diff --git a/include/cereal/types/polymorphic.hpp b/include/cereal/types/polymorphic.hpp
index f7967b13..d3c5a538 100644
--- a/include/cereal/types/polymorphic.hpp
+++ b/include/cereal/types/polymorphic.hpp
@@ -165,9 +165,35 @@ namespace cereal
   // ######################################################################
   // Pointer serialization for polymorphic types
 
-  //! Saving std::shared_ptr for polymorphic types
+  //! Saving std::shared_ptr for polymorphic types, abstract
   template <class Archive, class T> inline
-  typename std::enable_if<std::is_polymorphic<T>::value, void>::type
+  typename std::enable_if<std::is_polymorphic<T>::value && std::is_abstract<T>::value, void>::type
+  save( Archive & ar, std::shared_ptr<T> const & ptr )
+  {
+    if(!ptr)
+    {
+      // same behavior as nullptr in memory implementation
+      ar( _CEREAL_NVP("id", std::uint32_t(0)) );
+      return;
+    }
+
+    std::type_info const & ptrinfo = typeid(*ptr.get());
+    // ptrinfo can never be equal to T info since we can't have an instance
+    // of an abstract object
+    //  this implies we need to do the lookup
+
+    auto & bindingMap = detail::StaticObject<detail::OutputBindingMap<Archive>>::getInstance().map;
+
+    auto binding = bindingMap.find(std::type_index(ptrinfo));
+    if(binding == bindingMap.end())
+      throw cereal::Exception("Trying to save an unregistered polymorphic type (" + cereal::util::demangle(ptrinfo.name()) + ")");
+
+    binding->second.shared_ptr(&ar, ptr.get());
+  }
+
+  //! Saving std::shared_ptr for polymorphic types, not abstract
+  template <class Archive, class T> inline
+  typename std::enable_if<std::is_polymorphic<T>::value && !std::is_abstract<T>::value, void>::type
   save( Archive & ar, std::shared_ptr<T> const & ptr )
   {
     if(!ptr)
@@ -237,9 +263,35 @@ namespace cereal
     ptr = sptr;
   }
 
-  //! Saving std::unique_ptr for polymorphic types
+  //! Saving std::unique_ptr for polymorphic types that are abstract
   template <class Archive, class T, class D> inline
-  typename std::enable_if<std::is_polymorphic<T>::value, void>::type
+  typename std::enable_if<std::is_polymorphic<T>::value && std::is_abstract<T>::value, void>::type
+  save( Archive & ar, std::unique_ptr<T, D> const & ptr )
+  {
+    if(!ptr)
+    {
+      // same behavior as nullptr in memory implementation
+      ar( _CEREAL_NVP("id", std::uint32_t(0)) );
+      return;
+    }
+
+    std::type_info const & ptrinfo = typeid(*ptr.get());
+    // ptrinfo can never be equal to T info since we can't have an instance
+    // of an abstract object
+    //  this implies we need to do the lookup
+
+    auto & bindingMap = detail::StaticObject<detail::OutputBindingMap<Archive>>::getInstance().map;
+
+    auto binding = bindingMap.find(std::type_index(ptrinfo));
+    if(binding == bindingMap.end())
+      throw cereal::Exception("Trying to save an unregistered polymorphic type (" + cereal::util::demangle(ptrinfo.name()) + ")");
+
+    binding->second.unique_ptr(&ar, ptr.get());
+  }
+
+  //! Saving std::unique_ptr for polymorphic types, not abstract
+  template <class Archive, class T, class D> inline
+  typename std::enable_if<std::is_polymorphic<T>::value && !std::is_abstract<T>::value, void>::type
   save( Archive & ar, std::unique_ptr<T, D> const & ptr )
   {
     if(!ptr)
diff --git a/sandbox_rtti.cpp b/sandbox_rtti.cpp
index 463ad438..dc5671b5 100644
--- a/sandbox_rtti.cpp
+++ b/sandbox_rtti.cpp
@@ -173,6 +173,15 @@ struct AAA
   virtual void foo() = 0;
 };
 
+struct BBB : AAA
+{
+  void foo() {}
+  template <class Archive>
+  void serialize( Archive & ) {}
+};
+
+CEREAL_REGISTER_TYPE(BBB);
+
 template <class T> void nop(T&&) {}
 
 int main()
@@ -193,6 +202,10 @@ int main()
     //oarchive(ptr3);
     //oarchive(ptr4);
     oarchive(ptr5);
+
+
+    std::shared_ptr<AAA> a = std::make_shared<BBB>();
+    oarchive(a);
   }
 
   {
@@ -212,6 +225,4 @@ int main()
     //iarchive(ptr4);
     iarchive(ptr5);
   }
-
-  //std::remove("rtti.txt");
 }