diff --git a/src/world.rs b/src/world.rs
index e7c8824..4be6d70 100644
--- a/src/world.rs
+++ b/src/world.rs
@@ -16,9 +16,11 @@ pub struct World {
     #[serde(skip_deserializing)]
     pub source: PathBuf,
     /// The [`WorldMap`]s defined by the world file.
-    pub maps: Option<Vec<WorldMap>>,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty", default)]
+    pub maps: Vec<WorldMap>,
     /// Optional regex pattern to load maps.
-    pub patterns: Option<Vec<WorldPattern>>,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty", default)]
+    pub patterns: Vec<WorldPattern>,
 }
 
 impl World {
@@ -27,14 +29,12 @@ impl World {
     pub fn match_path(&self, path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<WorldMap, Error> {
         let path_str = path.as_ref().to_str().expect("obtaining valid UTF-8 path");
 
-        if let Some(patterns) = &self.patterns {
-            for pattern in patterns {
-                match pattern.match_path_impl(path_str) {
-                    Ok(world_map) => return Ok(world_map),
-                    // We ignore match errors here as the path may be matched by another pattern.
-                    Err(Error::NoMatchFound { .. }) => continue,
-                    Err(err) => return Err(err),
-                }
+        for pattern in self.patterns.iter() {
+            match pattern.match_path_impl(path_str) {
+                Ok(world_map) => return Ok(world_map),
+                // We ignore match errors here as the path may be matched by another pattern.
+                Err(Error::NoMatchFound { .. }) => continue,
+                Err(err) => return Err(err),
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/lib.rs b/tests/lib.rs
index 4a6ff85..0779c85 100644
--- a/tests/lib.rs
+++ b/tests/lib.rs
@@ -70,34 +70,31 @@ fn test_external_tileset() {
 
 #[cfg(feature = "world")]
 #[test]
-fn test_loading_world() {
+fn test_world() {
     let mut loader = Loader::new();
 
     let e = loader.load_world("assets/world/world_basic.world").unwrap();
 
-    let maps = e.maps.unwrap();
-
-    assert_eq!(maps[0].filename, "map01.tmx");
-    assert_eq!(maps[1].x, 960);
-    assert_eq!(maps[1].y, 0);
-    assert_eq!(maps[1].width, Some(960));
-    assert_eq!(maps[1].height, Some(640));
-    assert_eq!(maps.len(), 2);
+    assert_eq!(e.maps[0].filename, "map01.tmx");
+    assert_eq!(e.maps[1].x, 960);
+    assert_eq!(e.maps[1].y, 0);
+    assert_eq!(e.maps[1].width, Some(960));
+    assert_eq!(e.maps[1].height, Some(640));
+    assert_eq!(e.maps.len(), 2);
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "world")]
 #[test]
-fn test_loading_world_pattern() {
+fn test_world_pattern() {
     let mut loader = Loader::new();
 
     let e = loader
         .load_world("assets/world/world_pattern.world")
         .unwrap();
 
-    assert_eq!(e.maps.is_none(), true);
+    assert_eq!(e.maps.len(), 0);
 
-    let patterns = e.patterns.as_ref().unwrap();
-    assert_eq!(patterns.len(), 3);
+    assert_eq!(e.patterns.len(), 3);
 
     let map1 = e.match_path("map-x04-y04-plains.tmx").unwrap();