diff --git a/.github/workflows/linux.yml b/.github/workflows/linux.yml
index e4a55197..e3c1db29 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/linux.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/linux.yml
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install cargo-cache
         continue-on-error: true
         run: |
-          cargo install cargo-cache --no-default-features --features ci-autoclean
+          cargo install cargo-cache --version 0.6.2 --no-default-features --features ci-autoclean
 
       - name: Clear the cargo caches
         run: |
diff --git a/ntex-bytes/CHANGELOG.md b/ntex-bytes/CHANGELOG.md
index d825426e..a2d5b4c4 100644
--- a/ntex-bytes/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/ntex-bytes/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-# 0.1.0 (2021-06-27)
+# Changes
+
+## 0.1.1 (2021-06-27)
+
+* Add `ByteString::as_slice()` method
+
+* Enable serde
+
+## 0.1.0 (2021-06-27)
 
 * Add `Bytes::trimdown()` method
 
diff --git a/ntex-bytes/Cargo.toml b/ntex-bytes/Cargo.toml
index 823f6db3..3ff103c6 100644
--- a/ntex-bytes/Cargo.toml
+++ b/ntex-bytes/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "ntex-bytes"
-version = "0.1.0"
+version = "0.1.1"
 license = "MIT"
 authors = ["Carl Lerche <me@carllerche.com>"]
 description = "Types and traits for working with bytes (bytes crate fork)"
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ categories = ["network-programming", "data-structures"]
 edition = "2018"
 
 [dependencies]
-serde = { version = "1.0", optional = true }
+serde = "1.0"
 bytes = "1.0.1"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/ntex-bytes/src/lib.rs b/ntex-bytes/src/lib.rs
index 1e6e8ce7..d5324286 100644
--- a/ntex-bytes/src/lib.rs
+++ b/ntex-bytes/src/lib.rs
@@ -69,6 +69,4 @@ mod string;
 pub use crate::bytes::{Bytes, BytesMut};
 pub use crate::string::ByteString;
 
-// Optional Serde support
-#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 mod serde;
diff --git a/ntex-bytes/src/string.rs b/ntex-bytes/src/string.rs
index 9a29a3f3..23a784f0 100644
--- a/ntex-bytes/src/string.rs
+++ b/ntex-bytes/src/string.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ impl ByteString {
         ByteString(Bytes::new())
     }
 
+    /// Get a reference to the underlying bytes.
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn as_slice(&self) -> &[u8] {
+        self.0.as_ref()
+    }
+
     /// Get a reference to the underlying `Bytes` object.
     #[inline]
     pub fn as_bytes(&self) -> &Bytes {
@@ -258,7 +264,6 @@ impl fmt::Display for ByteString {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(feature = "serde")]
 mod serde {
     use serde::de::{Deserialize, Deserializer};
     use serde::ser::{Serialize, Serializer};