diff --git a/lbrynet/conf.py b/lbrynet/conf.py
index 0fc55cadc..077a62155 100644
--- a/lbrynet/conf.py
+++ b/lbrynet/conf.py
@@ -136,9 +136,6 @@ class MaxKeyFee(Setting[dict]):
         if currency not in CURRENCIES:
             raise InvalidCurrencyError(currency)
 
-    serialize = staticmethod(json.dumps)
-    deserialize = staticmethod(json.loads)
-
 
 class Servers(Setting[list]):
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_conf.py b/tests/unit/test_conf.py
index 50c50cf82..8721f728a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_conf.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_conf.py
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ class ConfigurationTests(unittest.TestCase):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
             config = os.path.join(temp_dir, 'settings.yml')
             with open(config, 'w') as fd:
-                fd.write('max_key_fee: \'{"currency":"USD", "amount":1}\'\n')
+                fd.write('max_key_fee: {currency: USD, amount: 1}\n')
             c = Config.create_from_arguments(
                 types.SimpleNamespace(config=config)
             )
@@ -166,4 +166,4 @@ class ConfigurationTests(unittest.TestCase):
             with c.update_config():
                 c.max_key_fee = {'currency': 'BTC', 'amount': 1}
             with open(config, 'r') as fd:
-                self.assertEqual(fd.read(), 'max_key_fee: \'{"currency": "BTC", "amount": 1}\'\n')
+                self.assertEqual(fd.read(), 'max_key_fee:\n  amount: 1\n  currency: BTC\n')