diff --git a/src/serialize.h b/src/serialize.h
index fd0a20e346f..75d6b521541 100644
--- a/src/serialize.h
+++ b/src/serialize.h
@@ -723,6 +723,20 @@ inline void Unserialize(Stream& is, T&& a)
     a.Unserialize(is);
 }
 
+/** Default formatter. Serializes objects as themselves.
+ *
+ * The vector/prevector serialization code passes this to VectorFormatter
+ * to enable reusing that logic. It shouldn't be needed elsewhere.
+ */
+struct DefaultFormatter
+{
+    template<typename Stream, typename T>
+    static void Ser(Stream& s, const T& t) { Serialize(s, t); }
+
+    template<typename Stream, typename T>
+    static void Unser(Stream& s, T& t) { Unserialize(s, t); }
+};
+
 
 
 
@@ -763,9 +777,7 @@ void Serialize_impl(Stream& os, const prevector<N, T>& v, const unsigned char&)
 template<typename Stream, unsigned int N, typename T, typename V>
 void Serialize_impl(Stream& os, const prevector<N, T>& v, const V&)
 {
-    WriteCompactSize(os, v.size());
-    for (typename prevector<N, T>::const_iterator vi = v.begin(); vi != v.end(); ++vi)
-        ::Serialize(os, (*vi));
+    Serialize(os, Using<VectorFormatter<DefaultFormatter>>(v));
 }
 
 template<typename Stream, unsigned int N, typename T>
@@ -794,19 +806,7 @@ void Unserialize_impl(Stream& is, prevector<N, T>& v, const unsigned char&)
 template<typename Stream, unsigned int N, typename T, typename V>
 void Unserialize_impl(Stream& is, prevector<N, T>& v, const V&)
 {
-    v.clear();
-    unsigned int nSize = ReadCompactSize(is);
-    unsigned int i = 0;
-    unsigned int nMid = 0;
-    while (nMid < nSize)
-    {
-        nMid += MAX_VECTOR_ALLOCATE / sizeof(T);
-        if (nMid > nSize)
-            nMid = nSize;
-        v.resize_uninitialized(nMid);
-        for (; i < nMid; ++i)
-            Unserialize(is, v[i]);
-    }
+    Unserialize(is, Using<VectorFormatter<DefaultFormatter>>(v));
 }
 
 template<typename Stream, unsigned int N, typename T>
@@ -843,9 +843,7 @@ void Serialize_impl(Stream& os, const std::vector<T, A>& v, const bool&)
 template<typename Stream, typename T, typename A, typename V>
 void Serialize_impl(Stream& os, const std::vector<T, A>& v, const V&)
 {
-    WriteCompactSize(os, v.size());
-    for (typename std::vector<T, A>::const_iterator vi = v.begin(); vi != v.end(); ++vi)
-        ::Serialize(os, (*vi));
+    Serialize(os, Using<VectorFormatter<DefaultFormatter>>(v));
 }
 
 template<typename Stream, typename T, typename A>
@@ -874,19 +872,7 @@ void Unserialize_impl(Stream& is, std::vector<T, A>& v, const unsigned char&)
 template<typename Stream, typename T, typename A, typename V>
 void Unserialize_impl(Stream& is, std::vector<T, A>& v, const V&)
 {
-    v.clear();
-    unsigned int nSize = ReadCompactSize(is);
-    unsigned int i = 0;
-    unsigned int nMid = 0;
-    while (nMid < nSize)
-    {
-        nMid += MAX_VECTOR_ALLOCATE / sizeof(T);
-        if (nMid > nSize)
-            nMid = nSize;
-        v.resize(nMid);
-        for (; i < nMid; i++)
-            Unserialize(is, v[i]);
-    }
+    Unserialize(is, Using<VectorFormatter<DefaultFormatter>>(v));
 }
 
 template<typename Stream, typename T, typename A>