diff --git a/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/JsonSerializationVisitor.java b/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/JsonSerializationVisitor.java
index 9d1e5bc9..2d3183c0 100644
--- a/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/JsonSerializationVisitor.java
+++ b/gson/src/main/java/com/google/gson/JsonSerializationVisitor.java
@@ -76,7 +76,11 @@ final class JsonSerializationVisitor implements ObjectNavigator.Visitor {
     Type componentType = fieldTypeInfo.getSecondLevelType();
     for (int i = 0; i < length; ++i) {
       Object child = Array.get(array, i);
-      addAsArrayElement(componentType, child);
+      Type childType = componentType;
+      if (child != null) {
+        childType = getActualTypeIfMoreSpecific(childType, child.getClass());
+      }
+      addAsArrayElement(childType, child);
     }
   }
 
@@ -98,15 +102,28 @@ final class JsonSerializationVisitor implements ObjectNavigator.Visitor {
       }
     } else {
       Object fieldValue = getFieldValue(f, obj);
-      // This takes care of situations where the field was declared as an Object, but the
-      // actual value contains something more specific. See Issue 54.
-      if (fieldValue != null && typeOfF == Object.class) {
-        typeOfF = fieldValue.getClass();
+      if (fieldValue != null) {
+        typeOfF = getActualTypeIfMoreSpecific(typeOfF, fieldValue.getClass());
       }
       addAsChildOfObject(f, typeOfF, fieldValue);
     }
   }
 
+  // This takes care of situations where the field was declared as an Object, but the
+  // actual value contains something more specific. See Issue 54.      
+  private Type getActualTypeIfMoreSpecific(Type type, Class<?> actualClass) {
+    if (type instanceof Class<?>) {
+      Class<?> typeAsClass = (Class<?>) type;
+      if (typeAsClass.isAssignableFrom(actualClass)) {
+        type = actualClass;
+      }
+      if (type == Object.class) {
+        type = actualClass;
+      } 
+    }
+    return type;
+  }
+
   public void visitPrimitive(Object obj) {
     if (obj != null) {
       JsonElement json = new JsonPrimitive(obj);
diff --git a/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/common/TestTypes.java b/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/common/TestTypes.java
index 808f3e0e..3154b93e 100644
--- a/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/common/TestTypes.java
+++ b/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/common/TestTypes.java
@@ -35,6 +35,33 @@ import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
  */
 public class TestTypes {
 
+  public static class BaseClass {
+    final String baseField;
+    public BaseClass() {
+      this("baseFieldValue");
+    }
+    public BaseClass(String value) {
+      this.baseField = value;
+    }
+    public String getExpectedJson() {
+      return String.format("{\"baseField\":\"%s\"}", baseField);
+    }
+  }
+
+  public static class SubClass extends BaseClass {
+    final String subField;
+    public SubClass() {
+      this("subFieldValue");
+    }
+    public SubClass(String subFieldValue) {
+      this.subField = subFieldValue;
+    }
+    @Override
+    public String getExpectedJson() {
+      return String.format("{\"subField\":\"%s\",\"baseField\":\"%s\"}", subField, baseField);
+    }
+  }
+
   public static class StringWrapper {
     public final String someConstantStringInstanceField;
 
diff --git a/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/InheritanceTest.java b/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/InheritanceTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..224c265a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/InheritanceTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,236 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2009 Google Inc.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package com.google.gson.functional;
+
+import java.util.Collection;
+import java.util.LinkedList;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Queue;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.SortedSet;
+import java.util.TreeSet;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+import com.google.gson.Gson;
+import com.google.gson.common.TestTypes.BagOfPrimitives;
+import com.google.gson.common.TestTypes.BaseClass;
+import com.google.gson.common.TestTypes.Nested;
+import com.google.gson.common.TestTypes.SubClass;
+
+/**
+ * Functional tests for Json serialization and deserialization of classes with 
+ * inheritance hierarchies.
+ *
+ * @author Inderjeet Singh
+ * @author Joel Leitch
+ */
+public class InheritanceTest extends TestCase {
+  private Gson gson;
+
+  @Override
+  protected void setUp() throws Exception {
+    super.setUp();
+    gson = new Gson();
+  }
+
+  public void testSubClassSerialization() throws Exception {
+    SubTypeOfNested target = new SubTypeOfNested(new BagOfPrimitives(10, 20, false, "stringValue"),
+        new BagOfPrimitives(30, 40, true, "stringValue"));
+    assertEquals(target.getExpectedJson(), gson.toJson(target));
+  }
+
+  public void testSubClassDeserialization() throws Exception {
+    String json = "{\"value\":5,\"primitive1\":{\"longValue\":10,\"intValue\":20,"
+        + "\"booleanValue\":false,\"stringValue\":\"stringValue\"},\"primitive2\":"
+        + "{\"longValue\":30,\"intValue\":40,\"booleanValue\":true,"
+        + "\"stringValue\":\"stringValue\"}}";
+    SubTypeOfNested target = gson.fromJson(json, SubTypeOfNested.class);
+    assertEquals(json, target.getExpectedJson());
+  }
+
+  public void testClassWithBaseFieldSerialization() throws Exception {
+    ClassWithBaseFields sub = new ClassWithBaseFields();
+    sub.field = new SubClass();
+    String json = gson.toJson(sub);
+    String expectedJson = sub.field.getExpectedJson();
+    assertTrue(json.contains(expectedJson));
+  }
+
+  public void testClassWithBaseArrayFieldSerialization() throws Exception {
+    ClassWithBaseFields sub = new ClassWithBaseFields();
+    sub.array = new BaseClass[]{ new SubClass("sub1"), new SubClass("sub2")};
+    String json = gson.toJson(sub);
+    assertTrue(json.contains("sub1"));
+    assertTrue(json.contains("sub2"));
+  }
+
+  private static class ClassWithBaseFields {
+    BaseClass field;
+    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
+    BaseClass[] array;
+  }
+
+  private static class SubTypeOfNested extends Nested {
+    private final long value = 5;
+
+    // Used by Gson
+    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
+    private SubTypeOfNested() {
+      this(null, null);
+    }
+
+    public SubTypeOfNested(BagOfPrimitives primitive1, BagOfPrimitives primitive2) {
+      super(primitive1, primitive2);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void appendFields(StringBuilder sb) {
+      sb.append("\"value\":").append(value).append(",");
+      super.appendFields(sb);
+    }
+  }
+
+  public void testSubInterfacesOfCollectionSerialization() throws Exception {
+    List<Integer> list = new LinkedList<Integer>();
+    list.add(0);
+    list.add(1);
+    list.add(2);
+    list.add(3);
+    Queue<Long> queue = new LinkedList<Long>();
+    queue.add(0L);
+    queue.add(1L);
+    queue.add(2L);
+    queue.add(3L);
+    Set<Float> set = new TreeSet<Float>();
+    set.add(0.1F);
+    set.add(0.2F);
+    set.add(0.3F);
+    set.add(0.4F);
+    SortedSet<Character> sortedSet = new TreeSet<Character>();
+    sortedSet.add('a');
+    sortedSet.add('b');
+    sortedSet.add('c');
+    sortedSet.add('d');
+    ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection target =
+        new ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection(list, queue, set, sortedSet);
+    assertEquals(target.getExpectedJson(), gson.toJson(target));
+  }
+
+  public void testSubInterfacesOfCollectionDeserialization() throws Exception {
+    String json = "{\"list\":[0,1,2,3],\"queue\":[0,1,2,3],\"set\":[0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4],"
+        + "\"sortedSet\":[\"a\",\"b\",\"c\",\"d\"]"
+        + "}";
+    ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection target = 
+      gson.fromJson(json, ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection.class);
+    assertTrue(target.listContains(0, 1, 2, 3));
+    assertTrue(target.queueContains(0, 1, 2, 3));
+    assertTrue(target.setContains(0.1F, 0.2F, 0.3F, 0.4F));
+    assertTrue(target.sortedSetContains('a', 'b', 'c', 'd'));
+  }
+  
+  private static class ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection {
+    private List<Integer> list;
+    private Queue<Long> queue;
+    private Set<Float> set;
+    private SortedSet<Character> sortedSet;
+
+    // For use by Gson
+    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
+    private ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection() {
+    }
+
+    public ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection(List<Integer> list, Queue<Long> queue, Set<Float> set,
+        SortedSet<Character> sortedSet) {
+      this.list = list;
+      this.queue = queue;
+      this.set = set;
+      this.sortedSet = sortedSet;
+    }
+
+    boolean listContains(int... values) {
+      for (int value : values) {
+        if (!list.contains(value)) {
+          return false;
+        }
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
+    
+    boolean queueContains(long... values) {
+      for (long value : values) {
+        if (!queue.contains(value)) {
+          return false;
+        }
+      }
+      return true;      
+    }
+    
+    boolean setContains(float... values) {
+      for (float value : values) {
+        if (!set.contains(value)) {
+          return false;
+        }
+      }
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    boolean sortedSetContains(char... values) {
+      for (char value : values) {
+        if (!sortedSet.contains(value)) {
+          return false;
+        }
+      }
+      return true;      
+    }
+    
+    public String getExpectedJson() {
+      StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
+      sb.append("{");
+      sb.append("\"list\":");
+      append(sb, list).append(",");
+      sb.append("\"queue\":");
+      append(sb, queue).append(",");
+      sb.append("\"set\":");
+      append(sb, set).append(",");
+      sb.append("\"sortedSet\":");
+      append(sb, sortedSet);
+      sb.append("}");
+      return sb.toString();
+    }
+
+    private StringBuilder append(StringBuilder sb, Collection<?> c) {
+      sb.append("[");
+      boolean first = true;
+      for (Object o : c) {
+        if (!first) {
+          sb.append(",");
+        } else {
+          first = false;
+        }
+        if (o instanceof String || o instanceof Character) {
+          sb.append('\"');
+        }
+        sb.append(o.toString());
+        if (o instanceof String || o instanceof Character) {
+          sb.append('\"');
+        }
+      }
+      sb.append("]");
+      return sb;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/ObjectTest.java b/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/ObjectTest.java
index 78ddfee9..c97ed94d 100644
--- a/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/ObjectTest.java
+++ b/gson/src/test/java/com/google/gson/functional/ObjectTest.java
@@ -19,12 +19,6 @@ package com.google.gson.functional;
 import java.lang.reflect.Type;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.LinkedList;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Queue;
-import java.util.Set;
-import java.util.SortedSet;
-import java.util.TreeSet;
 
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
@@ -158,22 +152,6 @@ public class ObjectTest extends TestCase {
     Nested target = gson.fromJson(json, Nested.class);
     assertEquals(json, target.getExpectedJson());
   }
-
-  public void testInheritenceSerialization() throws Exception {
-    SubTypeOfNested target = new SubTypeOfNested(new BagOfPrimitives(10, 20, false, "stringValue"),
-        new BagOfPrimitives(30, 40, true, "stringValue"));
-    assertEquals(target.getExpectedJson(), gson.toJson(target));
-  }
-
-  public void testInheritenceDeserialization() throws Exception {
-    String json = "{\"value\":5,\"primitive1\":{\"longValue\":10,\"intValue\":20,"
-        + "\"booleanValue\":false,\"stringValue\":\"stringValue\"},\"primitive2\":"
-        + "{\"longValue\":30,\"intValue\":40,\"booleanValue\":true,"
-        + "\"stringValue\":\"stringValue\"}}";
-    SubTypeOfNested target = gson.fromJson(json, SubTypeOfNested.class);
-    assertEquals(json, target.getExpectedJson());
-  }
-
   public void testNullSerialization() throws Exception {
     assertEquals("", gson.toJson(null));
   }
@@ -217,44 +195,6 @@ public class ObjectTest extends TestCase {
     assertEquals(json, target.getExpectedJson());
   }
 
-  public void testSubInterfacesOfCollectionSerialization() throws Exception {
-    List<Integer> list = new LinkedList<Integer>();
-    list.add(0);
-    list.add(1);
-    list.add(2);
-    list.add(3);
-    Queue<Long> queue = new LinkedList<Long>();
-    queue.add(0L);
-    queue.add(1L);
-    queue.add(2L);
-    queue.add(3L);
-    Set<Float> set = new TreeSet<Float>();
-    set.add(0.1F);
-    set.add(0.2F);
-    set.add(0.3F);
-    set.add(0.4F);
-    SortedSet<Character> sortedSet = new TreeSet<Character>();
-    sortedSet.add('a');
-    sortedSet.add('b');
-    sortedSet.add('c');
-    sortedSet.add('d');
-    ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection target =
-        new ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection(list, queue, set, sortedSet);
-    assertEquals(target.getExpectedJson(), gson.toJson(target));
-  }
-
-  public void testSubInterfacesOfCollectionDeserialization() throws Exception {
-    String json = "{\"list\":[0,1,2,3],\"queue\":[0,1,2,3],\"set\":[0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4],"
-        + "\"sortedSet\":[\"a\",\"b\",\"c\",\"d\"]"
-        + "}";
-    ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection target = 
-      gson.fromJson(json, ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection.class);
-    assertTrue(target.listContains(0, 1, 2, 3));
-    assertTrue(target.queueContains(0, 1, 2, 3));
-    assertTrue(target.setContains(0.1F, 0.2F, 0.3F, 0.4F));
-    assertTrue(target.sortedSetContains('a', 'b', 'c', 'd'));
-  }
-
   public void testArrayOfObjectsAsFields() throws Exception {
     ClassWithObjects classWithObjects = new ClassWithObjects();
     BagOfPrimitives bagOfPrimitives = new BagOfPrimitives();
@@ -398,124 +338,12 @@ public class ObjectTest extends TestCase {
       int value2 = 2;
     }
   }
-  
-  private static class ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection {
-    private List<Integer> list;
-    private Queue<Long> queue;
-    private Set<Float> set;
-    private SortedSet<Character> sortedSet;
-
-    // For use by Gson
-    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
-    private ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection() {
-    }
-
-    public ClassWithSubInterfacesOfCollection(List<Integer> list, Queue<Long> queue, Set<Float> set,
-        SortedSet<Character> sortedSet) {
-      this.list = list;
-      this.queue = queue;
-      this.set = set;
-      this.sortedSet = sortedSet;
-    }
-
-    boolean listContains(int... values) {
-      for (int value : values) {
-        if (!list.contains(value)) {
-          return false;
-        }
-      }
-      return true;
-    }
-    
-    boolean queueContains(long... values) {
-      for (long value : values) {
-        if (!queue.contains(value)) {
-          return false;
-        }
-      }
-      return true;      
-    }
-    
-    boolean setContains(float... values) {
-      for (float value : values) {
-        if (!set.contains(value)) {
-          return false;
-        }
-      }
-      return true;
-    }
-
-    boolean sortedSetContains(char... values) {
-      for (char value : values) {
-        if (!sortedSet.contains(value)) {
-          return false;
-        }
-      }
-      return true;      
-    }
-    
-    public String getExpectedJson() {
-      StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
-      sb.append("{");
-      sb.append("\"list\":");
-      append(sb, list).append(",");
-      sb.append("\"queue\":");
-      append(sb, queue).append(",");
-      sb.append("\"set\":");
-      append(sb, set).append(",");
-      sb.append("\"sortedSet\":");
-      append(sb, sortedSet);
-      sb.append("}");
-      return sb.toString();
-    }
-
-    private StringBuilder append(StringBuilder sb, Collection<?> c) {
-      sb.append("[");
-      boolean first = true;
-      for (Object o : c) {
-        if (!first) {
-          sb.append(",");
-        } else {
-          first = false;
-        }
-        if (o instanceof String || o instanceof Character) {
-          sb.append('\"');
-        }
-        sb.append(o.toString());
-        if (o instanceof String || o instanceof Character) {
-          sb.append('\"');
-        }
-      }
-      sb.append("]");
-      return sb;
-    }
-  }
 
   private static class ContainsReferenceToSelfType {
     public Collection<ContainsReferenceToSelfType> children =
         new ArrayList<ContainsReferenceToSelfType>();
   }
 
-  private static class SubTypeOfNested extends Nested {
-    private final long value = 5;
-
-    // Used by Gson
-    @SuppressWarnings("unused")
-    private SubTypeOfNested() {
-      this(null, null);
-    }
-
-    public SubTypeOfNested(BagOfPrimitives primitive1, BagOfPrimitives primitive2) {
-      super(primitive1, primitive2);
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public void appendFields(StringBuilder sb) {
-      sb.append("\"value\":").append(value).append(",");
-      super.appendFields(sb);
-    }
-  }
-
   private static class ArrayOfArrays {
     private final BagOfPrimitives[][] elements;
     public ArrayOfArrays() {