diff --git a/zcash_client_backend/Cargo.toml b/zcash_client_backend/Cargo.toml
index c499cee436..905f528cdb 100644
--- a/zcash_client_backend/Cargo.toml
+++ b/zcash_client_backend/Cargo.toml
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ rand_core.workspace = true
 base64.workspace = true
 bech32.workspace = true
 bs58.workspace = true
+serde.workspace = true
 
 # - Errors
 bip32 = { workspace = true, optional = true }
@@ -123,7 +124,6 @@ tower = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 http-body-util = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 hyper-util = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 rand = { workspace = true, optional = true }
-serde = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 tokio-rustls = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 webpki-roots = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ tor = [
     "dep:hyper-util",
     "dep:rand",
     "dep:rust_decimal",
-    "dep:serde",
     "dep:serde_json",
     "dep:tokio",
     "dep:tokio-rustls",
diff --git a/zcash_client_backend/src/fees.rs b/zcash_client_backend/src/fees.rs
index fea9424243..e9e2f7fbe6 100644
--- a/zcash_client_backend/src/fees.rs
+++ b/zcash_client_backend/src/fees.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use std::fmt;
 
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use zcash_primitives::{
     consensus::{self, BlockHeight},
     memo::MemoBytes,
@@ -24,10 +25,10 @@ pub mod zip317;
 /// `ChangeValue` represents either a proposed change output to a shielded pool
 /// (with an optional change memo), or if the "transparent-inputs" feature is
 /// enabled, an ephemeral output to the transparent pool.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct ChangeValue(ChangeValueInner);
 
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 enum ChangeValueInner {
     Shielded {
         protocol: ShieldedProtocol,
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ impl ChangeValue {
 /// The amount of change and fees required to make a transaction's inputs and
 /// outputs balance under a specific fee rule, as computed by a particular
 /// [`ChangeStrategy`] that is aware of that rule.
-#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct TransactionBalance {
     proposed_change: Vec<ChangeValue>,
     fee_required: NonNegativeAmount,
diff --git a/zcash_client_backend/src/proposal.rs b/zcash_client_backend/src/proposal.rs
index 3c06be6c45..45899a7fd8 100644
--- a/zcash_client_backend/src/proposal.rs
+++ b/zcash_client_backend/src/proposal.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use nonempty::NonEmpty;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use zcash_primitives::{
     consensus::BlockHeight,
     transaction::{components::amount::NonNegativeAmount, TxId},
@@ -330,14 +331,14 @@ impl<FeeRuleT: Debug, NoteRef> Debug for Proposal<FeeRuleT, NoteRef> {
 }
 
 /// A reference to either a payment or change output within a step.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub enum StepOutputIndex {
     Payment(usize),
     Change(usize),
 }
 
 /// A reference to the output of a step in a proposal.
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct StepOutput {
     step_index: usize,
     output_index: StepOutputIndex,
diff --git a/zcash_client_backend/src/wallet.rs b/zcash_client_backend/src/wallet.rs
index f3bca04baa..3a04aa200c 100644
--- a/zcash_client_backend/src/wallet.rs
+++ b/zcash_client_backend/src/wallet.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 //! light client.
 
 use incrementalmerkletree::Position;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use zcash_address::ZcashAddress;
 use zcash_note_encryption::EphemeralKeyBytes;
 use zcash_primitives::{
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ use crate::fees::orchard as orchard_fees;
 use zcash_primitives::legacy::keys::{NonHardenedChildIndex, TransparentKeyScope};
 
 /// A unique identifier for a shielded transaction output
-#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord)]
+#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 pub struct NoteId {
     txid: TxId,
     protocol: ShieldedProtocol,