diff --git a/lib/thrift/generator/struct_binary_protocol.ex b/lib/thrift/generator/struct_binary_protocol.ex
index 33ef1b94..4cd9fba8 100644
--- a/lib/thrift/generator/struct_binary_protocol.ex
+++ b/lib/thrift/generator/struct_binary_protocol.ex
@@ -769,50 +769,50 @@ defmodule Thrift.Generator.StructBinaryProtocol do
     end
   end
 
-  defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name, type: :bool, id: id, required: false}, struct_name, _file_group) do
+  defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name, type: :bool, id: id, required: true}, struct_name, _file_group) do
     quote do
       case unquote(Macro.var(name, nil)) do
-        nil ->
-          <<>>
         false ->
           <<unquote(@bool), unquote(id) :: size(16), 0>>
         true ->
           <<unquote(@bool), unquote(id) :: size(16), 1>>
         _ ->
           raise Thrift.InvalidValueException,
-                unquote("Optional boolean field #{inspect name} on #{inspect struct_name} must be true, false, or nil")
+                unquote("Required boolean field #{inspect name} on #{inspect struct_name} must be true or false")
       end
     end
   end
   defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name, type: :bool, id: id}, struct_name, _file_group) do
     quote do
       case unquote(Macro.var(name, nil)) do
+        nil ->
+          <<>>
         false ->
           <<unquote(@bool), unquote(id) :: size(16), 0>>
         true ->
           <<unquote(@bool), unquote(id) :: size(16), 1>>
         _ ->
           raise Thrift.InvalidValueException,
-                unquote("Required boolean field #{inspect name} on #{inspect struct_name} must be true or false")
+                unquote("Optional boolean field #{inspect name} on #{inspect struct_name} must be true, false, or nil")
       end
     end
   end
-  defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name, required: false} = field, _struct_name, file_group) do
+  defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name, required: true} = field, struct_name, file_group) do
     quote do
       case unquote(Macro.var(name, nil)) do
         nil ->
-          <<>>
+          raise Thrift.InvalidValueException,
+                unquote("Required field #{inspect name} on #{inspect struct_name} must not be nil")
         _ ->
           unquote(required_field_serializer(field, file_group))
       end
     end
   end
-  defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name} = field, struct_name, file_group) do
+  defp field_serializer(%Field{name: name} = field, _struct_name, file_group) do
     quote do
       case unquote(Macro.var(name, nil)) do
         nil ->
-          raise Thrift.InvalidValueException,
-                unquote("Required field #{inspect name} on #{inspect struct_name} must not be nil")
+          <<>>
         _ ->
           unquote(required_field_serializer(field, file_group))
       end
diff --git a/test/generator/binary_protocol_test.exs b/test/generator/binary_protocol_test.exs
index 738f70e8..e980b63d 100644
--- a/test/generator/binary_protocol_test.exs
+++ b/test/generator/binary_protocol_test.exs
@@ -359,9 +359,9 @@ defmodule Thrift.Generator.BinaryProtocolTest do
   struct RequiredBool         { 1: required bool val }
   struct DefaultRequiredBool  { 1: bool val }
   struct OptionalBool         { 1: optional bool val }
-  struct RequiredField        { 1: required string val }
-  struct DefaultRequiredField { 1: string val }
-  struct OptionalField        { 1: optional string val }
+  struct RequiredField        { 1: required i8 val }
+  struct DefaultRequiredField { 1: i8 val }
+  struct OptionalField        { 1: optional i8 val }
   """
 
   thrift_test "required boolean fields must not be nil during serialization" do
@@ -371,15 +371,14 @@ defmodule Thrift.Generator.BinaryProtocolTest do
     end
   end
 
-  thrift_test "default required boolean fields must not be nil during serialization" do
-    message = "Required boolean field :val on Thrift.Generator.BinaryProtocolTest.DefaultRequiredBool must be true or false"
-    assert_raise Thrift.InvalidValueException, message, fn ->
-      DefaultRequiredBool.serialize(%DefaultRequiredBool{})
-    end
+  thrift_test "default required boolean fields may be nil during serialization" do
+    assert_serializes %DefaultRequiredBool{},           <<0>>
+    assert_serializes %DefaultRequiredBool{val: true},  <<2, 0, 1, 1, 0>>
   end
 
-  thrift_test "optional boolean fields must not be nil during serialization" do
-    assert OptionalBool.serialize(%OptionalBool{})
+  thrift_test "optional boolean fields may be nil during serialization" do
+    assert_serializes %OptionalBool{},                  <<0>>
+    assert_serializes %OptionalBool{val: true},         <<2, 0, 1, 1, 0>>
   end
 
   thrift_test "required fields must not be nil during serialization" do
@@ -389,14 +388,13 @@ defmodule Thrift.Generator.BinaryProtocolTest do
     end
   end
 
-  thrift_test "default required fields must not be nil during serialization" do
-    message = "Required field :val on Thrift.Generator.BinaryProtocolTest.DefaultRequiredField must not be nil"
-    assert_raise Thrift.InvalidValueException, message, fn ->
-      DefaultRequiredField.serialize(%DefaultRequiredField{})
-    end
+  thrift_test "default required fields may be nil during serialization" do
+    assert_serializes %DefaultRequiredField{},          <<0>>
+    assert_serializes %DefaultRequiredField{val: 123},  <<3, 0, 1, 123, 0>>
   end
 
-  thrift_test "optional fields must not be nil during serialization" do
-    OptionalField.serialize(%OptionalField{})
+  thrift_test "optional fields may be nil during serialization" do
+    assert_serializes %OptionalField{},                 <<0>>
+    assert_serializes %OptionalField{val: 123},         <<3, 0, 1, 123, 0>>
   end
 end