diff --git a/common/bspinfo.cc b/common/bspinfo.cc
index c78c2197..b15fd524 100644
--- a/common/bspinfo.cc
+++ b/common/bspinfo.cc
@@ -49,43 +49,32 @@ static std::string hex_string(const uint8_t *bytes, const size_t count)
 /**
  * returns a JSON array of models
  */
-json serialize_bspxbrushlist(const std::vector<uint8_t> &lump)
+static json serialize_bspxbrushlist(const std::vector<uint8_t> &lump)
 {
     json j = json::array();
 
     imemstream p(lump.data(), lump.size(), std::ios_base::in | std::ios_base::binary);
 
     p >> endianness<std::endian::little>;
+    bspxbrushes structured;
+    p >= structured;
 
-    while (true) {
-        bspxbrushes_permodel src_model;
-        p >= src_model;
-
-        if (!p) {
-            break;
-        }
-
+    for (const bspxbrushes_permodel &src_model : structured.models) {
         json &model = j.insert(j.end(), json::object()).value();
         model["ver"] = src_model.ver;
         model["modelnum"] = src_model.modelnum;
-        model["numbrushes"] = src_model.numbrushes;
+        model["numbrushes"] = src_model.brushes.size();
         model["numfaces"] = src_model.numfaces;
         json &brushes = (model.emplace("brushes", json::array())).first.value();
 
-        for (int32_t i = 0; i < src_model.numbrushes; ++i) {
-            bspxbrushes_perbrush src_brush;
-            p >= src_brush;
-
+        for (const bspxbrushes_perbrush &src_brush : src_model.brushes) {
             json &brush = brushes.insert(brushes.end(), json::object()).value();
             brush.push_back({"mins", src_brush.bounds.mins()});
             brush.push_back({"maxs", src_brush.bounds.maxs()});
             brush.push_back({"contents", src_brush.contents});
             json &faces = (brush.emplace("faces", json::array())).first.value();
 
-            for (int32_t j = 0; j < src_brush.numfaces; ++j) {
-                bspxbrushes_perface src_face;
-                p >= std::tie(src_face.normal, src_face.dist);
-
+            for (const bspxbrushes_perface &src_face : src_brush.faces) {
                 json &face = faces.insert(faces.end(), json::object()).value();
                 face.push_back({"normal", src_face.normal});
                 face.push_back({"dist", src_face.dist});
diff --git a/common/bspxfile.cc b/common/bspxfile.cc
index b107380b..4d3dcd4c 100644
--- a/common/bspxfile.cc
+++ b/common/bspxfile.cc
@@ -50,28 +50,97 @@ void bspx_lump_t::stream_read(std::istream &s)
     s >= std::tie(lumpname, fileofs, filelen);
 }
 
-// bspxbrushes_permodel
-
-void bspxbrushes_permodel::stream_write(std::ostream &s) const
-{
-    s <= std::tie(ver, modelnum, numbrushes, numfaces);
-}
-
-void bspxbrushes_permodel::stream_read(std::istream &s)
-{
-    s >= std::tie(ver, modelnum, numbrushes, numfaces);
-}
-
 // bspxbrushes_perbrush
 
-void bspxbrushes_perbrush::stream_write(std::ostream &s) const
-{
-    s <= std::tie(bounds, contents, numfaces);
+void bspxbrushes_perbrush::stream_write(std::ostream &s) const {
+    s <= bounds;
+    s <= contents;
+    s <= static_cast<int32_t>(faces.size());
+
+    for (auto &face : faces) {
+        s <= face;
+    }
 }
 
 void bspxbrushes_perbrush::stream_read(std::istream &s)
 {
-    s >= std::tie(bounds, contents, numfaces);
+    s >= bounds;
+    s >= contents;
+
+    int32_t numfaces = 0;
+    s >= numfaces;
+
+    faces.resize(numfaces);
+
+    for (auto &face : faces) {
+        s >= face;
+    }
+}
+
+// bspxbrushes_permodel
+
+void bspxbrushes_permodel::stream_write(std::ostream &s) const
+{
+    s <= ver;
+    s <= modelnum;
+    s <= static_cast<int32_t>(brushes.size());
+    // count faces (ignore numfaces)
+    int32_t faces = 0;
+    for (auto &brush : brushes) {
+        faces += static_cast<int32_t>(brush.faces.size());
+    }
+    s <= faces;
+
+    // next serialize all of the brushes
+    for (auto &brush : brushes) {
+        s <= brush;
+    }
+}
+
+void bspxbrushes_permodel::stream_read(std::istream &s)
+{
+    s >= ver;
+    if (!s) {
+        // we need to handle end-of-stream due to the bspx lump containing an unknown number
+        // of bspxbrushes_permodel objects
+        return;
+    }
+
+    s >= modelnum;
+
+    int32_t numbrushes;
+    s >= numbrushes;
+    s >= numfaces;
+
+    brushes.resize(numbrushes);
+    for (auto &brush : brushes) {
+        s >= brush;
+    }
+}
+
+// bspxbrushes
+
+void bspxbrushes::stream_write(std::ostream &s) const
+{
+    for (auto &model : models) {
+        s <= model;
+    }
+}
+
+void bspxbrushes::stream_read(std::istream &s)
+{
+    models.clear();
+
+    while (true) {
+        bspxbrushes_permodel model;
+        s >= model;
+
+        if (!s) {
+            break;
+        }
+
+        models.push_back(std::move(model));
+    }
 }
 
 // bspxfacenormals_per_vert
diff --git a/common/cmdlib.cc b/common/cmdlib.cc
index 4beae64b..f90d9b22 100644
--- a/common/cmdlib.cc
+++ b/common/cmdlib.cc
@@ -728,3 +728,9 @@ void q_aligned_free(void *ptr)
     free(ptr);
 #endif
 }
+
+std::vector<uint8_t> StringToVector(const std::string &str)
+{
+    std::vector<uint8_t> result(str.begin(), str.end());
+    return result;
+}
diff --git a/include/common/bspinfo.hh b/include/common/bspinfo.hh
index a06e0e74..1fc1267c 100644
--- a/include/common/bspinfo.hh
+++ b/include/common/bspinfo.hh
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@
 #include "common/imglib.hh"
 #include "common/qvec.hh"
 
-#include <nlohmann/json_fwd.hpp>
-
 #include <map>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -46,5 +44,3 @@ struct full_atlas_t
 full_atlas_t build_lightmap_atlas(const mbsp_t &bsp, const bspxentries_t &bspx, const std::vector<uint8_t> &litdata, bool use_bspx, bool use_decoupled);
 
 void serialize_bsp(const bspdata_t &bspdata, const mbsp_t &bsp, const fs::path &name);
-
-nlohmann::json serialize_bspxbrushlist(const std::vector<uint8_t> &lump);
diff --git a/include/common/bspxfile.hh b/include/common/bspxfile.hh
index f2947259..9ab10ca8 100644
--- a/include/common/bspxfile.hh
+++ b/include/common/bspxfile.hh
@@ -53,11 +53,26 @@ struct bspx_lump_t
 };
 
 // BRUSHLIST BSPX lump
+using bspxbrushes_perface = qplane3f;
+
+struct bspxbrushes_perbrush
+{
+    aabb3f bounds;
+    int16_t contents;
+    // non-axial faces only
+    std::vector<bspxbrushes_perface> faces;
+
+    // serialize for streams
+    void stream_write(std::ostream &s) const;
+    void stream_read(std::istream &s);
+};
+
 struct bspxbrushes_permodel
 {
     int32_t ver;
     int32_t modelnum;
-    int32_t numbrushes;
+    std::vector<bspxbrushes_perbrush> brushes;
+    // ignored when writing
     int32_t numfaces;
 
     // serialize for streams
@@ -65,19 +80,14 @@ struct bspxbrushes_permodel
     void stream_read(std::istream &s);
 };
 
-struct bspxbrushes_perbrush
-{
-    aabb3f bounds;
-    int16_t contents;
-    uint16_t numfaces;
+struct bspxbrushes {
+    std::vector<bspxbrushes_permodel> models;
 
     // serialize for streams
     void stream_write(std::ostream &s) const;
     void stream_read(std::istream &s);
 };
 
-using bspxbrushes_perface = qplane3f;
-
 struct bspxfacenormals_per_vert
 {
     // these are all indices into bspxfacenormals::normals
diff --git a/include/common/cmdlib.hh b/include/common/cmdlib.hh
index 4986d1a8..83855c69 100644
--- a/include/common/cmdlib.hh
+++ b/include/common/cmdlib.hh
@@ -570,3 +570,16 @@ struct omemsizestream : virtual omemsizebuf, std::ostream
 void CRC_Init(uint16_t &crcvalue);
 void CRC_ProcessByte(uint16_t &crcvalue, uint8_t data);
 uint16_t CRC_Block(const uint8_t *start, int count);
+
+std::vector<uint8_t> StringToVector(const std::string &str);
+
+template <class T>
+T deserialize(const std::vector<uint8_t> &bytes)
+{
+    auto stream = imemstream(bytes.data(), bytes.size());
+    stream >> endianness<std::endian::little>;
+
+    T result;
+    stream >= result;
+    return result;
+}
diff --git a/include/qbsp/map.hh b/include/qbsp/map.hh
index 42464316..e5a55db3 100644
--- a/include/qbsp/map.hh
+++ b/include/qbsp/map.hh
@@ -338,14 +338,6 @@ size_t EmitFaces(node_t *headnode);
 void EmitVertices(node_t *headnode);
 void ExportClipNodes(mapentity_t &entity, node_t *headnode, hull_index_t::value_type hullnum);
 void ExportDrawNodes(mapentity_t &entity, node_t *headnode, int firstface);
-
-struct bspxbrushes_s
-{
-    std::vector<uint8_t> lumpdata;
-};
-void BSPX_Brushes_Finalize(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx);
-void BSPX_Brushes_Init(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx);
-
 void WriteBspBrushMap(std::string_view filename_suffix, const bspbrush_t::container &list);
 
 bool IsValidTextureProjection(const qvec3f &faceNormal, const qvec3f &s_vec, const qvec3f &t_vec);
diff --git a/light/lightgrid.cc b/light/lightgrid.cc
index 8f516eff..a829b8bc 100644
--- a/light/lightgrid.cc
+++ b/light/lightgrid.cc
@@ -34,12 +34,7 @@
 #include <common/prtfile.hh>
 #include <common/parallel.hh>
 #include <common/qvec.hh>
-
-static std::vector<uint8_t> StringToVector(const std::string &str)
-{
-    std::vector<uint8_t> result(str.begin(), str.end());
-    return result;
-}
+#include <common/cmdlib.hh>
 
 static aabb3f LightGridBounds(const mbsp_t &bsp)
 {
diff --git a/qbsp/qbsp.cc b/qbsp/qbsp.cc
index b286e9bd..4560a69b 100644
--- a/qbsp/qbsp.cc
+++ b/qbsp/qbsp.cc
@@ -1298,57 +1298,18 @@ static void UpdateEntLump(void)
     UpdateBSPFileEntitiesLump();
 }
 
-/*
-Actually writes out the final bspx BRUSHLIST lump
-This lump replaces the clipnodes stuff for custom collision sizes.
-*/
-void BSPX_Brushes_Finalize(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx)
-{
-    // Actually written in WriteBSPFile()
-    map.exported_bspxbrushes = std::move(ctx->lumpdata);
-}
-void BSPX_Brushes_Init(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx)
-{
-    ctx->lumpdata.clear();
-}
-
 /*
 WriteBrushes
 Generates a submodel's direct brush information to a separate file, so the engine doesn't need to depend upon specific
 hull sizes
 */
 
-static void BSPX_Brushes_AddModel(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx, int modelnum, const std::vector<mapbrush_t *> &brushes)
+static bspxbrushes_permodel BSPX_Brushes_AddModel(int modelnum, const std::vector<mapbrush_t *> &brushes)
 {
-    bspxbrushes_permodel permodel{1, modelnum};
+    bspxbrushes_permodel permodel{.ver = 1, .modelnum = modelnum};
 
     for (auto &b : brushes) {
-        permodel.numbrushes++;
-        for (auto &f : b->faces) {
-            /*skip axial*/
-            const auto &plane = f.get_plane();
-            if (plane.get_type() < plane_type_t::PLANE_ANYX)
-                continue;
-            permodel.numfaces++;
-        }
-    }
-
-    std::ostringstream str(std::ios_base::out | std::ios_base::binary);
-
-    str << endianness<std::endian::little>;
-
-    str <= permodel;
-
-    for (auto &b : brushes) {
-        bspxbrushes_perbrush perbrush{};
-
-        for (auto &f : b->faces) {
-            /*skip axial*/
-            const auto &plane = f.get_plane();
-            if (plane.get_type() < plane_type_t::PLANE_ANYX)
-                continue;
-            perbrush.numfaces++;
-        }
+        bspxbrushes_perbrush &perbrush = permodel.brushes.emplace_back();
 
         perbrush.bounds = b->bounds;
 
@@ -1383,8 +1344,6 @@ static void BSPX_Brushes_AddModel(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx, int modelnum, const
             }
         }
 
-        str <= perbrush;
-
         for (auto &f : b->faces) {
             /*skip axial*/
             const auto &plane = f.get_plane();
@@ -1392,24 +1351,21 @@ static void BSPX_Brushes_AddModel(struct bspxbrushes_s *ctx, int modelnum, const
                 continue;
 
             bspxbrushes_perface perface = qplane3f(plane.get_normal(), plane.get_dist());
-            str <= std::tie(perface.normal, perface.dist);
+            perbrush.faces.push_back(perface);
         }
     }
 
-    std::string data = str.str();
-    ctx->lumpdata.insert(ctx->lumpdata.end(), (uint8_t *)data.data(), ((uint8_t *)data.data()) + data.size());
+    return permodel;
 }
 
 /* for generating BRUSHLIST bspx lump */
-static void BSPX_CreateBrushList(void)
+static void BSPX_CreateBrushList()
 {
-    struct bspxbrushes_s ctx;
+    bspxbrushes ctx;
 
     if (!qbsp_options.wrbrushes.value())
         return;
 
-    BSPX_Brushes_Init(&ctx);
-
     for (size_t entnum = 0; entnum < map.entities.size(); ++entnum) {
         mapentity_t &ent = map.entities.at(entnum);
         size_t modelnum;
@@ -1437,14 +1393,12 @@ static void BSPX_CreateBrushList(void)
         }
 
         if (modelnum == 0) {
-
             for (size_t e = 1; e < map.entities.size(); ++e) {
                 mapentity_t &bent = map.entities.at(e);
 
                 brushes.reserve(brushes.size() + ent.mapbrushes.size());
 
                 if (IsWorldBrushEntity(bent)) {
-
                     for (auto &b : bent.mapbrushes) {
                         brushes.push_back(&b);
                     }
@@ -1453,11 +1407,15 @@ static void BSPX_CreateBrushList(void)
         }
 
         if (!brushes.empty()) {
-            BSPX_Brushes_AddModel(&ctx, modelnum, brushes);
+            ctx.models.push_back(BSPX_Brushes_AddModel(modelnum, brushes));
         }
     }
 
-    BSPX_Brushes_Finalize(&ctx);
+    // Actually written in WriteBSPFile()
+    std::ostringstream str(std::ios_base::out | std::ios_base::binary);
+    str << endianness<std::endian::little>;
+    str <= ctx;
+    map.exported_bspxbrushes = StringToVector(str.str());
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/tests/test_qbsp.cc b/tests/test_qbsp.cc
index b19f28d4..680900b4 100644
--- a/tests/test_qbsp.cc
+++ b/tests/test_qbsp.cc
@@ -67,7 +67,6 @@ mapentity_t &LoadMapPath(const std::filesystem::path &name)
 }
 
 #include <common/bspinfo.hh>
-#include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
 
 std::tuple<mbsp_t, bspxentries_t, std::optional<prtfile_t>> LoadTestmap(
     const std::filesystem::path &name, std::vector<std::string> extra_args)
@@ -1998,21 +1997,14 @@ TEST_CASE("wrbrushes + misc_external_map")
 {
     const auto [bsp, bspx, prt] = LoadTestmap("q1_external_map_base.map", {"-wrbrushes"});
 
-    auto models_json = serialize_bspxbrushlist(bspx.at("BRUSHLIST"));
-    logging::print("{}\n", to_string(models_json));
+    bspxbrushes lump = deserialize<bspxbrushes>(bspx.at("BRUSHLIST"));
 
-    REQUIRE(models_json.size() == 1);
+    REQUIRE(lump.models.size() == 1);
 
-    auto &model_json = models_json.at(0);
-    REQUIRE(model_json.at("brushes").size() == 1);
+    auto &model = lump.models.at(0);
+    REQUIRE(model.brushes.size() == 1);
 
-    auto &brush_json = model_json.at("brushes").at(0);
-    REQUIRE(brush_json.at("maxs") == nlohmann::json::array({nlohmann::json::number_float_t(64),
-                                                            nlohmann::json::number_float_t(64),
-                                                            nlohmann::json::number_float_t(16)
-        }));
-    REQUIRE(brush_json.at("mins") == nlohmann::json::array({nlohmann::json::number_float_t(-64),
-                                                            nlohmann::json::number_float_t(-64),
-                                                            nlohmann::json::number_float_t(-16)
-                                                           }));
+    auto &brush = model.brushes.at(0);
+    REQUIRE(brush.bounds.maxs() == qvec3f{64,64,16});
+    REQUIRE(brush.bounds.mins() == qvec3f{-64,-64,-16});
 }