diff --git a/vlib/json/json_encode_ptr_test.v b/vlib/json/json_encode_ptr_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee21a68ac6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vlib/json/json_encode_ptr_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import json
+
+struct Number {
+	min int
+	max int
+}
+
+pub struct Resp {
+pub:
+	options []string @[omitempty]
+	number  &Number = unsafe { nil }  @[omitempty]
+}
+
+fn (r Resp) str() string {
+	return json.encode(r)
+}
+
+fn test_main() {
+	r1 := Resp{
+		options: ['first', 'second']
+	}
+	r2 := Resp{
+		number: &Number{0, 0}
+	}
+	r3 := Resp{
+		number: &Number{1, 2}
+	}
+	assert r1.str() == '{"options":["first","second"]}'
+	assert r2.str() == '{"number":{"min":0,"max":0}}'
+	assert r3.str() == '{"number":{"min":1,"max":2}}'
+}
diff --git a/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v b/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v
index 6e19fb2414..8006a935ec 100644
--- a/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v
+++ b/vlib/v/gen/c/json.v
@@ -842,7 +842,8 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_struct_enc_dec(utyp ast.Type, type_info ast.TypeInfo, styp st
 			} else if field.typ == ast.string_type {
 				enc.writeln('${indent}if (${prefix_enc}${op}${c_name(field.name)}.len != 0)')
 			} else {
-				if field_sym.kind in [.alias, .sum_type, .map, .array, .struct] {
+				if !field.typ.is_ptr()
+					&& field_sym.kind in [.alias, .sum_type, .map, .array, .struct] {
 					ptr_typ := g.equality_fn(field.typ)
 					if field_sym.kind == .alias {
 						enc.writeln('${indent}if (!${ptr_typ}_alias_eq(${prefix_enc}${op}${c_name(field.name)}, ${g.type_default(field.typ)}))')