diff --git a/src/serializers/type_serializers/dataclass.rs b/src/serializers/type_serializers/dataclass.rs
index 2d7b04598..5b3c425df 100644
--- a/src/serializers/type_serializers/dataclass.rs
+++ b/src/serializers/type_serializers/dataclass.rs
@@ -43,18 +43,17 @@ impl BuildSerializer for DataclassArgsBuilder {
 
             let key_py: Py<PyString> = PyString::new(py, &name).into();
 
-            if field_info.get_as(intern!(py, "init_only"))? == Some(true) {
-                // skip fields that are init_only
-                continue;
-            } else if field_info.get_as(intern!(py, "serialization_exclude"))? == Some(true) {
-                fields.insert(name, SerField::new(py, key_py, None, None, true));
-            } else {
-                let schema = field_info.get_as_req(intern!(py, "schema"))?;
-                let serializer = CombinedSerializer::build(&schema, config, definitions)
-                    .map_err(|e| py_schema_error_type!("Field `{}`:\n  {}", index, e))?;
-
-                let alias = field_info.get_as(intern!(py, "serialization_alias"))?;
-                fields.insert(name, SerField::new(py, key_py, alias, Some(serializer), true));
+            if !field_info.get_as(intern!(py, "init_only"))?.unwrap_or(false) {
+                if field_info.get_as(intern!(py, "serialization_exclude"))? == Some(true) {
+                    fields.insert(name, SerField::new(py, key_py, None, None, true));
+                } else {
+                    let schema = field_info.get_as_req(intern!(py, "schema"))?;
+                    let serializer = CombinedSerializer::build(&schema, config, definitions)
+                        .map_err(|e| py_schema_error_type!("Field `{}`:\n  {}", index, e))?;
+
+                    let alias = field_info.get_as(intern!(py, "serialization_alias"))?;
+                    fields.insert(name, SerField::new(py, key_py, alias, Some(serializer), true));
+                }
             }
         }