diff --git a/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.cpp b/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.cpp
index 1f8f3cf5d..44184094b 100644
--- a/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.cpp
+++ b/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.cpp
@@ -727,11 +727,6 @@ environment add_inductive(environment                  env,
     return add_inductive_fn(env, level_params, num_params, decls)();
 }
 
-environment add_inductive(environment const & env, name const & ind_name, level_param_names const & level_params,
-                          unsigned num_params, expr const & type, list<intro_rule> const & intro_rules) {
-    return add_inductive(env, level_params, num_params, list<inductive_decl>(inductive_decl(ind_name, type, intro_rules)));
-}
-
 optional<expr> inductive_normalizer_extension::operator()(expr const & e, extension_context & ctx) const {
     // Reduce terms \c e of the form
     //    elim_k A C e p[A,b] (intro_k_i A b u)
diff --git a/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.h b/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.h
index e8f7e7142..dab2e60a8 100644
--- a/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.h
+++ b/src/kernel/inductive/inductive.h
@@ -40,13 +40,5 @@ environment add_inductive(environment                  env,
                           level_param_names const &    level_params,
                           unsigned                     num_params,
                           list<inductive_decl> const & decls);
-
-/** \brief Declare a single inductive datatype. */
-environment add_inductive(environment const &        env,
-                          name const &               ind_name,         // name of new inductive datatype
-                          level_param_names const &  level_params,     // level parameters
-                          unsigned                   num_params,       // number of params
-                          expr const &               type,             // type of the form: params -> indices -> Type
-                          list<intro_rule> const &   intro_rules);     // introduction rules
 }
 }
diff --git a/src/library/kernel_bindings.cpp b/src/library/kernel_bindings.cpp
index 9a9a26fb7..3c0f7aed0 100644
--- a/src/library/kernel_bindings.cpp
+++ b/src/library/kernel_bindings.cpp
@@ -1926,7 +1926,7 @@ static int add_inductivek(lua_State * L) {
     }
     if (decls.empty())
         throw exception("invalid add_inductive, at least one inductive type must be defined");
-    return push_environment(L, add_inductive(env, ls, num_params, to_list(decls.begin(), decls.end())));
+    return push_environment(L, ::lean::add_inductive(env, ls, num_params, to_list(decls.begin(), decls.end())));
 }
 static int add_inductive(lua_State * L) {
     if (is_name(L, 2) || lua_isstring(L, 2))
diff --git a/src/library/module.cpp b/src/library/module.cpp
index 67cef1fe0..8dfc086f5 100644
--- a/src/library/module.cpp
+++ b/src/library/module.cpp
@@ -138,6 +138,34 @@ environment add(environment const & env, declaration const & d) {
     return add(new_env, g_decl, [=](serializer & s) { s << d; });
 }
 
+static std::string g_inductive("ind");
+
+environment add_inductive(environment                  env,
+                          level_param_names const &    level_params,
+                          unsigned                     num_params,
+                          list<inductive::inductive_decl> const & decls) {
+    environment new_env = inductive::add_inductive(env, level_params, num_params, decls);
+    return add(new_env, g_inductive, [=](serializer & s) {
+            s << inductive_decls(level_params, num_params, decls);
+        });
+}
+
+environment add_inductive(environment const & env, name const & ind_name, level_param_names const & level_params,
+                          unsigned num_params, expr const & type, list<inductive::intro_rule> const & intro_rules) {
+    return add_inductive(env, level_params, num_params, list<inductive::inductive_decl>(inductive::inductive_decl(ind_name, type, intro_rules)));
+}
+
+static void inductive_reader(deserializer & d, module_idx, shared_environment & senv,
+                             std::function<void(asynch_update_fn const &)>  &,
+                             std::function<void(delayed_update_fn const &)> &) {
+    inductive_decls ds = read_inductive_decls(d);
+    senv.update([&](environment const & env) {
+            return inductive::add_inductive(env, std::get<0>(ds), std::get<1>(ds), std::get<2>(ds));
+        });
+}
+
+static register_module_object_reader_fn g_reg_ind_reader(g_inductive, inductive_reader);
+
 struct import_modules_fn {
     typedef std::tuple<module_idx, unsigned, delayed_update_fn> delayed_update;
     shared_environment             m_senv;
diff --git a/src/library/module.h b/src/library/module.h
index 13f9fb552..80f71820c 100644
--- a/src/library/module.h
+++ b/src/library/module.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Author: Leonardo de Moura
 #include <string>
 #include <iostream>
 #include "util/serializer.h"
+#include "kernel/inductive/inductive.h"
 #include "library/shared_environment.h"
 #include "library/io_state.h"
 
@@ -77,4 +78,18 @@ environment add(environment const & env, certified_declaration const & d);
     This method throws an exception if the trust_level <= LEAN_BELIEVER_TRUST_LEVEL
 */
 environment add(environment const & env, declaration const & d);
+
+/** \brief Add the given inductive declaration to the environment, and mark it to be exported. */
+environment add_inductive(environment                  env,
+                          level_param_names const &    level_params,
+                          unsigned                     num_params,
+                          list<inductive::inductive_decl> const & decls);
+
+/** \brief Declare a single inductive datatype. */
+environment add_inductive(environment const &        env,
+                          name const &               ind_name,         // name of new inductive datatype
+                          level_param_names const &  level_params,     // level parameters
+                          unsigned                   num_params,       // number of params
+                          expr const &               type,             // type of the form: params -> indices -> Type
+                          list<inductive::intro_rule> const & intro_rules);     // introduction rules
 }