diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index f38c4fd..670fc21 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
       "name": "serde",
       "version": "1.0.0",
       "license": "ISC",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@tsmetadata/polyfill": "^1.1.3"
+      },
       "devDependencies": {
         "esbuild": "^0.25.4",
         "typescript": "^5.8.3"
@@ -438,6 +441,12 @@
         "node": ">=18"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@tsmetadata/polyfill": {
+      "version": "1.1.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@tsmetadata/polyfill/-/polyfill-1.1.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-uSRn4aPO4F3wlSG/cPCAvclF9Sxf01OizWfWbSoSYsSHAK8LnYdua9iJAm7v2ePUrGWMP4ZCn9QjniZEKZHyFg==",
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/esbuild": {
       "version": "0.25.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/esbuild/-/esbuild-0.25.4.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c45de3f..0b9b61f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,5 +32,8 @@
   "devDependencies": {
     "esbuild": "^0.25.4",
     "typescript": "^5.8.3"
+  },
+  "dependencies": {
+    "@tsmetadata/polyfill": "^1.1.3"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/decorator.ts b/src/decorator.ts
index a45eb77..1817496 100644
--- a/src/decorator.ts
+++ b/src/decorator.ts
@@ -1,56 +1,33 @@
 import { ContainerOptions, PropertyOptions, SerdeOptions } from './options'
 import { GlobalRegistry, Registry } from './registry'
 
-export const Serde = Symbol('Serde')
-
-function decorateContainer(options: ContainerOptions, constructor: any) {
-  if (constructor[Serde] == null) {
-    constructor[Serde] = new SerdeOptions(constructor, options)
-  } else {
-    constructor[Serde].options = options
-  }
-
-  return constructor
+function decorateContainer(target: any, context: any, options: ContainerOptions) {
+  const meta = context.metadata
+  const serde = (meta.serde || new SerdeOptions(target))
+  serde.options = options
+  meta.serde = serde
 }
 
-function decorateProperty(options: PropertyOptions, target: any, property: PropertyKey) {
-  let constructor: any
-  if (typeof target === 'function') {
-    constructor = target
-  } else {
-    constructor = target.constructor
-  }
-
-  if (constructor[Serde] == null) {
-    constructor[Serde] = SerdeOptions.from(target)
-  }
-
-  constructor[Serde].properties.set(property, options)
-  return target
+function decorateProperty(target: any, context: any, options: PropertyOptions) {
+  const meta = context.metadata
+  const serde = (meta.serde || new SerdeOptions(target))
+  serde.properties.set(context, options)
+  meta.serde = serde
 }
 
 
 export function serde(options: ContainerOptions | PropertyOptions) {
-  return function(target: any, property?: PropertyKey) {
-    if (property != null) {
-      return decorateProperty(options as PropertyOptions, target, property)
+  return function(target: any, context: any) {
+    if (context != null) {
+      decorateProperty(target, context, options as PropertyOptions)
     } else {
-      return decorateContainer(options, target)
+      decorateContainer(target, context, options as ContainerOptions)
     }
   }
 }
 
-export function getMetadata(value: any) {
-  return value[Serde]
-}
-
 export function register(registry: Registry = GlobalRegistry) {
-  return function(target: any) {
-    if (target[Serde] == null) {
-      target[Serde] = SerdeOptions.from(target)
-    }
-
+  return function(target: any, _context: any) {
     registry.add(target)
-    return target
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/ser/impl.ts b/src/ser/impl.ts
index 8aff261..97153d2 100644
--- a/src/ser/impl.ts
+++ b/src/ser/impl.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { IterableSerializer, ObjectSerializer, Serializable, Serializer } from './interface'
-import { Serde } from '../decorator'
 import { SerdeOptions, Stage } from '../options'
 import { ifNull, isFunction, isIterable, isPlainObject, Nullable, orElse } from '../utils'
 
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ function serializeIter<T, V extends Iterable<any>>(serializer: IterableSerialize
 }
 
 function defaultOptions(value: any) {
-  return value.constructor[Serde]
+  return value.constructor[Symbol.metadata]
 }
 
 // dispatches in the order of serializeType -> serializeAny -> throw TypeError
diff --git a/src/ser/index.ts b/src/ser/index.ts
index 31ca20c..db68fd6 100644
--- a/src/ser/index.ts
+++ b/src/ser/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import '@tsmetadata/polyfill'
+
 export * from './interface'
 export * from './mixin'
 export * from './impl'