Move GVariant serialization into Chunk

Rather than building a big if-else block in the `Contacts.Io` namespace,
it's much more interesting to move the GVariant serialization into the
`Contacts.Chunk` objects themselves. That allows us to keep the
serialization logic for a specific field in one place and makes sure we
don't forget about any properties as they're not part of that big
if-else block that checks on property name.

This commit also make sure a lot of the functionality here is now unit
tested, to make sure we're not accidentally regressing.

43 files changed, 786 insertions, 973 deletions

diff --git a/src/contacts-app.vala b/src/contacts-app.vala
index 7765e40..b146820 100644
--- a/src/contacts-app.vala
+++ b/src/contacts-app.vala
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ public class Contacts.App : Adw.Application {
   private async void import_file (GLib.File file) {
     // First step: parse the data
     var parse_op = new Io.ParseOperation (file);
-    HashTable<string, Value?>[]? parse_result = null;
+    Contact[]? parse_result = null;
     try {
       yield parse_op.execute ();
       debug ("Successfully parsed a contact");
diff --git a/src/contacts-import-operation.vala b/src/contacts-import-operation.vala
index bb860f8..ef788be 100644
--- a/src/contacts-import-operation.vala
+++ b/src/contacts-import-operation.vala
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ using Folks;
  */
 public class Contacts.ImportOperation : Operation {
 
-  private HashTable<string, Value?>[] to_import;
+  private Contact[] to_import;
 
   private unowned Store store;
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public class Contacts.ImportOperation : Operation {
   private string _description;
   public override string description { owned get { return this._description; } }
 
-  public ImportOperation (Store store, HashTable<string, Value?>[] to_import) {
+  public ImportOperation (Store store, Contact[] to_import) {
     this.to_import = to_import;
     this.store = store;
 
@@ -48,10 +48,12 @@ public class Contacts.ImportOperation : Operation {
            this.to_import.length, primary_store.display_name);
 
     uint new_count = 0;
-    foreach (unowned var hashtable in this.to_import) {
-      var persona = yield primary_store.add_persona_from_details (hashtable);
-      if (persona != null) {
-        debug ("Created new persona");
+    foreach (unowned var contact in this.to_import) {
+      unowned var individual =
+          yield contact.apply_changes (this.store.aggregator.primary_store);
+      if (individual != null) {
+        debug ("Created new individual (%s)",
+               (individual != null)? individual.id : "null");
         new_count++;
       } else {
         debug ("Added persona; no new created");
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-addresses-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-addresses-chunk.vala
index b4a2c85..a48e1b2 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-addresses-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-addresses-chunk.vala
@@ -172,4 +172,41 @@ public class Contacts.Address : BinChunkChild {
     copy_parameters (address);
     return address;
   }
+
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(sssssssv)",
+                        this.address.po_box,
+                        this.address.extension,
+                        this.address.street,
+                        this.address.locality,
+                        this.address.region,
+                        this.address.postal_code,
+                        this.address.country,
+                        parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(sssssssv)"))) {
+
+    string po_box, extension, street, locality, region, postal_code, country;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(sssssssv)",
+                 out po_box,
+                 out extension,
+                 out street,
+                 out locality,
+                 out region,
+                 out postal_code,
+                 out country,
+                 out params_variant);
+
+    this.address.po_box = po_box;
+    this.address.extension = extension;
+    this.address.street = street;
+    this.address.locality = locality;
+    this.address.region = region;
+    this.address.postal_code = postal_code;
+    this.address.country = country;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-alias-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-alias-chunk.vala
index e2d0f20..412b538 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-alias-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-alias-chunk.vala
@@ -65,4 +65,19 @@ public class Contacts.AliasChunk : Chunk {
 
     yield ((AliasDetails) this.persona).change_alias (this.alias);
   }
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    return new Variant.string (this.alias);
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.STRING)) {
+
+    unowned string alias = variant.get_string ();
+    if (!mark_dirty) {
+      this.original_alias = alias;
+    }
+    this.alias = alias;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-avatar-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-avatar-chunk.vala
index 850c6cf..bf15627 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-avatar-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-avatar-chunk.vala
@@ -58,4 +58,14 @@ public class Contacts.AvatarChunk : Chunk {
       requires (this.persona is AvatarDetails) {
     yield ((AvatarDetails) this.persona).change_avatar (this.avatar);
   }
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    // FIXME: implement
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true) {
+    // FIXME: implement
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-bin-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-bin-chunk.vala
index cfaba43..3395ed0 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-bin-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-bin-chunk.vala
@@ -168,6 +168,40 @@ public abstract class Contacts.BinChunk : Chunk, GLib.ListModel {
     emptiness_check ();
   }
 
+  // Variant (de)serialization
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.is_empty)
+      return null;
+
+    var builder = new GLib.VariantBuilder (GLib.VariantType.ARRAY);
+    for (uint i = 0; i < this.elements.length; i++) {
+      var child_variant = this.elements[i].to_gvariant ();
+      if (child_variant != null)
+        builder.add_value (child_variant);
+    }
+
+    return builder.end ();
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().is_array ()) {
+
+    var iter = variant.iterator ();
+    var child_variant = iter.next_value ();
+    while (child_variant != null) {
+      var child = create_empty_child ();
+      child.apply_gvariant (child_variant);
+      add_child (child);
+
+      child_variant = iter.next_value ();
+    }
+    if (!mark_dirty) {
+      finish_initialization ();
+    }
+  }
+
   // ListModel implementation
 
   public uint n_items { get { return this.elements.length; } }
@@ -194,7 +228,20 @@ public abstract class Contacts.BinChunk : Chunk, GLib.ListModel {
  */
 public abstract class Contacts.BinChunkChild : GLib.Object {
 
-  public Gee.MultiMap<string, string> parameters { get; set; }
+  public Gee.MultiMap<string, string> parameters {
+      get { return this._parameters; }
+      set {
+        if (value == this._parameters)
+          return;
+
+        this._parameters.clear ();
+        var iter = value.map_iterator ();
+        while (iter.next ())
+          this._parameters[iter.get_key ()] = iter.get_value ();
+      }
+  }
+  private Gee.HashMultiMap<string, string> _parameters
+      = new Gee.HashMultiMap<string, string> ();
 
   /**
    * Whether this BinChunkChild is empty. You can use the notify signal to
@@ -227,6 +274,48 @@ public abstract class Contacts.BinChunkChild : GLib.Object {
       copy.parameters[iter.get_key ()] = iter.get_value ();
   }
 
+  /** See Contacts.Chunk.to_gvariant() */
+  public Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.is_empty)
+      return null;
+    return to_gvariant_internal ();
+  }
+
+  protected abstract Variant? to_gvariant_internal ();
+
+  // Helper to serialize the parameters field
+  protected Variant parameters_to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.parameters.size == 0) {
+      return new GLib.Variant ("a(ss)", null); // Empty array
+    }
+
+    var builder = new GLib.VariantBuilder (GLib.VariantType.ARRAY);
+    var iter = this.parameters.map_iterator ();
+    while (iter.next ()) {
+      string param_name = iter.get_key ();
+      string param_value = iter.get_value ();
+
+      builder.add ("(ss)", param_name, param_value);
+    }
+
+    return builder.end ();
+  }
+
+  public abstract void apply_gvariant (Variant variant);
+
+  protected void apply_gvariant_parameters (Variant parameters)
+      requires (parameters.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("a(ss)"))) {
+
+    var iter = parameters.iterator ();
+    string param_name, param_value;
+    while (iter.next ("(ss)", out param_name, out param_value)) {
+      if (param_name == AbstractFieldDetails.PARAM_TYPE)
+        add_parameter (param_name, param_value.down ());
+      else
+        add_parameter (param_name, param_value);
+    }
+  }
+
   // A helper to change a string field with the proper propery notifies
   protected void change_string_prop (string prop_name,
                                      ref string old_value,
@@ -317,4 +406,8 @@ public abstract class Contacts.BinChunkChild : GLib.Object {
 
     return 0;
   }
+
+  public void add_parameter (string param_name, string param_value) {
+    this._parameters[param_name] = param_value;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-birthday-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-birthday-chunk.vala
index 6a87640..ef47a4c 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-birthday-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-birthday-chunk.vala
@@ -100,4 +100,27 @@ public class Contacts.BirthdayChunk : Chunk {
   private bool is_leap_day (int month, int day) {
     return month == 2 && day == 29;
   }
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.birthday == null)
+      return null;
+
+    int year, month, day;
+    this.birthday.get_ymd (out year, out month, out day);
+    return new GLib.Variant ("(iii)", year, month, day);
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(iii)"))) {
+
+    int year, month, day;
+    variant.get ("(iii)", out year, out month, out day);
+
+    var bd = new DateTime.utc (year, month, day, 0, 0, 0.0);
+    if (!mark_dirty) {
+      this.original_birthday = bd;
+    }
+    this.birthday = bd;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-chunk.vala
index 328a042..333ad7e 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-chunk.vala
@@ -61,4 +61,22 @@ public abstract class Contacts.Chunk : GLib.Object {
    */
   public abstract async void save_to_persona () throws GLib.Error
       requires (this.persona != null);
+
+  /**
+   * Serializes this chunk into a {@link GLib.Variant} accordding to an
+   * internal format (which can be deserialized later using apply_gvariant())
+   *
+   * If the field is empty or non-existent, it should return null.
+   */
+  public abstract Variant? to_gvariant ();
+
+  /**
+   * Takes the given variant describing this chunk (in other words, the result
+   * of to_gvariant() and copies the values accordingly.
+   *
+   * If the variant represents the *original* value for this chunk (as there's
+   * no appropriate construct property), then you can set mark_dirty to false.
+   */
+  public abstract void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true);
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-contact.vala b/src/core/contacts-contact.vala
index 742bab7..d441f60 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-contact.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-contact.vala
@@ -44,9 +44,6 @@ public class Contacts.Contact : GLib.Object, GLib.ListModel {
       on_individual_personas_changed (this.individual,
                                       this.individual.personas,
                                       Gee.Set.empty<Persona> ());
-    } else {
-      // At the very least let's add an empty full-name chunk
-      create_chunk ("full-name", null);
     }
   }
 
@@ -55,9 +52,31 @@ public class Contacts.Contact : GLib.Object, GLib.ListModel {
     Object (individual: individual);
   }
 
+  /** Creates a Contact by deserializing the given GVariant */
+  public Contact.for_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.VARDICT)) {
+    Object (individual: null);
+
+    var iter = variant.iterator ();
+    string prop;
+    Variant val;
+    while (iter.next ("{sv}", out prop, out val)) {
+      var pos = create_chunk_internal (prop, null);
+      if (pos == -1)
+        continue;
+
+      unowned var chunk = this.chunks[pos];
+      chunk.apply_gvariant (val, false);
+    }
+    items_changed (0, 0, this.chunks.length);
+  }
+
   /** Creates a new empty contact */
   public Contact.empty () {
     Object (individual: null);
+
+    // At the very least let's add an empty full-name chunk
+    create_chunk ("full-name", null);
   }
 
   private void on_individual_personas_changed (Individual individual,
@@ -326,4 +345,28 @@ public class Contacts.Contact : GLib.Object, GLib.ListModel {
 
     return individual;
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Serializes the given contact into a {@link GLib.Variant} (which can then
+   * be transmitted over a socket). Note that this serialization format is only
+   * intended for internal purposes and can change over time.
+   *
+   * For several reasons (for example easier deserialization and size decrease)
+   * it will not serialize empty fields but omit them instead.
+   */
+  public Variant to_gvariant () {
+    var dict = new GLib.VariantDict ();
+
+    for (uint i = 0; i < this.chunks.length; i++) {
+      unowned var chunk = this.chunks[i];
+
+      var variant = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+      if (variant == null)
+        continue;
+
+      dict.insert_value (chunk.property_name, variant);
+    }
+
+    return dict.end ();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-email-addresses-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-email-addresses-chunk.vala
index 36f5715..a03b2c2 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-email-addresses-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-email-addresses-chunk.vala
@@ -102,6 +102,21 @@ public class Contacts.EmailAddress : BinChunkChild {
     return email_address;
   }
 
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(sv)", this.raw_address, parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(sv)"))) {
+
+    string email_addr;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(sv)", out email_addr, out params_variant);
+
+    this.raw_address = email_addr;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
+
   public string get_mailto_uri () {
     return "mailto:" + Uri.escape_string (this.raw_address, "@" , false);
   }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-full-name-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-full-name-chunk.vala
index e59fb38..bafa424 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-full-name-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-full-name-chunk.vala
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ public class Contacts.FullNameChunk : Chunk {
     this.original_full_name = this.full_name;
   }
 
+  public FullNameChunk.from_gvariant (GLib.Variant variant) {
+    unowned var fn = variant.get_string ();
+    Object (persona: null, full_name: fn);
+  }
+
   public override Value? to_value () {
     return this.full_name;
   }
@@ -69,4 +74,21 @@ public class Contacts.FullNameChunk : Chunk {
       requires (this.persona is NameDetails) {
     yield ((NameDetails) this.persona).change_full_name (this.full_name);
   }
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.full_name == "")
+      return null;
+    return new Variant.string (this.full_name);
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.STRING)) {
+
+    unowned string full_name = variant.get_string ();
+    if (!mark_dirty) {
+      this.original_full_name = full_name;
+    }
+    this.full_name = full_name;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-im-addresses-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-im-addresses-chunk.vala
index 95cdd3a..4d3effb 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-im-addresses-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-im-addresses-chunk.vala
@@ -119,4 +119,23 @@ public class Contacts.ImAddress : BinChunkChild {
     copy_parameters (ima);
     return ima;
   }
+
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(ssv)",
+                        this.protocol,
+                        this.address,
+                        parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(ssv)"))) {
+
+    string protocol, address;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(ssv)", out protocol, out address, out params_variant);
+
+    this.protocol = protocol;
+    this.address = address;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-nickname-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-nickname-chunk.vala
index 81cf1d9..5dd7f79 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-nickname-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-nickname-chunk.vala
@@ -68,4 +68,21 @@ public class Contacts.NicknameChunk : Chunk {
 
     yield ((NameDetails) this.persona).change_nickname (this.nickname);
   }
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.nickname == "")
+      return null;
+    return new Variant.string (this.nickname);
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.STRING)) {
+
+    unowned string nickname = variant.get_string ();
+    if (!mark_dirty) {
+      this.original_nickname = nickname;
+    }
+    this.nickname = nickname;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-notes-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-notes-chunk.vala
index 2f1ee3a..f2b71ca 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-notes-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-notes-chunk.vala
@@ -94,4 +94,19 @@ public class Contacts.Note : BinChunkChild {
     copy_parameters (note);
     return note;
   }
+
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(sv)", this.text, parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(sv)"))) {
+
+    string note;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(sv)", out note, out params_variant);
+
+    this.text = note;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-phones-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-phones-chunk.vala
index c8e0ce3..5d8a347 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-phones-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-phones-chunk.vala
@@ -110,4 +110,19 @@ public class Contacts.Phone : BinChunkChild {
     copy_parameters (phone);
     return phone;
   }
+
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(sv)", this.raw_number, parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(sv)"))) {
+
+    string phone_nr;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(sv)", out phone_nr, out params_variant);
+
+    this.raw_number = phone_nr;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-roles-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-roles-chunk.vala
index 948c42b..0fa8e4b 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-roles-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-roles-chunk.vala
@@ -98,6 +98,25 @@ public class Contacts.OrgRole : BinChunkChild {
     return org_role;
   }
 
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(ssv)",
+                        this.role.organisation_name,
+                        this.role.title,
+                        parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(ssv)"))) {
+
+    string org, title;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(ssv)", out org, out title, out params_variant);
+
+    this.role.organisation_name = org;
+    this.role.title = title;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
+
   public string to_string () {
     if (this.role.title != "") {
       if (this.role.organisation_name != "") {
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-structured-name-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-structured-name-chunk.vala
index 3ac8016..96f2888 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-structured-name-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-structured-name-chunk.vala
@@ -74,4 +74,38 @@ public class Contacts.StructuredNameChunk : Chunk {
       requires (this.persona is NameDetails) {
     yield ((NameDetails) this.persona).change_structured_name (this.structured_name);
   }
+
+  public override Variant? to_gvariant () {
+    if (this.is_empty)
+      return null;
+    return new Variant ("(sssss)",
+                        this.structured_name.family_name,
+                        this.structured_name.given_name,
+                        this.structured_name.additional_names,
+                        this.structured_name.prefixes,
+                        this.structured_name.suffixes);
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant,
+                                       bool mark_dirty = true)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(sssss)"))) {
+
+    string family_name, given_name, additional_names, prefixes, suffixes;
+    variant.get ("(sssss)",
+                 out family_name,
+                 out given_name,
+                 out additional_names,
+                 out prefixes,
+                 out suffixes);
+
+    var structured_name = new StructuredName (family_name,
+                                              given_name,
+                                              additional_names,
+                                              prefixes,
+                                              suffixes);
+    if (!mark_dirty) {
+      this.original_structured_name = structured_name;
+    }
+    this.structured_name = structured_name;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/core/contacts-urls-chunk.vala b/src/core/contacts-urls-chunk.vala
index 62b02c0..2e927d6 100644
--- a/src/core/contacts-urls-chunk.vala
+++ b/src/core/contacts-urls-chunk.vala
@@ -104,4 +104,19 @@ public class Contacts.Url : BinChunkChild {
     copy_parameters (url);
     return url;
   }
+
+  protected override Variant? to_gvariant_internal () {
+    return new Variant ("(sv)", this.raw_url, parameters_to_gvariant ());
+  }
+
+  public override void apply_gvariant (Variant variant)
+      requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("(sv)"))) {
+
+    string url;
+    Variant params_variant;
+    variant.get ("(sv)", out url, out params_variant);
+
+    this.raw_url = url;
+    apply_gvariant_parameters (params_variant);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/io/contacts-io-parse-main.vala b/src/io/contacts-io-parse-main.vala
index 5c44a3f..b302758 100644
--- a/src/io/contacts-io-parse-main.vala
+++ b/src/io/contacts-io-parse-main.vala
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ int main (string[] args) {
       error ("Unknown import type '%s'", import_type);
   }
 
-  HashTable<string, Value?>[] details_list;
+  Contacts.Contact[]? details_list;
   try {
     var file = File.new_for_path (path);
     var file_stream = file.read (null);
diff --git a/src/io/contacts-io-parse-operation.vala b/src/io/contacts-io-parse-operation.vala
index 8666b06..03ecabc 100644
--- a/src/io/contacts-io-parse-operation.vala
+++ b/src/io/contacts-io-parse-operation.vala
@@ -33,8 +33,7 @@ public class Contacts.Io.ParseOperation : Operation {
   public override string description { owned get { return this._description; } }
 
   /** The parsed output  */
-  private GenericArray<HashTable<string, Value?>> parsed
-    = new GenericArray<HashTable<string, Value?>> ();
+  private GenericArray<Contact> parsed = new GenericArray<Contact> ();
 
   public ParseOperation (File file) {
     this._description = _("Importing contacts from '%s'").printf (file.get_uri ());
@@ -80,15 +79,15 @@ public class Contacts.Io.ParseOperation : Operation {
     unowned var serialized_str = (string) stdout_stream.get_data ();
     var variant = Variant.parse (new VariantType ("aa{sv}"), serialized_str);
 
-    // Now parse each into a hashtables
-    var new_details_list = Contacts.Io.deserialize_gvariant (variant);
-    foreach (unowned var new_details in new_details_list) {
-      if (new_details.size () == 0) {
+    // Now parse each into a Contact
+    var parsed_contacts = Contacts.Io.deserialize_gvariant (variant);
+    foreach (unowned var parsed_contact in parsed_contacts) {
+      if (parsed_contact.get_n_items () == 0) {
         warning ("Imported contact has zero fields, ignoring");
         return;
       }
 
-      this.parsed.add (new_details);
+      this.parsed.add (parsed_contact);
     }
   }
 
@@ -96,11 +95,11 @@ public class Contacts.Io.ParseOperation : Operation {
     return_if_reached ();
   }
 
-  public unowned HashTable<string, Value?>[] get_parsed_result () {
+  public unowned Contact[] get_parsed_result () {
     return this.parsed.data;
   }
 
-  public HashTable<string, Value?>[] steal_parsed_result () {
+  public Contact[] steal_parsed_result () {
     return this.parsed.steal ();
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/io/contacts-io-parser.vala b/src/io/contacts-io-parser.vala
index 7c04a26..32a53ba 100644
--- a/src/io/contacts-io-parser.vala
+++ b/src/io/contacts-io-parser.vala
@@ -18,22 +18,18 @@
 using Folks;
 
 /**
- * An Parser is an object that can deal with importing a specific format
- * of describing a Contact (VCard is the most common example, but there exist
+ * A Parser is an object that can deal with importing a specific format of
+ * describing a Contact (vCard is the most common example, but there exist
  * also CSV based formats and others).
  *
- * The main purpose of an Io.Parser is to parser whatever input it gets into a
- * {@link GLib.HashTable} with string keys and {@link Value} as values. After
- * that, we can choose to either serialize (using the serializing methods in
- * Contacts.Io), or to immediately import it in folks using
- * {@link Folks.PersonaStore.add_from_details}.
+ * The main purpose of an Io.Parser is to parser whatever input it gets into an
+ * array of {@link Contacts.Contact}s. After that, we can for example either
+ * serialize the contact into a contact again.
  */
 public abstract class Contacts.Io.Parser : Object {
 
   /**
-   * Takes the given input stream and tries to parse it into a
-   * {@link GLib.HashTable}, which can then be used for methods like
-   * {@link Folks.PersonaStore.add_persona_from_details}.
+   * Takes the given input stream and tries to parse it into a set of contacts.
    */
-  public abstract GLib.HashTable<string, Value?>[] parse (InputStream input) throws GLib.Error;
+  public abstract Contact[] parse (InputStream input) throws GLib.Error;
 }
diff --git a/src/io/contacts-io-vcard-parser.vala b/src/io/contacts-io-vcard-parser.vala
index 97cff61..3db9f56 100644
--- a/src/io/contacts-io-vcard-parser.vala
+++ b/src/io/contacts-io-vcard-parser.vala
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ public class Contacts.Io.VCardParser : Contacts.Io.Parser {
   public VCardParser () {
   }
 
-  public override HashTable<string, Value?>[] parse (InputStream input) throws GLib.Error {
+  public override Contact[] parse (InputStream input) throws GLib.Error {
     // Read the whole input into a string.
     // We can probably do better, but that takes a bit of extra work
     var memory_stream = new MemoryOutputStream.resizable ();
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ public class Contacts.Io.VCardParser : Contacts.Io.Parser {
     memory_stream.close ();
     var input_str = (string) memory_stream.get_data ();
 
-    var result = new GenericArray<HashTable<string, Value?>> ();
+    var result = new GenericArray<Contact> ();
 
     // Parse the input stream into a set of vcards
     int begin_index = input_str.index_of ("BEGIN:VCARD");
@@ -51,44 +51,44 @@ public class Contacts.Io.VCardParser : Contacts.Io.Parser {
       unowned var vcard_attrs = vcard.get_attributes ();
       debug ("Got %u attributes in this vcard", vcard_attrs.length ());
 
-      var details = new HashTable<string, Value?> (GLib.str_hash, GLib.str_equal);
+      var contact = new Contact.empty ();
       foreach (unowned E.VCardAttribute attr in vcard_attrs) {
         switch (attr.get_name ()) {
           // Identification Properties
           case E.EVC_FN:
-            handle_fn (details, attr);
+            handle_fn (contact, attr);
             break;
           case E.EVC_N:
-            handle_n (details, attr);
+            handle_n (contact, attr);
             break;
           case E.EVC_NICKNAME:
-            handle_nickname (details, attr);
+            handle_nickname (contact, attr);
             break;
 /* FIXME
           case E.EVC_PHOTO:
-            handle_photo (details, attr);
+            handle_photo (contact, attr);
             break;
 */
           case E.EVC_BDAY:
-            handle_bday (details, attr);
+            handle_bday (contact, attr);
             break;
           // Delivery Addressing Properties
           case E.EVC_ADR:
-            handle_adr (details, attr);
+            handle_adr (contact, attr);
             break;
           // Communications Properties
           case E.EVC_TEL:
-            handle_tel (details, attr);
+            handle_tel (contact, attr);
             break;
           case E.EVC_EMAIL:
-            handle_email (details, attr);
+            handle_email (contact, attr);
             break;
           // Explanatory Properties
           case E.EVC_NOTE:
-            handle_note (details, attr);
+            handle_note (contact, attr);
             break;
           case E.EVC_URL:
-            handle_url (details, attr);
+            handle_url (contact, attr);
             break;
 
           default:
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ public class Contacts.Io.VCardParser : Contacts.Io.Parser {
         }
       }
 
-      result.add (details);
+      result.add (contact);
 
       begin_index = input_str.index_of ("BEGIN:VCARD", end_index);
     }
@@ -106,193 +106,146 @@ public class Contacts.Io.VCardParser : Contacts.Io.Parser {
   }
 
   // Handles the "FN" (Full Name) attribute
-  private void handle_fn (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                          E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_fn (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var full_name = attr.get_value ();
     debug ("Got FN '%s'", full_name);
 
-    Value? fn_v = Value (typeof (string));
-    fn_v.set_string (full_name);
-    details.insert (Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.FULL_NAME),
-                    (owned) fn_v);
+    // Note that the full-name chunk is a bit special since it's usually
+    // added as a chunk, even for empty contacts
+    var chunk = contact.get_most_relevant_chunk ("full-name", true) ??
+                contact.create_chunk ("full-name", null);
+    unowned var fn_chunk = (FullNameChunk) chunk;
+    fn_chunk.full_name = full_name;
   }
 
   // Handles the "N" (structured Name) attribute
-  private void handle_n (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                         E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_n (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     unowned var values = attr.get_values ();
 
     // From the VCard spec:
     // The structured property value corresponds, in sequence, to the Family
     // Names (also known as surnames), Given Names, Additional Names, Honorific
     // Prefixes, and Honorific Suffixes.
-    unowned var family_name = values.nth_data (0) ?? "";
-    unowned var given_name = values.nth_data (1) ?? "";
-    unowned var additional_names = values.nth_data (2) ?? "";
-    unowned var prefixes = values.nth_data (3) ?? "";
-    unowned var suffixes = values.nth_data (4) ?? "";
-
-    var structured_name = new StructuredName (family_name, given_name,
-                                              additional_names,
-                                              prefixes, suffixes);
-    Value? n_v = Value (typeof (StructuredName));
-    n_v.take_object ((owned) structured_name);
-    details.insert (Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.STRUCTURED_NAME),
-                    (owned) n_v);
+    var sn_chunk = (StructuredNameChunk) contact.create_chunk ("structured-name", null);
+    sn_chunk.structured_name.family_name = values.nth_data (0) ?? "";
+    sn_chunk.structured_name.given_name = values.nth_data (1) ?? "";
+    sn_chunk.structured_name.additional_names = values.nth_data (2) ?? "";
+    sn_chunk.structured_name.prefixes = values.nth_data (3) ?? "";
+    sn_chunk.structured_name.suffixes = values.nth_data (4) ?? "";
   }
 
-  private void handle_nickname (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                                E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_nickname (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var nickname = attr.get_value ();
     debug ("Got nickname '%s'", nickname);
 
-    Value? nick_v = Value (typeof (string));
-    nick_v.set_string (nickname);
-    details.insert (Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.NICKNAME),
-                    (owned) nick_v);
+    var nick_chunk = (NicknameChunk) contact.create_chunk ("nickname", null);
+    nick_chunk.nickname = nickname;
   }
 
   // Handles the "BDAY" (birthday) attribute
-  private void handle_bday (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                            E.VCardAttribute attr) {
-    // Get the attribute valuec
+  private void handle_bday (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var bday = attr.get_value ();
-
-    // Parse it using the logic in E.ContactDate
     var e_date = E.ContactDate.from_string (bday);
-
-    // Turn it into a GLib.DateTime
     var datetime = new DateTime.utc ((int) e_date.year,
                                      (int) e_date.month,
                                      (int) e_date.day,
                                      0, 0, 0.0);
 
-    // Insert it into the hashtable as a GLib.Value
-    Value? bday_val = Value (typeof (DateTime));
-    bday_val.take_boxed ((owned) datetime);
-    details.insert (Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.BIRTHDAY),
-                    (owned) bday_val);
+    var bd_chunk = (BirthdayChunk) contact.create_chunk ("birthday", null);
+    bd_chunk.birthday = datetime;
   }
 
-  private void handle_email (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                             E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_email (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var email = attr.get_value ();
     if (email == null || email == "")
       return;
 
-    var email_fd = new EmailFieldDetails (email);
-    add_params (email_fd, attr);
-    insert_field_details<EmailFieldDetails> (details, PersonaDetail.EMAIL_ADDRESSES,
-                                             email_fd,
-                                             AbstractFieldDetails<string>.hash_static,
-                                             AbstractFieldDetails<string>.equal_static);
+    var child = add_chunk_child_for_property (contact, "email-addresses");
+    ((EmailAddress) child).raw_address = email;
+    add_params (child, attr);
   }
 
-  private void handle_tel (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                           E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_tel (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var phone_nr = attr.get_value ();
     if (phone_nr == null || phone_nr == "")
       return;
 
-    var phone_fd = new PhoneFieldDetails (phone_nr);
-    add_params (phone_fd, attr);
-    insert_field_details<PhoneFieldDetails> (details, PersonaDetail.PHONE_NUMBERS,
-                                             phone_fd,
-                                             AbstractFieldDetails<string>.hash_static,
-                                             AbstractFieldDetails<string>.equal_static);
+    var child = add_chunk_child_for_property (contact, "phone-numbers");
+    ((Phone) child).raw_number = phone_nr;
+    add_params (child, attr);
   }
 
   // Handles the ADR (postal address) attributes
-  private void handle_adr (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                           E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_adr (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     unowned var values = attr.get_values ();
 
+    var child = add_chunk_child_for_property (contact, "postal-addresses");
+    unowned var address = ((Address) child).address;
+
     // From the VCard spec:
     // ADR-value = ADR-component-pobox ";" ADR-component-ext ";"
     //             ADR-component-street ";" ADR-component-locality ";"
     //             ADR-component-region ";" ADR-component-code ";"
     //             ADR-component-country
-    unowned var po_box = values.nth_data (0) ?? "";
-    unowned var extension = values.nth_data (1) ?? "";
-    unowned var street = values.nth_data (2) ?? "";
-    unowned var locality = values.nth_data (3) ?? "";
-    unowned var region = values.nth_data (4) ?? "";
-    unowned var postal_code = values.nth_data (5) ?? "";
-    unowned var country = values.nth_data (6) ?? "";
-
-    var addr = new PostalAddress (po_box, extension, street, locality, region,
-                                  postal_code, country, "", null);
-    var addr_fd = new PostalAddressFieldDetails ((owned) addr);
-    add_params (addr_fd, attr);
-
-    insert_field_details<PostalAddressFieldDetails> (details,
-                                                     PersonaDetail.POSTAL_ADDRESSES,
-                                                     addr_fd,
-                                                     AbstractFieldDetails<PostalAddress>.hash_static,
-                                                     AbstractFieldDetails<PostalAddress>.equal_static);
+    address.po_box = values.nth_data (0) ?? "";
+    address.extension = values.nth_data (1) ?? "";
+    address.street = values.nth_data (2) ?? "";
+    address.locality = values.nth_data (3) ?? "";
+    address.region = values.nth_data (4) ?? "";
+    address.postal_code = values.nth_data (5) ?? "";
+    address.country = values.nth_data (6) ?? "";
+
+    add_params (child, attr);
   }
 
-  private void handle_url (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                           E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_url (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var url = attr.get_value ();
     if (url == null || url == "")
       return;
 
-    var url_fd = new UrlFieldDetails (url);
-    add_params (url_fd, attr);
-    insert_field_details<UrlFieldDetails> (details, PersonaDetail.URLS,
-                                           url_fd,
-                                           AbstractFieldDetails<string>.hash_static,
-                                           AbstractFieldDetails<string>.equal_static);
+    var child = add_chunk_child_for_property (contact, "urls");
+    ((Contacts.Url) child).raw_url = url;
+    add_params (child, attr);
   }
 
-  private void handle_note (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                            E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void handle_note (Contact contact, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     var note = attr.get_value ();
     if (note == null || note == "")
       return;
 
-    var note_fd = new NoteFieldDetails (note);
-    add_params (note_fd, attr);
-    insert_field_details<NoteFieldDetails> (details, PersonaDetail.NOTES,
-                                            note_fd,
-                                            AbstractFieldDetails<string>.hash_static,
-                                            AbstractFieldDetails<string>.equal_static);
-
+    var child = add_chunk_child_for_property (contact, "notes");
+    ((Contacts.Note) child).text = note;
+    add_params (child, attr);
   }
 
   // Helper method for inserting aggregated properties
-  private bool insert_field_details<T> (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                                        PersonaDetail key,
-                                        T field_details,
-                                        owned Gee.HashDataFunc<T>? hash_func,
-                                        owned Gee.EqualDataFunc<T>? equal_func) {
-
-    // Get the existing set, or create a new one and add it
-    unowned var old_val = details.lookup (Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (key));
-    if (old_val != null) {
-      unowned var values = old_val as Gee.HashSet<T>;
-      return values.add (field_details);
+  private BinChunkChild add_chunk_child_for_property (Contact contact,
+                                                      string property_name) {
+    var chunk = (BinChunk) contact.get_most_relevant_chunk (property_name, true);
+    if (chunk == null)
+      chunk = (BinChunk) contact.create_chunk (property_name, null);
+
+    // BinChunk guarantees there will always be an empty child, so return the
+    // first one we can find
+    for (uint i = 0; i < chunk.get_n_items (); i++) {
+      var child = (BinChunkChild) chunk.get_item (i);
+      if (child.is_empty)
+        return child;
     }
 
-    var values = new Gee.HashSet<T> ((owned) hash_func, (owned) equal_func);
-    Value? new_val = Value (typeof (Gee.Set));
-    new_val.set_object (values);
-    details.insert (Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (key), (owned) new_val);
-
-    return values.add (field_details);
+    return_val_if_reached (null);
   }
 
-  // Helper method to get VCard parameters into an AbstractFieldDetails object.
+  // Helper method to get VCard parameters into a BinChunkChild
   // Will take care of setting the correct "type"
-  private void add_params (AbstractFieldDetails details, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
+  private void add_params (BinChunkChild chunk_child, E.VCardAttribute attr) {
     foreach (unowned E.VCardAttributeParam param in attr.get_params ()) {
       string param_name = param.get_name ().down ();
       foreach (unowned string param_value in param.get_values ()) {
-        if (param_name == AbstractFieldDetails.PARAM_TYPE)
-          details.add_parameter (param_name, param_value.down ());
+        if (param_name == "type")
+          chunk_child.add_parameter (param_name, param_value.down ());
         else
-          details.add_parameter (param_name, param_value);
+          chunk_child.add_parameter (param_name, param_value);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/io/contacts-io.vala b/src/io/contacts-io.vala
index 094298d..d87eb9f 100644
--- a/src/io/contacts-io.vala
+++ b/src/io/contacts-io.vala
@@ -25,441 +25,39 @@ using Folks;
 namespace Contacts.Io {
 
   /**
-   * Serializes a list of {@link GLib.HashTable}s as returned by a
+   * Serializes a list of {@link Contact}s as returned by a
    * {@link Contacts.Io.Parser} into a {@link GLib.Variant} so it can be sent
    * from one process to another.
    */
-  public GLib.Variant serialize_to_gvariant (HashTable<string, Value?>[] details_list) {
+  public GLib.Variant serialize_to_gvariant (Contacts.Contact[]? contacts) {
     var builder = new GLib.VariantBuilder (new VariantType ("aa{sv}"));
 
-    foreach (unowned var details in details_list) {
-      builder.add_value (serialize_to_gvariant_single (details));
+    foreach (unowned var contact in contacts) {
+      var variant = contact.to_gvariant ();
+      if (variant.n_children () == 0)
+        continue;
+      builder.add_value (variant);
     }
 
     return builder.end ();
   }
 
   /**
-   * Serializes a single {@link GLib.HashTable} into a {@link GLib.Variant}.
-   */
-  public GLib.Variant serialize_to_gvariant_single (HashTable<string, Value?> details) {
-    var dict = new GLib.VariantDict ();
-
-    var iter = HashTableIter<string, Value?> (details);
-    unowned string prop;
-    unowned Value? val;
-    while (iter.next (out prop, out val)) {
-
-      if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.FULL_NAME)) {
-        serialize_full_name (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.STRUCTURED_NAME)) {
-        serialize_structured_name (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.NICKNAME)) {
-        serialize_nickname (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.BIRTHDAY)) {
-        serialize_birthday (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.POSTAL_ADDRESSES)) {
-        serialize_addresses (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.PHONE_NUMBERS)) {
-        serialize_phone_nrs (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.EMAIL_ADDRESSES)) {
-        serialize_emails (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.NOTES)) {
-        serialize_notes (dict, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.URLS)) {
-        serialize_urls (dict, prop, val);
-      } else {
-        warning ("Couldn't serialize unknown property '%s'", prop);
-      }
-    }
-
-    return dict.end ();
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Deserializes the {@link GLib.Variant} back into a {@link GLib.HashTable}.
+   * Deserializes the {@link GLib.Variant} back into a list of
+   * {@link Contacts.Contact}s.
    */
-  public HashTable<string, Value?>[] deserialize_gvariant (GLib.Variant variant)
+  public Contacts.Contact[] deserialize_gvariant (Variant variant)
       requires (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("aa{sv}"))) {
 
-    var result = new GenericArray<HashTable<string, Value?>> ();
+    var result = new GenericArray<Contacts.Contact> ();
 
     var iter = variant.iterator ();
     GLib.Variant element;
     while (iter.next ("@a{sv}", out element)) {
-      result.add (deserialize_gvariant_single (element));
+      var contact = new Contact.for_gvariant (element);
+      result.add (contact);
     }
 
     return result.steal ();
   }
-
-  /**
-   * Deserializes the {@link GLib.Variant} back into a {@link GLib.HashTable}.
-   */
-  public HashTable<string, Value?> deserialize_gvariant_single (GLib.Variant variant) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.VARDICT), null);
-
-    var details = new HashTable<string, Value?> (GLib.str_hash, GLib.str_equal);
-
-    var iter = variant.iterator ();
-    string prop;
-    GLib.Variant val;
-    while (iter.next ("{sv}", out prop, out val)) {
-
-      if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.FULL_NAME)) {
-        deserialize_full_name (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.STRUCTURED_NAME)) {
-        deserialize_structured_name (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.NICKNAME)) {
-        deserialize_nickname (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.BIRTHDAY)) {
-        deserialize_birthday (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.POSTAL_ADDRESSES)) {
-        deserialize_addresses (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.PHONE_NUMBERS)) {
-        deserialize_phone_nrs (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.EMAIL_ADDRESSES)) {
-        deserialize_emails (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.NOTES)) {
-        deserialize_notes (details, prop, val);
-      } else if (prop == Folks.PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.URLS)) {
-        deserialize_urls (details, prop, val);
-      } else {
-        warning ("Couldn't serialize unknown property '%s'", prop);
-      }
-    }
-
-    return details;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // FULL NAME
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private const string FULL_NAME_TYPE = "s";
-
-  private bool serialize_full_name (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return_val_if_fail (val.type () == typeof (string), false);
-
-    unowned string full_name = val as string;
-    return_val_if_fail (full_name != null, false);
-
-    dict.insert (prop, FULL_NAME_TYPE, full_name);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_full_name (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.STRING), false);
-
-    unowned string full_name = variant.get_string ();
-    return_val_if_fail (full_name != null, false);
-
-    details.insert (prop, full_name);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // NICKNAME
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private const string STRUCTURED_NAME_TYPE = "(sssss)";
-
-  private bool serialize_structured_name (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return_val_if_fail (val.type () == typeof (StructuredName), false);
-
-    unowned var name = val as StructuredName;
-    return_val_if_fail (name != null, false);
-
-    dict.insert (prop, STRUCTURED_NAME_TYPE,
-                 name.family_name, name.given_name, name.additional_names,
-                 name.prefixes, name.suffixes);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_structured_name (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType (STRUCTURED_NAME_TYPE)), false);
-
-    string family_name, given_name, additional_names, prefixes, suffixes;
-    variant.get (STRUCTURED_NAME_TYPE,
-                 out family_name,
-                 out given_name,
-                 out additional_names,
-                 out prefixes,
-                 out suffixes);
-
-    var structured_name = new StructuredName (family_name, given_name, additional_names,
-                                              prefixes, suffixes);
-    details.insert (prop, structured_name);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // NICKNAME
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private const string NICKNAME_TYPE = "s";
-
-  private bool serialize_nickname (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return_val_if_fail (val.type () == typeof (string), false);
-
-    unowned string nickname = val as string;
-    return_val_if_fail (nickname != null, false);
-
-    dict.insert (prop, NICKNAME_TYPE, nickname);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_nickname (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (VariantType.STRING), false);
-
-    unowned string nickname = variant.get_string ();
-    return_val_if_fail (nickname != null, false);
-
-    details.insert (prop, nickname);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // BIRTHDAY
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private const string BIRTHDAY_TYPE = "(iii)"; // Year-Month-Day
-
-  private bool serialize_birthday (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return_val_if_fail (val.type () == typeof (DateTime), false);
-
-    unowned var bd = val as DateTime;
-    return_val_if_fail (bd != null, false);
-
-    int year, month, day;
-    bd.get_ymd (out year, out month, out day);
-    dict.insert (prop, BIRTHDAY_TYPE, year, month, day);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_birthday (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType (BIRTHDAY_TYPE)), false);
-
-    int year, month, day;
-    variant.get (BIRTHDAY_TYPE, out year, out month, out day);
-
-    var bd = new DateTime.utc (year, month, day, 0, 0, 0.0);
-
-    details.insert (prop, bd);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // POSTAL ADDRESSES
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private const string ADDRESS_TYPE = "(sssssssv)";
-  private const string ADDRESSES_TYPE = "a" + ADDRESS_TYPE;
-
-  private bool serialize_addresses (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return_val_if_fail (val.type () == typeof (Gee.Set), false);
-
-    // Get the list of field details
-    unowned var afds = val as Gee.Set<PostalAddressFieldDetails>;
-    return_val_if_fail (afds != null, false);
-
-    // Turn the set of field details into an array Variant
-    var builder = new GLib.VariantBuilder (GLib.VariantType.ARRAY);
-    foreach (var afd in afds) {
-      unowned PostalAddress addr = afd.value;
-
-      builder.add (ADDRESS_TYPE,
-          addr.po_box,
-          addr.extension,
-          addr.street,
-          addr.locality,
-          addr.region,
-          addr.postal_code,
-          addr.country,
-          serialize_parameters (afd));
-    }
-
-    dict.insert_value (prop, builder.end ());
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_addresses (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("a" + ADDRESS_TYPE)), false);
-
-    var afds = new Gee.HashSet<PostalAddressFieldDetails> ();
-
-    // Turn the array variant into a set of field details
-    var iter = variant.iterator ();
-
-    string po_box, extension, street, locality, region, postal_code, country;
-    GLib.Variant parameters;
-    while (iter.next (ADDRESS_TYPE,
-                      out po_box,
-                      out extension,
-                      out street,
-                      out locality,
-                      out region,
-                      out postal_code,
-                      out country,
-                      out parameters)) {
-      if (po_box == "" && extension == "" && street == "" && locality == ""
-          && region == "" && postal_code == "" && country == "") {
-        warning ("Got empty postal address");
-        continue;
-      }
-
-      var addr = new PostalAddress (po_box, extension, street, locality, region,
-                                    postal_code, country, "", null);
-
-      var afd = new PostalAddressFieldDetails (addr);
-      deserialize_parameters (parameters, afd);
-
-      afds.add (afd);
-    }
-
-    details.insert (prop, afds);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // PHONE NUMBERS
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private bool serialize_phone_nrs (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return serialize_afd_strings (dict, prop, val);
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_phone_nrs (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return deserialize_afd_str (details, prop, variant,
-                                (str) => { return new PhoneFieldDetails (str); });
-  }
-
-  //
-  // EMAILS
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private bool serialize_emails (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return serialize_afd_strings (dict, prop, val);
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_emails (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return deserialize_afd_str (details, prop, variant,
-                                (str) => { return new EmailFieldDetails (str); });
-  }
-
-  //
-  // NOTES
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private bool serialize_notes (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return serialize_afd_strings (dict, prop, val);
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_notes (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return deserialize_afd_str (details, prop, variant,
-                                (str) => { return new NoteFieldDetails (str); });
-  }
-
-  //
-  // URLS
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private bool serialize_urls (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return serialize_afd_strings (dict, prop, val);
-  }
-
-  private bool deserialize_urls (HashTable<string, Value?> details, string prop, Variant variant) {
-    return deserialize_afd_str (details, prop, variant,
-                                (str) => { return new UrlFieldDetails (str); });
-  }
-
-  //
-  // HELPER: AbstractFielDdetail<string>
-  // -----------------------------------
-  private const string AFD_STRING_TYPE = "(sv)";
-
-  private bool serialize_afd_strings (GLib.VariantDict dict, string prop, Value? val) {
-    return_val_if_fail (val.type () == typeof (Gee.Set), false);
-
-    // Get the list of field details
-    unowned var afds = val as Gee.Set<AbstractFieldDetails<string>>;
-    return_val_if_fail (afds != null, false);
-
-    // Turn the set of field details into an array Variant
-    var builder = new GLib.VariantBuilder (GLib.VariantType.ARRAY);
-    foreach (var afd in afds) {
-      builder.add (AFD_STRING_TYPE, afd.value, serialize_parameters (afd));
-    }
-
-    dict.insert_value (prop, builder.end ());
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  // In an ideal world, we wouldn't need this delegate and we could just use
-  // GLib.Object.new(), but this is Vala and generics, so we find ourselves in
-  // a big mess here
-  delegate AbstractFieldDetails<string> CreateAbstractFieldStrFunc(string value);
-
-  private bool deserialize_afd_str (HashTable<string, Value?> details,
-                                    string prop,
-                                    Variant variant,
-                                    CreateAbstractFieldStrFunc create_afd_func) {
-    return_val_if_fail (variant.get_type ().equal (new VariantType ("a" + AFD_STRING_TYPE)), false);
-
-    var afds = new Gee.HashSet<AbstractFieldDetails> ();
-
-    // Turn the array variant into a set of field details
-    var iter = variant.iterator ();
-    string str;
-    GLib.Variant parameters;
-    while (iter.next (AFD_STRING_TYPE, out str, out parameters)) {
-      AbstractFieldDetails afd = create_afd_func (str);
-      deserialize_parameters (parameters, afd);
-
-      afds.add (afd);
-    }
-
-    details.insert (prop, afds);
-
-    return true;
-  }
-
-  //
-  // HELPER: Parameters
-  // -----------------------------------
-  // We can't use a vardict here, since one key can map to multiple values.
-  private const string PARAMS_TYPE = "a(ss)";
-
-  private Variant serialize_parameters (AbstractFieldDetails details) {
-
-    if (details.parameters == null || details.parameters.size == 0) {
-      return new GLib.Variant (PARAMS_TYPE, null); // Empty array
-    }
-
-    var builder = new GLib.VariantBuilder (GLib.VariantType.ARRAY);
-    var iter = details.parameters.map_iterator ();
-    while (iter.next ()) {
-      string param_name = iter.get_key ();
-      string param_value = iter.get_value ();
-
-      builder.add ("(ss)", param_name, param_value);
-    }
-
-    return builder.end ();
-  }
-
-  private void deserialize_parameters (Variant parameters, AbstractFieldDetails details) {
-    return_if_fail (parameters.get_type ().is_array ());
-
-    var iter = parameters.iterator ();
-    string param_name, param_value;
-    while (iter.next ("(ss)", out param_name, out param_value)) {
-      if (param_name == AbstractFieldDetails.PARAM_TYPE)
-        details.add_parameter (param_name, param_value.down ());
-      else
-        details.add_parameter (param_name, param_value);
-    }
-  }
 }
diff --git a/src/io/meson.build b/src/io/meson.build
index b4bb512..a5ea1df 100644
--- a/src/io/meson.build
+++ b/src/io/meson.build
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ contacts_c_args = [
 ]
 
 contacts_io_deps = [
+  libcontactscore_dep,
   folks,
   folks_eds,
   gee,
diff --git a/tests/core/meson.build b/tests/core/meson.build
index 4e38475..86101d1 100644
--- a/tests/core/meson.build
+++ b/tests/core/meson.build
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ test_names = [
   'test-notes-chunk',
   'test-phones-chunk',
   'test-roles-chunk',
+  'test-structured-name-chunk',
   'test-urls-chunk',
 ]
 
diff --git a/tests/core/test-birthday-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-birthday-chunk.vala
index d112379..2135c49 100644
--- a/tests/core/test-birthday-chunk.vala
+++ b/tests/core/test-birthday-chunk.vala
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ void main (string[] args) {
   Test.add_func ("/core/birthday-chunk/property_name_chunk", test_property_name);
   Test.add_func ("/core/birthday-chunk/is-empty", test_is_empty);
   Test.add_func ("/core/birthday-chunk/leap-day-birthday", test_leap_day_birthday);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/birthday-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/birthday-chunk/serialize-pre-epoch", test_serialize_pre_epoch);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ private void test_is_empty () {
   assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
 }
 
-void test_leap_day_birthday () {
+private void test_leap_day_birthday () {
   var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
   var chunk = (Contacts.BirthdayChunk) contact.create_chunk ("birthday", null);
   assert_nonnull (chunk);
@@ -60,4 +62,42 @@ void test_leap_day_birthday () {
 
   var feb_28_non_leap_year = new DateTime.local (2023, 2, 28, 0, 0, 0);
   assert_true (chunk.is_today (feb_28_non_leap_year));
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.BirthdayChunk) contact.create_chunk ("birthday", null);
+
+  // If the birthday is not set, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If the birthday is set, we should have a variant. Without checking its
+  // contents, it should deserialize in a new contact
+  var old_bd = new DateTime.utc (1992, 8, 1, 0, 0, 0);
+  chunk.birthday = old_bd;
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.BirthdayChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("birthday", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_true (old_bd.equal (chunk2.birthday));
+}
+
+private void test_serialize_pre_epoch () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.BirthdayChunk) contact.create_chunk ("birthday", null);
+
+  // Check that we didn't try to use something that doesn't allow dates before
+  // epoch (eg struct tm)
+  var old_bd = new DateTime.utc (1961, 7, 3, 0, 0, 0);
+  chunk.birthday = old_bd;
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.BirthdayChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("birthday", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_true (old_bd.equal (chunk2.birthday));
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/test-email-addresses-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-email-addresses-chunk.vala
index d2d10c7..90f9247 100644
--- a/tests/core/test-email-addresses-chunk.vala
+++ b/tests/core/test-email-addresses-chunk.vala
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@
 
 void main (string[] args) {
   Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/core/addresses-chunk/property-name-chunk", test_property_name);
-  Test.add_func ("/core/addresses-chunk/get-is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/email-addresses-chunk/property-name-chunk", test_property_name);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/email-addresses-chunk/get-is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/email-addresses-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
@@ -51,3 +52,25 @@ private void test_is_empty () {
   assert_true (address.is_empty);
   assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
 }
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.EmailAddressesChunk) contact.create_chunk ("email-addresses", null);
+
+  // If the emailaddresss are empty, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If a email address is added, we should have a variant. We don't need to
+  // inspect the variant, we just need to know it properly deserializes
+  var email_addr = (Contacts.EmailAddress) chunk.get_item (0);
+  email_addr.raw_address = "nielsdegraef@gmail.com";
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.EmailAddressesChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("email-addresses", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_nonnull (chunk.get_item (0));
+  assert_true (((Contacts.EmailAddress) chunk.get_item (0)).raw_address == "nielsdegraef@gmail.com");
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/test-full-name-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-full-name-chunk.vala
index 4648b0c..9dd78c1 100644
--- a/tests/core/test-full-name-chunk.vala
+++ b/tests/core/test-full-name-chunk.vala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ void main (string[] args) {
   Test.init (ref args);
   Test.add_func ("/core/full-name-chunk/property_name_chunk", test_property_name);
   Test.add_func ("/core/full-name-chunk/is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/full-name-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
@@ -44,3 +45,23 @@ private void test_is_empty () {
   chunk.full_name = "";
   assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
 }
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.FullNameChunk) contact.create_chunk ("full-name", null);
+
+  // If the full name is not set, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If full name is set, we should have a variant. We don't need to inspect
+  // the variant, we just need to know it properly deserializes
+  chunk.full_name = "Niels De Graef";
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.FullNameChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("full-name", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_true (chunk2.full_name == "Niels De Graef");
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/test-nickname-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-nickname-chunk.vala
index e32ae52..e46efc1 100644
--- a/tests/core/test-nickname-chunk.vala
+++ b/tests/core/test-nickname-chunk.vala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ void main (string[] args) {
   Test.init (ref args);
   Test.add_func ("/core/nickname-chunk/property_name_chunk", test_property_name);
   Test.add_func ("/core/nickname-chunk/is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/nickname-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
@@ -44,3 +45,23 @@ private void test_is_empty () {
   chunk.nickname = "";
   assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
 }
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.NicknameChunk) contact.create_chunk ("nickname", null);
+
+  // If the nickname is not set, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If nickname is set, we should have a variant. We don't need to inspect the
+  // variant, we just need to know it properly deserializes
+  chunk.nickname = "ndegraef";
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.NicknameChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("nickname", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_true (chunk2.nickname == "ndegraef");
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/test-phones-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-phones-chunk.vala
index 9fb6c65..bea8784 100644
--- a/tests/core/test-phones-chunk.vala
+++ b/tests/core/test-phones-chunk.vala
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ void main (string[] args) {
   Test.init (ref args);
   Test.add_func ("/core/phones-chunk/property-name-chunk", test_property_name);
   Test.add_func ("/core/phones-chunk/get-is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/phones-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
@@ -51,3 +52,25 @@ private void test_is_empty () {
   assert_true (phone.is_empty);
   assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
 }
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.PhonesChunk) contact.create_chunk ("phone-numbers", null);
+
+  // If the phones are empty, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If a phone is added, we should have a variant. We don't need to inspect
+  // the variant, we just need to know it properly deserializes
+  var phone = (Contacts.Phone) chunk.get_item (0);
+  phone.raw_number = "+321234567";
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.PhonesChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("phone-numbers", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_nonnull (chunk.get_item (0));
+  assert_true (((Contacts.Phone) chunk.get_item (0)).raw_number == "+321234567");
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/test-structured-name-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-structured-name-chunk.vala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3283f88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/core/test-structured-name-chunk.vala
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2023 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+void main (string[] args) {
+  Test.init (ref args);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/structured-name-chunk/property_name_chunk", test_property_name);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/structured-name-chunk/is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/structured-name-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
+  Test.run ();
+}
+
+// Make sure that "structured-name" maps to a StructuredNameChunk
+private void test_property_name () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+
+  var chunk = contact.create_chunk ("structured-name", null);
+  assert_nonnull (chunk);
+  assert_true (chunk is Contacts.StructuredNameChunk);
+  assert_true (chunk.property_name == "structured-name");
+}
+
+private void test_is_empty () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.StructuredNameChunk) contact.create_chunk ("structured-name", null);
+  assert_nonnull (chunk);
+  assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
+
+  chunk.structured_name = new Folks.StructuredName.simple ("Niels", "De Graef");
+  assert_false (chunk.is_empty);
+}
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.StructuredNameChunk) contact.create_chunk ("structured-name", null);
+
+  // If the name is not set, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If name is set, we should have a variant. We don't need to inspect the
+  // variant, we just need to know it properly deserializes
+  var old_name = new Folks.StructuredName.simple ("Niels", "De Graef");
+  chunk.structured_name = old_name;
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.StructuredNameChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("structured-name", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_true (chunk2.structured_name.equal (old_name));
+}
diff --git a/tests/core/test-urls-chunk.vala b/tests/core/test-urls-chunk.vala
index 183db5c..b70964e 100644
--- a/tests/core/test-urls-chunk.vala
+++ b/tests/core/test-urls-chunk.vala
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ void main (string[] args) {
   Test.add_func ("/core/urls-chunk/property-name-chunk", test_property_name);
   Test.add_func ("/core/urls-chunk/get-absolute-url", test_get_absolute_url);
   Test.add_func ("/core/urls-chunk/get-is-empty", test_is_empty);
+  Test.add_func ("/core/urls-chunk/serialize-basic", test_serialize_basic);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
@@ -74,3 +75,25 @@ private void test_is_empty () {
   assert_true (url.is_empty);
   assert_true (chunk.is_empty);
 }
+
+private void test_serialize_basic () {
+  var contact = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk = (Contacts.UrlsChunk) contact.create_chunk ("urls", null);
+
+  // If the urls are empty, serialization should give a null result
+  var serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_null (serialized);
+
+  // If a url is added, we should have a variant. We don't need to inspect
+  // the variant, we just need to know it properly deserializes
+  var url = (Contacts.Url) chunk.get_item (0);
+  url.raw_url = "https://gnome.org";
+  serialized = chunk.to_gvariant ();
+  assert_nonnull (serialized);
+
+  var contact2 = new Contacts.Contact.empty ();
+  var chunk2 = (Contacts.UrlsChunk) contact2.create_chunk ("urls", null);
+  chunk2.apply_gvariant (serialized);
+  assert_nonnull (chunk.get_item (0));
+  assert_true (((Contacts.Url) chunk.get_item (0)).raw_url == "https://gnome.org");
+}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/meson.build b/tests/io/internal/meson.build
deleted file mode 100644
index 82590ef..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/meson.build
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,29 +0,0 @@
-io_internal_testlib = library('io-internal-testlib',
-  files('test-serialise-common.vala'),
-  dependencies: libcontacts_dep,
-)
-
-io_internal_testlib_dep = declare_dependency(
-  link_with: io_internal_testlib,
-  include_directories: include_directories('.'),
-)
-
-io_internal_test_names = [
-  'serialise-full-name',
-  'serialise-structured-name',
-  'serialise-nickname',
-  'serialise-birthday',
-  'serialise-emails',
-  'serialise-urls',
-]
-
-foreach _test : io_internal_test_names
-  test_bin = executable(_test,
-    files('test-'+_test+'.vala'),
-    dependencies: [ libcontacts_dep, io_internal_testlib_dep ],
-  )
-
-  test(_test, test_bin,
-    suite: 'io-internal',
-  )
-endforeach
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-birthday.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-birthday.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index 46beef2..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-birthday.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,54 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-void main (string[] args) {
-  Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_birthday",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_birthday);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_birthday_pre_epoch",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_birthday_pre_epoch);
-  Test.run ();
-}
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  private void test_serialize_birthday () {
-    unowned var bd_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.BIRTHDAY);
-
-    DateTime old_bd = new GLib.DateTime.utc (1992, 8, 1, 0, 0, 0);
-    var old_bd_val = Value (typeof (DateTime));
-    old_bd_val.set_boxed (old_bd);
-
-    var new_bd_val = _transform_single_value (bd_key, old_bd_val);
-    assert_true (new_bd_val.type () == typeof (DateTime));
-    assert_true (old_bd.equal ((DateTime) new_bd_val.get_boxed ()));
-  }
-
-  private void test_serialize_birthday_pre_epoch () {
-    unowned var bd_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.BIRTHDAY);
-
-    DateTime old_bd = new GLib.DateTime.utc (1961, 7, 3, 0, 0, 0);
-    var old_bd_val = Value (typeof (DateTime));
-    old_bd_val.set_boxed (old_bd);
-
-    var new_bd_val = _transform_single_value (bd_key, old_bd_val);
-    assert_true (new_bd_val.type () == typeof (DateTime));
-    assert_true (old_bd.equal ((DateTime) new_bd_val.get_boxed ()));
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-common.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-common.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index 8407e2c..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-common.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,66 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  // Helper to serialize and deserialize an AbstractFieldDetails
-  public T _transform_single_afd<T> (string prop_key, T afd) {
-    Gee.Set<T> afd_set = new Gee.HashSet<T> ();
-    afd_set.add (afd);
-
-    Value val = Value (typeof (Gee.Set));
-    val.set_object (afd_set);
-
-    Value emails_value = _transform_single_value (prop_key, val);
-    var emails_set = emails_value.get_object () as Gee.Set<T>;
-    if (emails_set == null)
-      error ("GValue has null value");
-    if (emails_set.size != 1)
-      error ("Expected %d elements but got %d", 1, emails_set.size);
-
-    var deserialized_fd = Utils.get_first<T> (emails_set);
-    assert_nonnull (deserialized_fd);
-
-    return deserialized_fd;
-  }
-
-  // Helper to serialize and deserialize a single property with a GLib.Value
-  public GLib.Value _transform_single_value (string prop_key, GLib.Value val) {
-    var details = new HashTable<string, Value?> (GLib.str_hash, GLib.str_equal);
-    details.insert (prop_key, val);
-
-    // Serialize
-    Variant serialized = Contacts.Io.serialize_to_gvariant_single (details);
-    if (serialized == null)
-      error ("Couldn't serialize single-value table for property %s", prop_key);
-
-    // Deserialize
-    var details_deserialized = Contacts.Io.deserialize_gvariant_single (serialized);
-    if (details_deserialized == null)
-      error ("Couldn't deserialize details for property %s", prop_key);
-
-    if (!details_deserialized.contains (prop_key))
-      error ("Deserialized details doesn't contain value for property %s", prop_key);
-    Value? val_deserialized = details_deserialized.lookup (prop_key);
-    if (val_deserialized.type() == GLib.Type.NONE)
-      error ("Deserialized Value is unset");
-
-    return val_deserialized;
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-emails.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-emails.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index 27b15ac..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-emails.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-void main (string[] args) {
-  Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_emails",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_emails);
-  Test.run ();
-}
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  private void test_serialize_emails () {
-    unowned var emails_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.EMAIL_ADDRESSES);
-
-    var old_fd = new EmailFieldDetails ("nielsdegraef@gmail.com");
-    var new_fd = _transform_single_afd<EmailFieldDetails> (emails_key, old_fd);
-
-    if (!(new_fd is EmailFieldDetails))
-      error ("Expected EmailFieldDetails but got %s", new_fd.get_type ().name ());
-
-    if (old_fd.value != new_fd.value)
-      error ("Expected '%s' but got '%s'", old_fd.value, new_fd.value);
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-full-name.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-full-name.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index 9da8319..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-full-name.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,42 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-void main (string[] args) {
-  Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_full_name_simple",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_full_name_simple);
-  Test.run ();
-}
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  private void test_serialize_full_name_simple () {
-    unowned var fn_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.FULL_NAME);
-
-    string old_fn = "Niels De Graef";
-    Value old_fn_val = Value (typeof (string));
-    old_fn_val.set_string (old_fn);
-
-    var new_fn_val = _transform_single_value (fn_key, old_fn_val);
-    if (new_fn_val.type () != typeof (string))
-      error ("Expected G_TYPE_STRING but got %s", new_fn_val.type ().name ());
-    if (old_fn != new_fn_val.get_string ())
-      error ("Expected '%s' but got '%s'", old_fn, new_fn_val.get_string ());
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-nickname.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-nickname.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index 649b638..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-nickname.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-void main (string[] args) {
-  Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_nickame",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_nickname);
-  Test.run ();
-}
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  private void test_serialize_nickname () {
-    unowned var nick_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.NICKNAME);
-
-    string old_nick = "nielsdg";
-    var old_nick_val = Value (typeof (string));
-    old_nick_val.set_string (old_nick);
-
-    var new_nick_val = _transform_single_value (nick_key, old_nick_val);
-    assert_true (new_nick_val.type () == typeof (string));
-    assert_true (old_nick == new_nick_val.get_string ());
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-structured-name.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-structured-name.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index 45f2093..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-structured-name.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,45 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-void main (string[] args) {
-  Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_structured_name_simple",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_structured_name_simple);
-  Test.run ();
-}
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  private void test_serialize_structured_name_simple () {
-    unowned var sn_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.STRUCTURED_NAME);
-
-    var old_sn = new StructuredName.simple ("Niels", "De Graef");
-    Value old_sn_val = Value (typeof (StructuredName));
-    old_sn_val.set_object (old_sn);
-
-    var new_sn_val = _transform_single_value (sn_key, old_sn_val);
-
-    if (new_sn_val.type () != typeof (StructuredName))
-      error ("Expected FOLKS_TYPE_STRUCTURED_NAME but got %s", new_sn_val.type ().name ());
-
-    var new_sn = new_sn_val.get_object () as StructuredName;
-    if (!old_sn.equal (new_sn))
-      error ("Expected '%s' but got '%s'", old_sn.to_string (), new_sn.to_string ());
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-urls.vala b/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-urls.vala
deleted file mode 100644
index cf4cdf9..0000000
--- a/tests/io/internal/test-serialise-urls.vala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) 2021 Niels De Graef <nielsdegraef@gmail.com>
- *
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-using Folks;
-
-void main (string[] args) {
-  Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/serialize_urls_single",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_serialize_urls_single);
-  Test.run ();
-}
-
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-
-  private void test_serialize_urls_single () {
-    unowned var urls_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.URLS);
-
-    var old_fd = new UrlFieldDetails ("http://www.islinuxaboutchoice.com/");
-    var new_fd = _transform_single_afd<UrlFieldDetails> (urls_key, old_fd);
-
-    if (!(new_fd is UrlFieldDetails))
-      error ("Expected UrlFieldDetails but got %s", new_fd.get_type ().name ());
-
-    if (old_fd.value != new_fd.value)
-      error ("Expected '%s' but got '%s'", old_fd.value, new_fd.value);
-  }
-}
diff --git a/tests/io/meson.build b/tests/io/meson.build
index 2f34960..99bbbc0 100644
--- a/tests/io/meson.build
+++ b/tests/io/meson.build
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
-subdir('internal')
 subdir('vcard')
diff --git a/tests/io/vcard/meson.build b/tests/io/vcard/meson.build
index 9967815..38f2a66 100644
--- a/tests/io/vcard/meson.build
+++ b/tests/io/vcard/meson.build
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ test_deps = [
   gee,
   folks,
   libebook,
+  libcontactscore_dep,
 ]
 
 foreach vcard_name : io_vcard_files
diff --git a/tests/io/vcard/test-vcard-minimal-import.vala b/tests/io/vcard/test-vcard-minimal-import.vala
index bef6596..544fdad 100644
--- a/tests/io/vcard/test-vcard-minimal-import.vala
+++ b/tests/io/vcard/test-vcard-minimal-import.vala
@@ -19,43 +19,38 @@ using Folks;
 
 void main (string[] args) {
   Test.init (ref args);
-  Test.add_func ("/io/test_vcard_minimal",
-                 Contacts.Tests.Io.test_vcard_minimal);
+  Test.add_func ("/io/test_vcard_minimal", test_vcard_minimal);
   Test.run ();
 }
 
-namespace Contacts.Tests.Io {
-  private void test_vcard_minimal () {
-    unowned var vcf_path = Environment.get_variable ("_VCF_FILE");
-    if (vcf_path == null || vcf_path == "")
-      error ("No .vcf file set as envvar. Please use the meson test suite");
-
-    var file = GLib.File.new_for_path (vcf_path);
-    if (!file.query_exists ())
-      error (".vcf file that is used as test input doesn't exist");
-
-    var parser = new Contacts.Io.VCardParser ();
-    HashTable<string, Value?>[] details_list = null;
-    try {
-      details_list = parser.parse (file.read (null));
-    } catch (Error err) {
-      error ("Error while importing: %s", err.message);
-    }
-    if (details_list == null)
-      error ("VCardParser returned null");
-
-    if (details_list.length != 1)
-      error ("VCardParser parsed %u elements instead of 1", details_list.length);
-
-    unowned var details = details_list[0];
-
-    unowned var fn_key = PersonaStore.detail_key (PersonaDetail.FULL_NAME);
-    if (!details.contains (fn_key))
-      error ("No FN value");
-
-    var fn_value = details.lookup (fn_key);
-    unowned var fn = fn_value as string;
-    if (fn != "Niels De Graef")
-      error ("Expected '%s' but got '%s'", "Niels De Graef", fn);
+private void test_vcard_minimal () {
+  unowned var vcf_path = Environment.get_variable ("_VCF_FILE");
+  if (vcf_path == null || vcf_path == "")
+    error ("No .vcf file set as envvar. Please use the meson test suite");
+
+  var file = File.new_for_path (vcf_path);
+  if (!file.query_exists ())
+    error (".vcf file that is used as test input doesn't exist");
+
+  var parser = new Contacts.Io.VCardParser ();
+  Contacts.Contact[]? contacts = null;
+  try {
+    contacts = parser.parse (file.read (null));
+  } catch (Error err) {
+    error ("Error while importing: %s", err.message);
   }
+
+  if (contacts == null)
+    error ("VCardParser returned null");
+  if (contacts.length != 1)
+    error ("VCardParser parsed %u elements instead of 1", contacts.length);
+
+  unowned var contact = contacts[0];
+  var chunk = contact.get_most_relevant_chunk ("full-name", true);
+  if (chunk == null)
+    error ("Expected FullNameChunk, but got null");
+
+  unowned var fn_chunk = (Contacts.FullNameChunk) chunk;
+  if (fn_chunk.full_name != "Niels De Graef")
+    error ("Expected '%s' but got '%s'", "Niels De Graef", fn_chunk.full_name);
 }