diff --git a/pynamodb/attributes.py b/pynamodb/attributes.py
index 2d79aa0a4..457347d2e 100644
--- a/pynamodb/attributes.py
+++ b/pynamodb/attributes.py
@@ -226,21 +226,7 @@ def element_serialize(self, value):
         return six.u(str(value))
 
     def element_deserialize(self, value):
-        """
-        This deserializes what we get from mongo back into a str
-        Serialization previously json encoded strings. This caused them to have
-        extra double quote (") characters. That no longer happens.
-        This method allows both types of serialized values to be read
-        :param value:
-        :return:
-        """
-        result = value
-        try:
-            result = json.loads(value)
-        except ValueError:
-            # it's serialized in the new way so pass
-            pass
-        return result
+        return value
 
     def serialize(self, value):
         if value is not None:
diff --git a/pynamodb/tests/test_attributes.py b/pynamodb/tests/test_attributes.py
index 0806cc74d..7bae8dbc1 100644
--- a/pynamodb/tests/test_attributes.py
+++ b/pynamodb/tests/test_attributes.py
@@ -365,6 +365,12 @@ def test_unicode_set_serialize(self):
         expected = sorted([six.u('foo'), six.u('bar')])
         assert attr.serialize(set([six.u('foo'), six.u('bar')])) == expected
 
+        expected = sorted([six.u('True'), six.u('False')])
+        assert attr.serialize(set([six.u('True'), six.u('False')])) == expected
+
+        expected = sorted([six.u('true'), six.u('false')])
+        assert attr.serialize(set([six.u('true'), six.u('false')])) == expected
+
     def test_round_trip_unicode_set(self):
         """
         Round trip a unicode set
@@ -373,6 +379,15 @@ def test_round_trip_unicode_set(self):
         orig = set([six.u('foo'), six.u('bar')])
         assert orig == attr.deserialize(attr.serialize(orig))
 
+        orig = set([six.u('true'), six.u('false')])
+        assert orig == attr.deserialize(attr.serialize(orig))
+
+        orig = set([six.u('1'), six.u('2.8')])
+        assert orig == attr.deserialize(attr.serialize(orig))
+
+        orig = set([six.u('[1,2,3]'), six.u('2.8')])
+        assert orig == attr.deserialize(attr.serialize(orig))
+
     def test_unicode_set_deserialize(self):
         """
         UnicodeSetAttribute.deserialize
@@ -381,14 +396,14 @@ def test_unicode_set_deserialize(self):
         value = set([six.u('foo'), six.u('bar')])
         assert attr.deserialize(value) == value
 
-    def test_unicode_set_deserialize_old_way(self):
-        """
-        UnicodeSetAttribute.deserialize old way
-        """
-        attr = UnicodeSetAttribute()
-        value = set([six.u('foo'), six.u('bar')])
-        old_value = set([json.dumps(val) for val in value])
-        assert attr.deserialize(old_value) == value
+        value = set([six.u('True'), six.u('False')])
+        assert attr.deserialize(value) == value
+
+        value = set([six.u('true'), six.u('false')])
+        assert attr.deserialize(value) == value
+
+        value = set([six.u('1'), six.u('2.8')])
+        assert attr.deserialize(value) == value
 
     def test_unicode_set_attribute(self):
         """