diff --git a/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm b/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm
index 589cb0bdac9..03ab1aa7a33 100644
--- a/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm
+++ b/code/modules/persistence/persistence.dm
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@
 /atom/serialize()
 	var/list/data = ..()
 	for(var/thing in vars_to_save())
-		data[thing] = vars[thing] // Can't check initial() because it doesn't work on a list index
+		if(vars[thing] != initial(vars[thing]))
+			data[thing] = vars[thing]
 	return data