diff --git a/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/src/SerializeAddon.ts b/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/src/SerializeAddon.ts
index a54b4325..d692c818 100644
--- a/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/src/SerializeAddon.ts
+++ b/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/src/SerializeAddon.ts
@@ -433,26 +433,37 @@ export class SerializeAddon implements ITerminalAddon {
     return content;
   }
 
-  public serialize(scrollback?: number): string {
+  public serialize(options?: ISerializeOptions): string {
     // TODO: Add combinedData support
     if (!this._terminal) {
       throw new Error('Cannot use addon until it has been loaded');
     }
 
     // Normal buffer
-    let content = this._serializeBuffer(this._terminal, this._terminal.buffer.normal, scrollback);
+    let content = this._serializeBuffer(this._terminal, this._terminal.buffer.normal, options?.scrollback);
 
     // Alternate buffer
-    if (this._terminal.buffer.active.type === 'alternate') {
-      const alternativeScreenContent = this._serializeBuffer(this._terminal, this._terminal.buffer.alternate, undefined);
-      content += `\u001b[?1049h\u001b[H${alternativeScreenContent}`;
+    if (!options?.excludeAltBuffer) {
+      if (this._terminal.buffer.active.type === 'alternate') {
+        const alternativeScreenContent = this._serializeBuffer(this._terminal, this._terminal.buffer.alternate, undefined);
+        content += `\u001b[?1049h\u001b[H${alternativeScreenContent}`;
+      }
     }
 
     // Modes
-    content += this._serializeModes(this._terminal);
+    if (!options?.excludeModes) {
+      content += this._serializeModes(this._terminal);
+    }
 
     return content;
   }
 
   public dispose(): void { }
 }
+
+
+interface ISerializeOptions {
+  scrollback?: number;
+  excludeModes?: boolean;
+  excludeAltBuffer?: boolean;
+}
diff --git a/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/test/SerializeAddon.api.ts b/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/test/SerializeAddon.api.ts
index bb66f37b..c8593b72 100644
--- a/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/test/SerializeAddon.api.ts
+++ b/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/test/SerializeAddon.api.ts
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ describe('SerializeAddon', () => {
     const cols = 10;
     const lines = newArray<string>((index: number) => digitsString(cols, index), rows);
     await writeSync(page, lines.join('\\r\\n'));
-    assert.equal(await page.evaluate(`serializeAddon.serialize(${halfScrollback});`), lines.slice(halfScrollback, rows).join('\r\n'));
+    assert.equal(await page.evaluate(`serializeAddon.serialize({ scrollback: ${halfScrollback} });`), lines.slice(halfScrollback, rows).join('\r\n'));
   });
 
   it('serialize 0 rows of scrollback', async function(): Promise<any> {
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ describe('SerializeAddon', () => {
     const cols = 10;
     const lines = newArray<string>((index: number) => digitsString(cols, index), rows);
     await writeSync(page, lines.join('\\r\\n'));
-    assert.equal(await page.evaluate(`serializeAddon.serialize(0);`), lines.slice(rows - 10, rows).join('\r\n'));
+    assert.equal(await page.evaluate(`serializeAddon.serialize({ scrollback: 0 });`), lines.slice(rows - 10, rows).join('\r\n'));
   });
 
   it('serialize all rows of content with color16', async function(): Promise<any> {
diff --git a/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/typings/xterm-addon-serialize.d.ts b/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/typings/xterm-addon-serialize.d.ts
index b55ee303..a29dbb28 100644
--- a/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/typings/xterm-addon-serialize.d.ts
+++ b/addons/xterm-addon-serialize/typings/xterm-addon-serialize.d.ts
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@ import { Terminal, ITerminalAddon } from 'xterm';
 
 declare module 'xterm-addon-serialize' {
   /**
-   * An xterm.js addon that enables web links.
+   * An xterm.js addon that enables serialization of terminal contents.
    */
   export class SerializeAddon implements ITerminalAddon {
 
     constructor();
 
     /**
-     * Activates the addon
+     * Activates the addon.
      * @param terminal The terminal the addon is being loaded in.
      */
     public activate(terminal: Terminal): void;
@@ -24,15 +24,32 @@ declare module 'xterm-addon-serialize' {
      * the state. The cursor will also be positioned to the correct cell. When restoring a terminal
      * it is best to do before `Terminal.open` is called to avoid wasting CPU cycles rendering
      * incomplete frames.
-     * @param scrollback The number of rows in scrollback buffer to serialize, starting from the
-     * bottom of the scrollback buffer. This defaults to the all available rows in the scrollback
-     * buffer.
+     * @param options Custom options to allow control over what gets serialized.
      */
-    public serialize(scrollback?: number): string;
+    public serialize(options?: ISerializeOptions): string;
 
     /**
      * Disposes the addon.
      */
     public dispose(): void;
   }
+
+  export interface ISerializeOptions {
+    /**
+     * The number of rows in the scrollback buffer to serialize, starting from the bottom of the
+     * scrollback buffer. When not specified, all available rows in the scrollback buffer will be
+     * serialized.
+     */
+    scrollback?: number;
+
+    /**
+     * Whether to exclude the terminal modes from the serialization. False by default.
+     */
+    excludeModes?: boolean;
+
+    /**
+     * Whether to exclude the alt buffer from the serialization. False by default.
+     */
+    excludeAltBuffer?: boolean;
+  }
 }