<decltype(std::declval<T>().state())>(is);
-    return construct_primitive<T>(s, args);
+    if constexpr (is_pair<decltype(args)> || is_tuple<decltype(args)>) {
+      auto fn = [s](auto&&... args) {
+        return std::make_shared<T>(s, std::move(args)...);
+      };
+      return std::apply(fn, std::move(args));
+    } else {
+      return std::make_shared<T>(s, std::move(args));
+    }
   } else {
     return std::make_shared<T>(s);
   }