diff --git a/src/botscript.rs b/src/botscript.rs
index 1000e77..ff2e59c 100644
--- a/src/botscript.rs
+++ b/src/botscript.rs
@@ -640,6 +640,7 @@ pub struct BotDialog {
     pub commands: HashMap<String, BotMessage>,
     pub buttons: HashMap<String, BotMessage>,
     stateful_msg_handlers: HashMap<String, BotMessage>,
+    #[serde(default)]
     variants: HashMap<String, HashMap<String, BotMessage>>,
 }