diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp
index caad402194..b28809ef03 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellAudio.cpp
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ cell_audio_thread::cell_audio_thread(utils::serial& ar)
 
 	ar(key_count, event_period);
 
-	keys.resize(ar);
+	keys.resize(ar.pop<u64>());
 
 	for (key_info& k : keys)
 	{
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ void cell_audio_thread::save(utils::serial& ar)
 	USING_SERIALIZATION_VERSION(cellAudio);
 
 	ar(key_count, event_period);
-	ar(keys.size());
+	ar(static_cast<u64>(keys.size()));
 
 	for (const key_info& k : keys)
 	{
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPad.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPad.cpp
index b2fbe187f9..da69da4343 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPad.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/cellPad.cpp
@@ -56,9 +56,9 @@ void fmt_class_string<CellPadFilterError>::format(std::string& out, u64 arg)
 extern void sys_io_serialize(utils::serial& ar);
 
 pad_info::pad_info(utils::serial& ar)
-	: max_connect(ar)
-	, port_setting(ar)
-	, reported_info(ar)
+	: max_connect(ar.pop<u32>())
+	, port_setting(ar.pop<decltype(port_setting)>())
+	, reported_info(ar.pop<decltype(reported_info)>())
 {
 	//reported_info = {};
 	sys_io_serialize(ar);
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/sceNpTrophy.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/sceNpTrophy.cpp
index 866db860ec..dc6add3ebf 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/sceNpTrophy.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/Modules/sceNpTrophy.cpp
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ struct sce_np_trophy_manager
 	sce_np_trophy_manager() = default;
 
 	sce_np_trophy_manager(utils::serial& ar)
-		: is_initialized(ar)
+		: is_initialized(ar.pop<bool>())
 	{
 	}
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp
index f5d91cc519..3813b28952 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/PPUThread.cpp
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ bool serialize<ppu_thread::cr_bits>(utils::serial& ar, typename ppu_thread::cr_b
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		o.unpack(ar);
+		o.unpack(ar.pop<u32>());
 	}
 
 	return true;
@@ -2529,7 +2529,7 @@ ppu_thread::ppu_thread(utils::serial& ar)
 	, stack_size(ar)
 	, stack_addr(ar)
 	, joiner(ar.pop<ppu_join_status>())
-	, entry_func(std::bit_cast<ppu_func_opd_t, u64>(ar))
+	, entry_func(std::bit_cast<ppu_func_opd_t>(ar.pop<u64>()))
 	, is_interrupt_thread(ar)
 {
 	[[maybe_unused]] const s32 version = GET_SERIALIZATION_VERSION(ppu);
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp
index f3994858d4..431a385b86 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/SPUThread.cpp
@@ -1812,7 +1812,7 @@ void spu_thread::serialize_common(utils::serial& ar)
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		const u8 count = ar;
+		const u8 count{ar};
 		ar(std::span(vals, count));
 		ch_in_mbox.set_values(count, vals[0], vals[1], vals[2], vals[3]);
 	}
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_fs.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_fs.cpp
index 082a1ae1f6..79bd85206d 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_fs.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_fs.cpp
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ lv2_fs_object::lv2_fs_object(std::string_view filename)
 }
 
 lv2_fs_object::lv2_fs_object(utils::serial& ar, bool)
-	: name(ar)
+	: name(ar.pop<decltype(name)>())
 	, mp(g_fxo->get<lv2_fs_mount_info_map>().lookup(name.data()))
 {
 }
@@ -569,7 +569,7 @@ lv2_file::lv2_file(utils::serial& ar)
 
 	if (ar.pop<bool>()) // see lv2_file::save in_mem
 	{
-		const fs::stat_t stat = ar;
+		const fs::stat_t stat = ar.pop<fs::stat_t>();
 
 		std::vector<u8> buf(stat.size);
 		ar(std::span<u8>(buf.data(), buf.size()));
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ lv2_file::lv2_file(utils::serial& ar)
 		sys_fs.success("Loaded file descriptor \'%s\' file for savestates (vpath=\'%s\', type=%s, flags=0x%x, id=%d)", name.data(), retrieve_real, type, flags, idm::last_id());
 	}
 
-	file.seek(ar);
+	file.seek(ar.pop<s64>());
 }
 
 void lv2_file::save(utils::serial& ar)
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ lv2_dir::lv2_dir(utils::serial& ar)
 
 		return entries;
 	}())
-	, pos(ar)
+	, pos(ar.pop<u64>())
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_interrupt.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_interrupt.cpp
index 3109f042f9..4ac829d4bb 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_interrupt.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_interrupt.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ lv2_int_tag::lv2_int_tag(utils::serial& ar) noexcept
 	, id(idm::last_id())
 	, handler([&]()
 	{
-		const u32 id = ar;
+		const u32 id{ar};
 
 		auto ptr = idm::get_unlocked<lv2_obj, lv2_int_serv>(id);
 
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ lv2_int_serv::lv2_int_serv(shared_ptr<named_thread<ppu_thread>> thread, u64 arg1
 lv2_int_serv::lv2_int_serv(utils::serial& ar) noexcept
 	: lv2_obj(1)
 	, id(idm::last_id())
-	, thread(idm::get_unlocked<named_thread<ppu_thread>>(ar))
+	, thread(idm::get_unlocked<named_thread<ppu_thread>>(ar.pop<u32>()))
 	, arg1(ar)
 	, arg2(ar)
 {
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_memory.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_memory.cpp
index 0f6fb09865..01b36d8eed 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_memory.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_memory.cpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ lv2_memory_container::lv2_memory_container(u32 size, bool from_idm) noexcept
 lv2_memory_container::lv2_memory_container(utils::serial& ar, bool from_idm) noexcept
 	: size(ar)
 	, id{from_idm ? idm::last_id() : SYS_MEMORY_CONTAINER_ID_INVALID}
-	, used(ar)
+	, used(ar.pop<s32>())
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_mmapper.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_mmapper.cpp
index 0723564a5e..b9d414a0dc 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_mmapper.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_mmapper.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ lv2_memory::lv2_memory(utils::serial& ar)
 
 		return null_ptr;
 	}(ar.pop<u32>()))
-	, counter(ar)
+	, counter(ar.pop<u32>())
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_prx.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_prx.cpp
index 6f930e79dd..d24bb54004 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_prx.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_prx.cpp
@@ -310,8 +310,8 @@ std::function<void(void*)> lv2_prx::load(utils::serial& ar)
 	[[maybe_unused]] const s32 version = GET_SERIALIZATION_VERSION(lv2_prx_overlay);
 
 	const std::string path = vfs::get(ar.pop<std::string>());
-	const s64 offset = ar;
-	const u32 state = ar;
+	const s64 offset{ar};
+	const u32 state{ar};
 
 	usz seg_count = 0;
 	ar.deserialize_vle(seg_count);
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ std::function<void(void*)> lv2_prx::load(utils::serial& ar)
 			for (usz i = 0; i < seg_count; i++)
 			{
 				auto& seg = prx->segs.emplace_back();
-				seg.addr = ar;
+				ar(seg.addr);
 				seg.size = 1; // TODO
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_spu.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_spu.cpp
index 263d871206..13733965a3 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_spu.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_spu.cpp
@@ -233,10 +233,10 @@ lv2_spu_group::lv2_spu_group(utils::serial& ar) noexcept
 	, max_num(ar)
 	, mem_size(ar)
 	, type(ar) // SPU Thread Group Type
-	, ct(lv2_memory_container::search(ar))
+	, ct(lv2_memory_container::search(ar.pop<u32>()))
 	, has_scheduler_context(ar.pop<u8>())
 	, max_run(ar)
-	, init(ar)
+	, init(ar.pop<u32>())
 	, prio([&ar]()
 	{
 		std::common_type_t<decltype(lv2_spu_group::prio)> prio{};
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ lv2_spu_group::lv2_spu_group(utils::serial& ar) noexcept
 		return prio;
 	}())
 	, run_state(ar.pop<spu_group_status>())
-	, exit_status(ar)
+	, exit_status(ar.pop<s32>())
 {
 	for (auto& thread : threads)
 	{
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_timer.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_timer.cpp
index 5e6c3d20cb..8a2419097d 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_timer.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_timer.cpp
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ struct lv2_timer_thread
 
 lv2_timer::lv2_timer(utils::serial& ar)
 	: lv2_obj(1)
-	, state(ar)
+	, state(ar.pop<u32>())
 	, port(lv2_event_queue::load_ptr(ar, port, "timer"))
 	, source(ar)
 	, data1(ar)
 	, data2(ar)
-	, expire(ar)
-	, period(ar)
+	, expire(ar.pop<u32>())
+	, period(ar.pop<u32>())
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_vm.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_vm.cpp
index 49337cf223..ddb72a311c 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_vm.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Cell/lv2/sys_vm.cpp
@@ -37,10 +37,10 @@ struct sys_vm_global_t
 };
 
 sys_vm_t::sys_vm_t(utils::serial& ar)
-	: ct(lv2_memory_container::search(ar))
+	: ct(lv2_memory_container::search(ar.pop<u32>()))
 	, addr(ar)
 	, size(ar)
-	, psize(ar)
+	, psize(ar.pop<u32>())
 {
 	g_ids[addr >> 28].release(idm::last_id());
 	g_fxo->need<sys_vm_global_t>();
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/Memory/vm.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/Memory/vm.cpp
index 266da6a1df..9e460a7aa2 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/Memory/vm.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/Memory/vm.cpp
@@ -1811,7 +1811,7 @@ namespace vm
 
 		while (true)
 		{
-			const u8 flags0 = ar;
+			const u8 flags0{ar};
 
 			if (!(flags0 & page_allocated))
 			{
@@ -1819,8 +1819,8 @@ namespace vm
 				break;
 			}
 
-			const u32 addr0 = ar;
-			const u32 size0 = ar;
+			const u32 addr0{ar};
+			const u32 size0{ar};
 
 			u64 pflags = 0;
 
diff --git a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
index ce54444ccd..714ec14863 100644
--- a/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
+++ b/rpcs3/Emu/RSX/RSXThread.cpp
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ namespace rsx
 				ar(u32{0});
 			}
 		}
-		else if (u32 count = ar)
+		else if (u32 count{ar})
 		{
 			restore_fifo_count = count;
 			ar(restore_fifo_cmd);
diff --git a/rpcs3/util/serialization.hpp b/rpcs3/util/serialization.hpp
index 41f6e560af..49ee3d8858 100644
--- a/rpcs3/util/serialization.hpp
+++ b/rpcs3/util/serialization.hpp
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ public:
 
 		template <typename T> requires (std::is_copy_constructible_v<std::remove_const_t<T>>) && (std::is_constructible_v<std::remove_const_t<T>> || Bitcopy<std::remove_const_t<T>> ||
 			std::is_constructible_v<std::remove_const_t<T>, stx::exact_t<serial&>> || TupleAlike<std::remove_const_t<T>>)
-		operator T() noexcept
+		explicit operator T() noexcept
 		{
 			AUDIT(!is_writing());