diff --git a/lib/active_model/array_serializer.rb b/lib/active_model/array_serializer.rb
index cc2fc4c9..43e537f9 100644
--- a/lib/active_model/array_serializer.rb
+++ b/lib/active_model/array_serializer.rb
@@ -7,11 +7,8 @@ module ActiveModel
 
     class << self
       attr_accessor :_root
-
-      def root(root)
-        @_root = root
-      end
-      alias root= root
+      alias root  _root=
+      alias root= _root=
     end
 
     def initialize(object, options={})
diff --git a/lib/active_model/serializer.rb b/lib/active_model/serializer.rb
index 82f3643a..f7906781 100644
--- a/lib/active_model/serializer.rb
+++ b/lib/active_model/serializer.rb
@@ -21,11 +21,8 @@ module ActiveModel
       end
 
       attr_accessor :_root, :_attributes, :_associations
-
-      def root(root)
-        @_root = root
-      end
-      alias root= root
+      alias root  _root=
+      alias root= _root=
 
       def root_name
         name.demodulize.underscore.sub(/_serializer$/, '') if name