diff --git a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Row.java b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Row.java
index 82da2c9628..0cc6691474 100644
--- a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Row.java
+++ b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Row.java
@@ -36,20 +36,16 @@ import org.apache.cassandra.utils.FBUtilities;
 
 public class Row
 {
-    private static ICompactSerializer<Row> serializer_;
+    private static RowSerializer serializer_ = new RowSerializer();
     private static Logger logger_ = Logger.getLogger(Row.class);
 
-    static
-    {
-        serializer_ = new RowSerializer();
-    }
-
-    static ICompactSerializer<Row> serializer()
+    static RowSerializer serializer()
     {
         return serializer_;
     }
 
     private String key_;
+
     private Map<String, ColumnFamily> columnFamilies_ = new Hashtable<String, ColumnFamily>();
 
     protected Row()
diff --git a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java
index de1f2309fe..34e597ed16 100644
--- a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java
+++ b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java
@@ -39,15 +39,10 @@ import org.apache.cassandra.utils.FBUtilities;
 public final class SuperColumn implements IColumn, Serializable
 {
 	private static Logger logger_ = Logger.getLogger(SuperColumn.class);
-	private static ICompactSerializer2<IColumn> serializer_;
+	private static SuperColumnSerializer serializer_ = new SuperColumnSerializer();
 	private final static String seperator_ = ":";
 
-    static
-    {
-        serializer_ = new SuperColumnSerializer();
-    }
-
-    static ICompactSerializer2<IColumn> serializer()
+    static SuperColumnSerializer serializer()
     {
         return serializer_;
     }
@@ -173,6 +168,7 @@ public final class SuperColumn implements IColumn, Serializable
     public byte[] value(String key)
     {
     	IColumn column = columns_.get(key);
+    	assert column instanceof Column;
     	if ( column != null )
     		return column.value();
     	throw new IllegalArgumentException("Value was requested for a column that does not exist.");