diff --git a/src/RuntimeModule.h b/src/RuntimeModule.h
index 8a8f237..46b3897 100644
--- a/src/RuntimeModule.h
+++ b/src/RuntimeModule.h
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ struct module_api {
     /**
      * Called exactly once when the module code is reloaded.
      */
-    void (*reload)(struct module_state *state);
+    void (*reload)(struct module_state *state, void* read_serializer);
 
     /**
      * Called exactly once when the module code is about to be reloaded.
      */
-    void (*unload)(struct module_state *state);
+    void (*unload)(struct module_state *state, void* write_serializer);
 
     /**
      * Called at a regular interval by the main program.
diff --git a/src/RuntimeModuleManager.cc b/src/RuntimeModuleManager.cc
index 842961e..6951f7b 100644
--- a/src/RuntimeModuleManager.cc
+++ b/src/RuntimeModuleManager.cc
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ void RuntimeModuleManager::LoadModule(RuntimeModule* module) {
 					module->state = module->api.init();
 				}
 				std::cout << "Reloading module " << module->name << std::endl;
-				module->api.reload(module->state);
+				module->api.reload(module->state, gReadSerializer);
 			} else {
 				std::cerr << "Error: could not find API for module " << module->name << std::endl;
 				dlclose(module->handle);
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ void RuntimeModuleManager::UnloadModules() {
 
 	for (int i = mModules.size() - 1; i >= 0 ; i--) {
 		if (mModules[i]->handle) {
-			mModules[i]->api.unload(mModules[i]->state);
+			mModules[i]->api.unload(mModules[i]->state, gWriteSerializer);
 			mModules[i]->state = nullptr;
 			dlclose(mModules[i]->handle);
 			mModules[i]->handle = 0;
diff --git a/src/Serializer.h b/src/Serializer.h
index 8e68d3c..6f7da30 100644
--- a/src/Serializer.h
+++ b/src/Serializer.h
@@ -79,7 +79,6 @@ struct ReadSerializer {
 
 		std::ifstream stream(filename, std::ios::binary);
 
-
 		size_t key_size;
 		size_t block_size;
 
diff --git a/src/modules/RenderModule.cc b/src/modules/RenderModule.cc
index 36b1dde..7b26ba4 100644
--- a/src/modules/RenderModule.cc
+++ b/src/modules/RenderModule.cc
@@ -59,6 +59,21 @@ static struct module_state *module_init() {
 	return state;
 }
 
+template <typename Serializer>
+static void module_serialize (
+		struct module_state *state,
+		Serializer* serializer) {
+	// get the state from the serializer
+	Camera* camera = &gRenderer->cameras[gRenderer->activeCameraIndex];
+	assert (camera != nullptr);
+
+	SerializeBool (*serializer, "protot.RenderModule.draw_floor", gRenderer->drawFloor);
+	SerializeBool (*serializer, "protot.RenderModule.draw_skybox", gRenderer->drawSkybox);
+	SerializeBool (*serializer, "protot.RenderModule.debug_enabled", gRenderer->drawDebug);
+	SerializeVec3 (*serializer, "protot.RenderModule.camera.eye", camera->eye);
+	SerializeVec3 (*serializer, "protot.RenderModule.camera.poi", camera->poi);
+}
+
 static void module_finalize(struct module_state *state) {
 	std::cout << "RenderModule finalize called" << std::endl;
 
@@ -68,7 +83,7 @@ static void module_finalize(struct module_state *state) {
 	free(state);
 }
 
-static void module_reload(struct module_state *state) {
+static void module_reload(struct module_state *state, void *read_serializer) {
 	std::cout << "RenderModule reload called" << std::endl;
 	assert (gWindow != nullptr);
 	int width, height;
@@ -79,30 +94,23 @@ static void module_reload(struct module_state *state) {
 	state->renderer->initialize(width, height);
 	gRenderer = state->renderer;
 
+	// load the state of the module
+	if (read_serializer != nullptr) {
+		module_serialize(state, static_cast<ReadSerializer*>(read_serializer));
+	}
+
 	// get the state from the serializer
 	Camera* camera = &gRenderer->cameras[gRenderer->activeCameraIndex];
 	assert (camera != nullptr);
 
-	SerializeBool (*gReadSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.draw_floor", gRenderer->drawFloor);
-	SerializeBool (*gReadSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.draw_skybox", gRenderer->drawSkybox);
-	SerializeBool (*gReadSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.debug_enabled", gRenderer->drawDebug);
-	SerializeVec3 (*gReadSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.camera.eye", camera->eye);
-	SerializeVec3 (*gReadSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.camera.poi", camera->poi);
-
 	camera->updateMatrices();
 }
 
-static void module_unload(struct module_state *state) {
-	Camera* camera = &gRenderer->cameras[gRenderer->activeCameraIndex];
-
-	//(*gSerializer)["protot"]["RenderModule"]["active_camera"] = (double)gRenderer->activeCameraIndex;
-
-	SerializeBool (*gWriteSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.draw_floor", gRenderer->drawFloor);
-	SerializeBool (*gWriteSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.draw_skybox", gRenderer->drawSkybox);
-	SerializeBool (*gWriteSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.debug_enabled", gRenderer->drawDebug);
-	SerializeVec3 (*gWriteSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.camera.eye", camera->eye);
-	SerializeVec3 (*gWriteSerializer, "protot.RenderModule.camera.poi", camera->poi);
-
+static void module_unload(struct module_state *state, void* write_serializer) {
+	// serialize the state of the module
+	if (write_serializer != nullptr) {
+		module_serialize(state, static_cast<WriteSerializer*>(write_serializer));
+	}
 
 	gRenderer = nullptr;
 	state->renderer->shutdown();
diff --git a/src/modules/TestModule.cc b/src/modules/TestModule.cc
index b577af4..bec4e67 100644
--- a/src/modules/TestModule.cc
+++ b/src/modules/TestModule.cc
@@ -280,12 +280,22 @@ static struct module_state *module_init() {
 	return state;
 }
 
+template <typename Serializer>
+static void module_serialize (
+		struct module_state *state,
+		Serializer* serializer) {
+	SerializeVec3(*serializer, "protot.TestModule.entity.position", state->character->position);
+	SerializeBool(*serializer, "protot.TestModule.character_window.visible", state->character_properties_window_visible);
+	SerializeBool(*serializer, "protot.TestModule.modules_window.visible", state->modules_window_visible);
+	SerializeInt(*serializer, "protot.TestModule.modules_window.selection_index", state->modules_window_selected_index);
+}
+
 static void module_finalize(struct module_state *state) {
 	std::cout << "Module finalize called" << std::endl;
 	free(state);
 }
 
-static void module_reload(struct module_state *state) {
+static void module_reload(struct module_state *state, void* read_serializer) {
 	std::cout << "Module reload called. State: " << state << std::endl;
 
 	// reset mouse scrolling state
@@ -323,22 +333,20 @@ static void module_reload(struct module_state *state) {
 	cout << "Creating render entity mesh ... success!" << endl;
 
 	// load the state of the entity
-	SerializeVec3(*gReadSerializer, "protot.TestModule.entity.position", state->character->position);
-	SerializeBool(*gReadSerializer, "protot.TestModule.character_window.visible", state->character_properties_window_visible);
-	SerializeBool(*gReadSerializer, "protot.TestModule.modules_window.visible", state->modules_window_visible);
-	SerializeInt(*gReadSerializer, "protot.TestModule.modules_window.selection_index", state->modules_window_selected_index);
+	if (read_serializer != nullptr) {
+		module_serialize(state, static_cast<ReadSerializer*>(read_serializer));
+	}
 
 	glfwSetScrollCallback (gWindow, mouse_scroll_callback);
 }
 
-static void module_unload(struct module_state *state) {
+static void module_unload(struct module_state *state, void* write_serializer) {
 	glfwSetScrollCallback (gWindow, nullptr);
 
 	// serialize the state of the entity
-	SerializeVec3(*gWriteSerializer, "protot.TestModule.entity.position", state->character->position);
-	SerializeBool(*gWriteSerializer, "protot.TestModule.character_window.visible", state->character_properties_window_visible);
-	SerializeBool(*gWriteSerializer, "protot.TestModule.modules_window.visible", state->modules_window_visible);
-	SerializeInt(*gWriteSerializer, "protot.TestModule.modules_window.selection_index", state->modules_window_selected_index);
+	if (write_serializer != nullptr) {
+		module_serialize(state, static_cast<WriteSerializer*>(write_serializer));
+	}
 
 	// clean up
 	cout << "destroying render entity " << state->character->entity << endl;