diff --git a/lib-core/src/DiagramEngine.ts b/lib-core/src/DiagramEngine.ts
index de8b1d4..f24a63e 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/DiagramEngine.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/DiagramEngine.ts
@@ -155,19 +155,31 @@ export class DiagramEngine extends BaseObserver<DiagramEngineListener> {
 		return this.portFactories;
 	}
 
-	getFactoryForNode(node: NodeModel) {
+	getFactoryForNode(node: NodeModel | string) {
+		if (typeof node === 'string') {
+			return this.nodeFactories.getFactory(node);
+		}
 		return this.nodeFactories.getFactory(node.getType());
 	}
 
-	getFactoryForLink(link: LinkModel) {
+	getFactoryForLink(link: LinkModel | string) {
+		if (typeof link === 'string') {
+			return this.linkFactories.getFactory(link);
+		}
 		return this.linkFactories.getFactory(link.getType());
 	}
 
 	getFactoryForLabel(label: LabelModel) {
+		if (typeof label === 'string') {
+			return this.labelFactories.getFactory(label);
+		}
 		return this.labelFactories.getFactory(label.getType());
 	}
 
 	getFactoryForPort(port: PortModel) {
+		if (typeof port === 'string') {
+			return this.portFactories.getFactory(port);
+		}
 		return this.portFactories.getFactory(port.getType());
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseEntity.ts b/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseEntity.ts
index a8868c9..bec8cc8 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseEntity.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseEntity.ts
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ export class BaseEntity<T extends BaseEntityGenerics = BaseEntityGenerics> exten
 			return lookupTable[this.options.id];
 		}
 		let clone = _.clone(this);
-		clone.options.id = Toolkit.UID();
+		clone.options = {
+			...this.options,
+			id: Toolkit.UID()
+		};
 		clone.clearListeners();
 		lookupTable[this.options.id] = clone;
 
diff --git a/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseModel.ts b/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseModel.ts
index 553fcb8..c74a901 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseModel.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/core-models/BaseModel.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ export class BaseModel<G extends BaseModelGenerics = BaseModelGenerics> extends
 	serialize() {
 		return {
 			...super.serialize(),
+			type: this.options.type,
+			selected: this.options.selected,
 			extras: this.options.extras
 		};
 	}
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@ export class BaseModel<G extends BaseModelGenerics = BaseModelGenerics> extends
 	deSerialize(data: { [p: string]: any }, engine: DiagramEngine) {
 		super.deSerialize(data, engine);
 		this.options.extras = data.extras;
+		this.options.selected = data.selected;
 	}
 
 	getType(): string {
diff --git a/lib-core/src/models/DiagramModel.ts b/lib-core/src/models/DiagramModel.ts
index 9c70138..9c450d3 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/models/DiagramModel.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/models/DiagramModel.ts
@@ -97,7 +97,8 @@ export class DiagramModel<G extends DiagramModelGenerics = DiagramModelGenerics>
 	}
 
 	serializeDiagram() {
-		return _.merge(this.serialize(), {
+		return {
+			...this.serialize(),
 			offsetX: this.options.offsetX,
 			offsetY: this.options.offsetY,
 			zoom: this.options.zoom,
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ export class DiagramModel<G extends DiagramModelGenerics = DiagramModelGenerics>
 			nodes: _.map(this.nodes, node => {
 				return node.serialize();
 			})
-		});
+		};
 	}
 
 	clearSelection(ignore: BaseModel | null = null) {
diff --git a/lib-core/src/models/LabelModel.ts b/lib-core/src/models/LabelModel.ts
index f035303..0f374ef 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/models/LabelModel.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/models/LabelModel.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { BaseModel, BaseModelGenerics } from '../core-models/BaseModel';
-import * as _ from 'lodash';
 import { DiagramEngine } from '../DiagramEngine';
 
 export class LabelModel<G extends BaseModelGenerics = BaseModelGenerics> extends BaseModel<G> {
@@ -19,9 +18,10 @@ export class LabelModel<G extends BaseModelGenerics = BaseModelGenerics> extends
 	}
 
 	serialize() {
-		return _.merge(super.serialize(), {
+		return {
+			...super.serialize(),
 			offsetX: this.offsetX,
 			offsetY: this.offsetY
-		});
+		};
 	}
 }
diff --git a/lib-core/src/models/LinkModel.ts b/lib-core/src/models/LinkModel.ts
index ec823a9..fc7cbfd 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/models/LinkModel.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/models/LinkModel.ts
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ export class LinkModel<G extends LinkModelGenerics = LinkModelGenerics> extends
 	}
 
 	serialize() {
-		return _.merge(super.serialize(), {
+		return {
+			...super.serialize(),
 			source: this.sourcePort ? this.sourcePort.getParent().getID() : null,
 			sourcePort: this.sourcePort ? this.sourcePort.getID() : null,
 			target: this.targetPort ? this.targetPort.getParent().getID() : null,
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ export class LinkModel<G extends LinkModelGenerics = LinkModelGenerics> extends
 			labels: _.map(this.labels, label => {
 				return label.serialize();
 			})
-		});
+		};
 	}
 
 	doClone(lookupTable = {}, clone) {
diff --git a/lib-core/src/models/PortModel.ts b/lib-core/src/models/PortModel.ts
index 6c87c67..cba441f 100644
--- a/lib-core/src/models/PortModel.ts
+++ b/lib-core/src/models/PortModel.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export class PortModel<G extends PortModelGenerics = PortModelGenerics> extends
 			...super.serialize(),
 			parentNode: this.parent.getID(),
 			links: _.map(this.links, link => {
-				return link.getID;
+				return link.getID();
 			})
 		};
 	}
diff --git a/lib-defaults/src/node/DefaultNodeModel.ts b/lib-defaults/src/node/DefaultNodeModel.ts
index 0fd4faf..2eb0163 100644
--- a/lib-defaults/src/node/DefaultNodeModel.ts
+++ b/lib-defaults/src/node/DefaultNodeModel.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ export interface DefaultNodeModelGenerics {
 
 export class DefaultNodeModel extends NodeModel<DefaultNodeModelGenerics & NodeModelGenerics> {
 	constructor(name: string, color: string);
-	constructor(options: DefaultNodeModelOptions);
+	constructor(options?: DefaultNodeModelOptions);
 	constructor(options: any = {}, color?: string) {
 		if (typeof options === 'string') {
 			options = {
diff --git a/lib-demo-gallery/demos/demo-serializing/index.tsx b/lib-demo-gallery/demos/demo-serializing/index.tsx
index 227c27f..b25aa7a 100644
--- a/lib-demo-gallery/demos/demo-serializing/index.tsx
+++ b/lib-demo-gallery/demos/demo-serializing/index.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export default () => {
 	//!------------- SERIALIZING ------------------
 
 	var str = JSON.stringify(model.serializeDiagram());
+	console.log(model.serializeDiagram());
 
 	//!------------- DESERIALIZING ----------------