diff --git a/src/bert.erl b/src/bert.erl
index 0faf7fb..61f4ee7 100644
--- a/src/bert.erl
+++ b/src/bert.erl
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ encode_term(Term) ->
     [] -> {bert, nil};
     true -> {bert, true};
     false -> {bert, false};
-    Dict when is_record(Term, dict, 8) ->
+    Dict when is_tuple(Term) andalso element(1, Term) =:= dict ->
       {bert, dict, dict:to_list(Dict)};
     List when is_list(Term) ->
       lists:map((fun encode_term/1), List);
diff --git a/test/bert_test.erl b/test/bert_test.erl
index 56dc1ba..8845c91 100644
--- a/test/bert_test.erl
+++ b/test/bert_test.erl
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ encode_tuple_nesting_test() ->
   Bert = term_to_binary({foo, {bert, true}}),
   Bert = encode({foo, true}).
 
+encode_dict_test() ->
+  Bert = term_to_binary({ bert, dict,
+                          dict:to_list(dict:store(foo, true, dict:new())) }),
+  Bert = encode(dict:store(foo, true, dict:new())).
+
 %% decode
 
 decode_list_nesting_test() ->
@@ -20,4 +25,11 @@ decode_list_nesting_test() ->
 decode_tuple_nesting_test() ->
   Bert = term_to_binary({foo, {bert, true}}),
   Term = {foo, true},
-  Term = decode(Bert).
\ No newline at end of file
+  Term = decode(Bert).
+
+decode_dict_test() ->
+  Bert = term_to_binary({ bert, dict,
+                          dict:to_list(dict:store(foo, true, dict:new())) }),
+  Term = dict:store(foo, true, dict:new()),
+  Term = decode(Bert).
+