diff --git a/lib/Element.js b/lib/Element.js
index 7dce18b2..73f6b196 100644
--- a/lib/Element.js
+++ b/lib/Element.js
@@ -318,6 +318,16 @@ Element.prototype.toString = function () {
   return s
 }
 
+Element.prototype.toJSON = function () {
+  return {
+    name: this.name,
+    attrs: this.attrs,
+    children: this.children.map(function (child) {
+      return child && child.toJSON ? child.toJSON() : child
+    })
+  }
+}
+
 Element.prototype._addChildren = function (writer) {
   writer('>')
   for (var i = 0; i < this.children.length; i++) {
diff --git a/test/element-test.js b/test/element-test.js
index 9ce87bc0..b33db920 100644
--- a/test/element-test.js
+++ b/test/element-test.js
@@ -82,6 +82,16 @@ vows.describe('Element').addBatch({
     'serialize with integer text': function () {
       var e = new Element('e').t(1000)
       assert.equal(e.getText(), 1000)
+    },
+    'serialize to json': function () {
+      var e = new Element('e', { foo: 23, bar: 0, nil: null }).c('f').t(1000).up()
+      assert.deepEqual(e.toJSON(), {
+        name: 'e',
+        attrs: { foo: 23, bar: 0, nil: null },
+        children: [
+          { name: 'f', attrs: {}, children: [1000] }
+        ]
+      })
     }
   },
   'remove': {