diff --git a/serde_derive/src/internals/ast.rs b/serde_derive/src/internals/ast.rs
index a28d3ae7e..3293823a7 100644
--- a/serde_derive/src/internals/ast.rs
+++ b/serde_derive/src/internals/ast.rs
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ impl<'a> Container<'a> {
         item: &'a syn::DeriveInput,
         derive: Derive,
     ) -> Option<Container<'a>> {
-        let mut attrs = attr::Container::from_ast(cx, item);
+        let attrs = attr::Container::from_ast(cx, item);
 
         let mut data = match &item.data {
             syn::Data::Enum(data) => Data::Enum(enum_from_ast(cx, &data.variants, attrs.default())),
@@ -77,15 +77,11 @@ impl<'a> Container<'a> {
             }
         };
 
-        let mut has_flatten = false;
         match &mut data {
             Data::Enum(variants) => {
                 for variant in variants {
                     variant.attrs.rename_by_rules(attrs.rename_all_rules());
                     for field in &mut variant.fields {
-                        if field.attrs.flatten() {
-                            has_flatten = true;
-                        }
                         field.attrs.rename_by_rules(
                             variant
                                 .attrs
@@ -97,18 +93,11 @@ impl<'a> Container<'a> {
             }
             Data::Struct(_, fields) => {
                 for field in fields {
-                    if field.attrs.flatten() {
-                        has_flatten = true;
-                    }
                     field.attrs.rename_by_rules(attrs.rename_all_rules());
                 }
             }
         }
 
-        if has_flatten {
-            attrs.mark_has_flatten();
-        }
-
         let mut item = Container {
             ident: item.ident.clone(),
             attrs,
diff --git a/serde_derive/src/internals/attr.rs b/serde_derive/src/internals/attr.rs
index 28ed54267..ac5f5d9a5 100644
--- a/serde_derive/src/internals/attr.rs
+++ b/serde_derive/src/internals/attr.rs
@@ -216,23 +216,6 @@ pub struct Container {
     type_into: Option<syn::Type>,
     remote: Option<syn::Path>,
     identifier: Identifier,
-    /// True if container is a struct and has a field with `#[serde(flatten)]`,
-    /// or is an enum with a struct variant which has a field with
-    /// `#[serde(flatten)]`.
-    ///
-    /// ```ignore
-    /// struct Container {
-    ///     #[serde(flatten)]
-    ///     some_field: (),
-    /// }
-    /// enum Container {
-    ///     Variant {
-    ///         #[serde(flatten)]
-    ///         some_field: (),
-    ///     },
-    /// }
-    /// ```
-    has_flatten: bool,
     serde_path: Option<syn::Path>,
     is_packed: bool,
     /// Error message generated when type can't be deserialized
@@ -603,7 +586,6 @@ impl Container {
             type_into: type_into.get(),
             remote: remote.get(),
             identifier: decide_identifier(cx, item, field_identifier, variant_identifier),
-            has_flatten: false,
             serde_path: serde_path.get(),
             is_packed,
             expecting: expecting.get(),
@@ -671,14 +653,6 @@ impl Container {
         self.identifier
     }
 
-    pub fn has_flatten(&self) -> bool {
-        self.has_flatten
-    }
-
-    pub fn mark_has_flatten(&mut self) {
-        self.has_flatten = true;
-    }
-
     pub fn custom_serde_path(&self) -> Option<&syn::Path> {
         self.serde_path.as_ref()
     }
diff --git a/serde_derive/src/ser.rs b/serde_derive/src/ser.rs
index f745bf675..4f5e000d4 100644
--- a/serde_derive/src/ser.rs
+++ b/serde_derive/src/ser.rs
@@ -297,7 +297,10 @@ fn serialize_struct(params: &Parameters, fields: &[Field], cattrs: &attr::Contai
         u32::MAX
     );
 
-    if cattrs.has_flatten() {
+    let has_non_skipped_flatten = fields
+        .iter()
+        .any(|field| field.attrs.flatten() && !field.attrs.skip_serializing());
+    if has_non_skipped_flatten {
         serialize_struct_as_map(params, fields, cattrs)
     } else {
         serialize_struct_as_struct(params, fields, cattrs)