diff --git a/src/invidious/helpers/helpers.cr b/src/invidious/helpers/helpers.cr
index 9c053d74..c3b356a9 100644
--- a/src/invidious/helpers/helpers.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/helpers/helpers.cr
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ def create_notification_stream(env, topics, connection_channel)
 
           video = get_video(video_id, PG_DB)
           video.published = published
-          response = JSON.parse(video.to_json(locale))
+          response = JSON.parse(video.to_json(locale, nil))
 
           if fields_text = env.params.query["fields"]?
             begin
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ def create_notification_stream(env, topics, connection_channel)
 
         video = get_video(video_id, PG_DB)
         video.published = Time.unix(published)
-        response = JSON.parse(video.to_json(locale))
+        response = JSON.parse(video.to_json(locale, nil))
 
         if fields_text = env.params.query["fields"]?
           begin
diff --git a/src/invidious/helpers/serialized_yt_data.cr b/src/invidious/helpers/serialized_yt_data.cr
index 1ba3f20e..f92b7b89 100644
--- a/src/invidious/helpers/serialized_yt_data.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/helpers/serialized_yt_data.cr
@@ -58,17 +58,13 @@ struct SearchVideo
     end
   end
 
-  def to_xml(auto_generated, query_params, xml : XML::Builder | Nil = nil)
-    if xml
-      to_xml(HOST_URL, auto_generated, query_params, xml)
-    else
-      XML.build do |xml|
-        to_xml(HOST_URL, auto_generated, query_params, xml)
-      end
+  def to_xml(auto_generated, query_params, _xml : Nil)
+    XML.build do |xml|
+      to_xml(auto_generated, query_params, xml)
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any), json : JSON::Builder)
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, json : JSON::Builder)
     json.object do
       json.field "type", "video"
       json.field "title", self.title
@@ -99,16 +95,17 @@ struct SearchVideo
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder | Nil = nil)
-    if json
+  # TODO: remove the locale and follow the crystal convention
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, _json : Nil)
+    JSON.build do |json|
       to_json(locale, json)
-    else
-      JSON.build do |json|
-        to_json(locale, json)
-      end
     end
   end
 
+  def to_json(json : JSON::Builder)
+    to_json(nil, json)
+  end
+
   def is_upcoming
     premiere_timestamp ? true : false
   end
@@ -133,7 +130,7 @@ struct SearchPlaylist
   property videos : Array(SearchPlaylistVideo)
   property thumbnail : String?
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder)
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, json : JSON::Builder)
     json.object do
       json.field "type", "playlist"
       json.field "title", self.title
@@ -163,15 +160,16 @@ struct SearchPlaylist
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder | Nil = nil)
-    if json
+  # TODO: remove the locale and follow the crystal convention
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, _json : Nil)
+    JSON.build do |json|
       to_json(locale, json)
-    else
-      JSON.build do |json|
-        to_json(locale, json)
-      end
     end
   end
+
+  def to_json(json : JSON::Builder)
+    to_json(nil, json)
+  end
 end
 
 struct SearchChannel
@@ -185,7 +183,7 @@ struct SearchChannel
   property description_html : String
   property auto_generated : Bool
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder)
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, json : JSON::Builder)
     json.object do
       json.field "type", "channel"
       json.field "author", self.author
@@ -215,15 +213,16 @@ struct SearchChannel
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder | Nil = nil)
-    if json
+  # TODO: remove the locale and follow the crystal convention
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, _json : Nil)
+    JSON.build do |json|
       to_json(locale, json)
-    else
-      JSON.build do |json|
-        to_json(locale, json)
-      end
     end
   end
+
+  def to_json(json : JSON::Builder)
+    to_json(nil, json)
+  end
 end
 
 class Category
@@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ class Category
   property description_html : String
   property badges : Array(Tuple(String, String))?
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder)
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, json : JSON::Builder)
     json.object do
       json.field "type", "category"
       json.field "title", self.title
@@ -249,15 +248,16 @@ class Category
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder | Nil = nil)
-    if json
+  # TODO: remove the locale and follow the crystal convention
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, _json : Nil)
+    JSON.build do |json|
       to_json(locale, json)
-    else
-      JSON.build do |json|
-        to_json(locale, json)
-      end
     end
   end
+
+  def to_json(json : JSON::Builder)
+    to_json(nil, json)
+  end
 end
 
 alias SearchItem = SearchVideo | SearchChannel | SearchPlaylist | Category
diff --git a/src/invidious/playlists.cr b/src/invidious/playlists.cr
index 443d19d7..f37667b5 100644
--- a/src/invidious/playlists.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/playlists.cr
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ struct PlaylistVideo
   property index : Int64
   property live_now : Bool
 
-  def to_xml(auto_generated, xml : XML::Builder)
+  def to_xml(xml : XML::Builder)
     xml.element("entry") do
       xml.element("id") { xml.text "yt:video:#{self.id}" }
       xml.element("yt:videoId") { xml.text self.id }
@@ -20,13 +20,8 @@ struct PlaylistVideo
       xml.element("link", rel: "alternate", href: "#{HOST_URL}/watch?v=#{self.id}")
 
       xml.element("author") do
-        if auto_generated
-          xml.element("name") { xml.text self.author }
-          xml.element("uri") { xml.text "#{HOST_URL}/channel/#{self.ucid}" }
-        else
-          xml.element("name") { xml.text author }
-          xml.element("uri") { xml.text "#{HOST_URL}/channel/#{ucid}" }
-        end
+        xml.element("name") { xml.text self.author }
+        xml.element("uri") { xml.text "#{HOST_URL}/channel/#{self.ucid}" }
       end
 
       xml.element("content", type: "xhtml") do
@@ -47,17 +42,11 @@ struct PlaylistVideo
     end
   end
 
-  def to_xml(auto_generated, xml : XML::Builder? = nil)
-    if xml
-      to_xml(auto_generated, xml)
-    else
-      XML.build do |xml|
-        to_xml(auto_generated, xml)
-      end
-    end
+  def to_xml(_xml : Nil = nil)
+    XML.build { |xml| to_xml(xml) }
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder, index : Int32?)
+  def to_json(json : JSON::Builder, index : Int32? = nil)
     json.object do
       json.field "title", self.title
       json.field "videoId", self.id
@@ -81,14 +70,8 @@ struct PlaylistVideo
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder? = nil, index : Int32? = nil)
-    if json
-      to_json(locale, json, index: index)
-    else
-      JSON.build do |json|
-        to_json(locale, json, index: index)
-      end
-    end
+  def to_json(_json : Nil, index : Int32? = nil)
+    JSON.build { |json| to_json(json, index: index) }
   end
 end
 
@@ -144,7 +127,7 @@ struct Playlist
         json.array do
           videos = get_playlist_videos(PG_DB, self, offset: offset, locale: locale, video_id: video_id)
           videos.each do |video|
-            video.to_json(locale, json)
+            video.to_json(json)
           end
         end
       end
@@ -224,7 +207,7 @@ struct InvidiousPlaylist
 
           videos = get_playlist_videos(PG_DB, self, offset: offset, locale: locale, video_id: video_id)
           videos.each_with_index do |video, index|
-            video.to_json(locale, json, offset + index)
+            video.to_json(json, offset + index)
           end
         end
       end
diff --git a/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/authenticated.cr b/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/authenticated.cr
index 7950b302..cdd9e2f6 100644
--- a/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/authenticated.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/authenticated.cr
@@ -274,7 +274,10 @@ module Invidious::Routes::API::V1::Authenticated
 
     env.response.headers["Location"] = "#{HOST_URL}/api/v1/auth/playlists/#{plid}/videos/#{playlist_video.index.to_u64.to_s(16).upcase}"
     env.response.status_code = 201
-    playlist_video.to_json(locale, index: playlist.index.size)
+
+    JSON.build do |json|
+      playlist_video.to_json(json, index: playlist.index.size)
+    end
   end
 
   def self.delete_video_in_playlist(env)
diff --git a/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/videos.cr b/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/videos.cr
index d483bca6..1edee29c 100644
--- a/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/videos.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/routes/api/v1/videos.cr
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module Invidious::Routes::API::V1::Videos
       return error_json(500, ex)
     end
 
-    video.to_json(locale)
+    video.to_json(locale, nil)
   end
 
   def self.captions(env)
diff --git a/src/invidious/routes/feeds.cr b/src/invidious/routes/feeds.cr
index 40c41dc1..f4a8467b 100644
--- a/src/invidious/routes/feeds.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/routes/feeds.cr
@@ -281,9 +281,7 @@ module Invidious::Routes::Feeds
               xml.element("name") { xml.text playlist.author }
             end
 
-            videos.each do |video|
-              video.to_xml(false, xml)
-            end
+            videos.each &.to_xml(xml)
           end
         end
       else
diff --git a/src/invidious/videos.cr b/src/invidious/videos.cr
index d38a66d8..d3e5800c 100644
--- a/src/invidious/videos.cr
+++ b/src/invidious/videos.cr
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ struct Video
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any), json : JSON::Builder)
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, json : JSON::Builder)
     json.object do
       json.field "type", "video"
 
@@ -474,14 +474,13 @@ struct Video
     end
   end
 
-  def to_json(locale, json : JSON::Builder | Nil = nil)
-    if json
-      to_json(locale, json)
-    else
-      JSON.build do |json|
-        to_json(locale, json)
-      end
-    end
+  # TODO: remove the locale and follow the crystal convention
+  def to_json(locale : Hash(String, JSON::Any) | Nil, _json : Nil)
+    JSON.build { |json| to_json(locale, json) }
+  end
+
+  def to_json(json : JSON::Builder | Nil = nil)
+    to_json(nil, json)
   end
 
   def title