diff --git a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/action.rs.em b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/action.rs.em
index 5f463f3..7400b67 100644
--- a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/action.rs.em
+++ b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/action.rs.em
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ for subfolder, action in action_specs:
 }@
 
 pub mod rmw {
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 @{
 TEMPLATE(
     'msg_rmw.rs.em',
@@ -47,6 +49,9 @@ TEMPLATE(
 }@
 }  // mod rmw
 
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
 @{
 TEMPLATE(
     'msg_idiomatic.rs.em',
diff --git a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg.rs.em b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg.rs.em
index 3f7d10e..3cd19c3 100644
--- a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg.rs.em
+++ b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg.rs.em
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 pub mod rmw {
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 @{
 TEMPLATE(
     'msg_rmw.rs.em',
@@ -11,6 +13,9 @@ TEMPLATE(
 }@
 }  // mod rmw
 
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
 @{
 TEMPLATE(
     'msg_idiomatic.rs.em',
diff --git a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_idiomatic.rs.em b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_idiomatic.rs.em
index e6ec288..fe59979 100644
--- a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_idiomatic.rs.em
+++ b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_idiomatic.rs.em
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@ from rosidl_parser.definition import UnboundedWString
 @# ############ Idiomatic message types ############
 @# #################################################
 @# These types use standard Rust containers where possible.
-#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 @[for subfolder, msg_spec in msg_specs]@
 @{
 type_name = msg_spec.structure.namespaced_type.name
diff --git a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_rmw.rs.em b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_rmw.rs.em
index fbedd6d..3c8ab9a 100644
--- a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_rmw.rs.em
+++ b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/msg_rmw.rs.em
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@ from rosidl_parser.definition import UnboundedSequence
 from rosidl_parser.definition import UnboundedString
 from rosidl_parser.definition import UnboundedWString
 }@
-#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 @[for subfolder, msg_spec in msg_specs]@
 @{
 type_name = msg_spec.structure.namespaced_type.name
diff --git a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/srv.rs.em b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/srv.rs.em
index dd99e8e..8484739 100644
--- a/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/srv.rs.em
+++ b/rosidl_generator_rs/resource/srv.rs.em
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
 @{
 TEMPLATE(
     'srv_idiomatic.rs.em',
@@ -10,6 +13,8 @@ TEMPLATE(
 }
 
 pub mod rmw {
+    #[cfg(feature = "serde")]
+    use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 @{
 TEMPLATE(
     'srv_rmw.rs.em',