diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvidset.h b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvidset.h
index f722947de..732eee64c 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvidset.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvidset.h
@@ -28,13 +28,15 @@
 
 #include "serialiser/rstlvbase.h"
 #include "serialiser/rstlvitem.h"
-
+#include "util/rsdeprecate.h"
 #include <retroshare/rstypes.h>
 #include <retroshare/rsgxsifacetypes.h>
 
 #include <list>
 
-template<class ID_CLASS,uint32_t TLV_TYPE> class t_RsTlvIdSet: public RsTlvItem
+/// @deprecated use plain std::set<> instead
+template<class ID_CLASS,uint32_t TLV_TYPE> class RS_DEPRECATED_FOR(std::set<>) t_RsTlvIdSet
+    : public RsTlvItem
 {
 	public:
 		t_RsTlvIdSet() {}
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ typedef t_RsTlvIdSet<RsGxsMessageId,TLV_TYPE_GXSMSGIDSET>       RsTlvGxsMsgIdSet
 typedef t_RsTlvIdSet<RsGxsCircleId, TLV_TYPE_GXSCIRCLEIDSET>    RsTlvGxsCircleIdSet ;
 typedef t_RsTlvIdSet<RsNodeGroupId, TLV_TYPE_NODEGROUPIDSET>    RsTlvNodeGroupIdSet ;
 
-class RsTlvServiceIdSet: public RsTlvItem
+class RS_DEPRECATED RsTlvServiceIdSet: public RsTlvItem
 {
 	public:
 	 RsTlvServiceIdSet() { return; }
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvitem.h b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvitem.h
index 1623a8224..4d45cd120 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvitem.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rstlvitem.h
@@ -26,15 +26,18 @@
  *
  ******************************************************************/
 
+#include "util/rsdeprecate.h"
+
 #include <iosfwd>
 #include <string>
 #include <inttypes.h>
 
-//! A base class for all tlv items 
-/*! This class is provided to allow the serialisation and deserialization of compund 
-tlv items 
-*/
-class RsTlvItem
+/*! A base class for all tlv items
+ * This class is provided to allow the serialisation and deserialization of
+ * compund tlv items
+ * @deprecated TLV serialization system is deprecated!
+ */
+class RS_DEPRECATED_FOR(RsSerializable) RsTlvItem
 {
 	public:
 	 RsTlvItem() { return; }
@@ -51,8 +54,7 @@ std::ostream &printEnd(std::ostream &out, std::string clsName, uint16_t indent)
 
 std::ostream &printIndent(std::ostream &out, uint16_t indent);
 
-
-class RsTlvUnit: public RsTlvItem
+class RS_DEPRECATED_FOR(RsSerializable) RsTlvUnit: public RsTlvItem
 {
 	public:
 	 RsTlvUnit(uint16_t tlv_type);