diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayFunctions.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayFunctions.hpp
index 266da3fe..19652b45 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayFunctions.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayFunctions.hpp
@@ -15,20 +15,17 @@ inline VariantData* arrayAdd(ArrayData* arr, MemoryPool* pool) {
   VariantSlot* slot = pool->allocVariant();
   if (!slot) return 0;
 
-  slot->next = 0;
-  slot->value.type = JSON_NULL;
-  slot->value.keyIsOwned = false;
+  slot->init();
 
   if (arr->tail) {
     slot->attachTo(arr->tail);
     arr->tail = slot;
   } else {
-    slot->prev = 0;
     arr->head = slot;
     arr->tail = slot;
   }
 
-  return &slot->value;
+  return slot->getData();
 }
 
 inline VariantSlot* arrayGetSlot(const ArrayData* arr, size_t index) {
@@ -38,20 +35,20 @@ inline VariantSlot* arrayGetSlot(const ArrayData* arr, size_t index) {
 
 inline VariantData* arrayGet(const ArrayData* arr, size_t index) {
   VariantSlot* slot = arrayGetSlot(arr, index);
-  return slot ? &slot->value : 0;
+  return slot ? slot->getData() : 0;
 }
 
 inline void arrayRemove(ArrayData* arr, VariantSlot* slot) {
   if (!arr || !slot) return;
 
-  if (slot->prev)
-    slot->getPrev()->setNext(slot->getNext());
+  VariantSlot* prev = slot->getPrev(arr->head);
+  VariantSlot* next = slot->getNext();
+
+  if (prev)
+    prev->setNext(next);
   else
-    arr->head = slot->getNext();
-  if (slot->next)
-    slot->getNext()->setPrev(slot->getPrev());
-  else
-    arr->tail = slot->getPrev();
+    arr->head = next;
+  if (!next) arr->tail = prev;
 }
 
 inline void arrayRemove(ArrayData* arr, size_t index) {
@@ -70,7 +67,7 @@ inline bool arrayCopy(ArrayData* dst, const ArrayData* src, MemoryPool* pool) {
   if (!dst || !src) return false;
   arrayClear(dst);
   for (VariantSlot* s = src->head; s; s = s->getNext()) {
-    if (!variantCopy(arrayAdd(dst, pool), &s->value, pool)) return false;
+    if (!variantCopy(arrayAdd(dst, pool), s->getData(), pool)) return false;
   }
   return true;
 }
@@ -85,7 +82,7 @@ inline bool arrayEquals(const ArrayData* a1, const ArrayData* a2) {
   for (;;) {
     if (s1 == s2) return true;
     if (!s1 || !s2) return false;
-    if (!variantEquals(&s1->value, &s2->value)) return false;
+    if (!variantEquals(s1->getData(), s2->getData())) return false;
     s1 = s1->getNext();
     s2 = s2->getNext();
   }
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayIterator.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayIterator.hpp
index e91e25c2..6bc88bbf 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayIterator.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Array/ArrayIterator.hpp
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ class ArrayIterator {
       : _memoryPool(memoryPool), _slot(slot) {}
 
   VariantRef operator*() const {
-    return VariantRef(_memoryPool, &_slot->value);
+    return VariantRef(_memoryPool, _slot->getData());
   }
   VariantPtr operator->() {
-    return VariantPtr(_memoryPool, &_slot->value);
+    return VariantPtr(_memoryPool, _slot->getData());
   }
 
   bool operator==(const ArrayIterator &other) const {
@@ -88,10 +88,10 @@ class ArrayConstRefIterator {
   explicit ArrayConstRefIterator(const VariantSlot *slot) : _slot(slot) {}
 
   VariantConstRef operator*() const {
-    return VariantConstRef(&_slot->value);
+    return VariantConstRef(_slot->getData());
   }
   VariantConstPtr operator->() {
-    return VariantConstPtr(&_slot->value);
+    return VariantConstPtr(_slot->getData());
   }
 
   bool operator==(const ArrayConstRefIterator &other) const {
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Key.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Key.hpp
index 2e2a6924..13d52a2e 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Key.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Key.hpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ class Key {
   }
 
   bool isNull() const {
-    return _slot == 0 || _slot->key == 0;
+    return _slot == 0 || _slot->key() == 0;
   }
 
   friend bool operator==(Key lhs, const char* rhs) {
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Object/ObjectFunctions.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Object/ObjectFunctions.hpp
index 8e69303c..a06be757 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Object/ObjectFunctions.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Object/ObjectFunctions.hpp
@@ -31,20 +31,18 @@ inline VariantData* objectAdd(ObjectData* obj, TKey key, MemoryPool* pool) {
   VariantSlot* slot = pool->allocVariant();
   if (!slot) return 0;
 
-  slot->next = 0;
-  slot->value.type = JSON_NULL;
+  slot->init();
 
   if (obj->tail) {
     slot->attachTo(obj->tail);
     obj->tail = slot;
   } else {
-    slot->prev = 0;
     obj->head = slot;
     obj->tail = slot;
   }
 
   if (!slotSetKey(slot, key, pool)) return 0;
-  return &slot->value;
+  return slot->getData();
 }
 
 template <typename TKey>
@@ -56,7 +54,7 @@ inline VariantData* objectSet(ObjectData* obj, TKey key, MemoryPool* pool) {
 
   // search a matching key
   VariantSlot* slot = objectFindSlot(obj, key);
-  if (slot) return &slot->value;
+  if (slot) return slot->getData();
 
   return objectAdd(obj, key, pool);
 }
@@ -64,7 +62,7 @@ inline VariantData* objectSet(ObjectData* obj, TKey key, MemoryPool* pool) {
 template <typename TKey>
 inline VariantData* objectGet(const ObjectData* obj, TKey key) {
   VariantSlot* slot = objectFindSlot(obj, key);
-  return slot ? &slot->value : 0;
+  return slot ? slot->getData() : 0;
 }
 
 inline void objectClear(ObjectData* obj) {
@@ -76,16 +74,13 @@ inline void objectClear(ObjectData* obj) {
 inline void objectRemove(ObjectData* obj, VariantSlot* slot) {
   if (!obj) return;
   if (!slot) return;
-  VariantSlot* prev = slot->getPrev();
+  VariantSlot* prev = slot->getPrev(obj->head);
   VariantSlot* next = slot->getNext();
   if (prev)
     prev->setNext(next);
   else
     obj->head = next;
-  if (next)
-    next->setPrev(prev);
-  else
-    obj->tail = prev;
+  if (!next) obj->tail = prev;
 }
 
 inline size_t objectSize(const ObjectData* obj) {
@@ -101,11 +96,11 @@ inline bool objectCopy(ObjectData* dst, const ObjectData* src,
   objectClear(dst);
   for (VariantSlot* s = src->head; s; s = s->getNext()) {
     VariantData* var;
-    if (s->value.keyIsOwned)
-      var = objectAdd(dst, ZeroTerminatedRamString(s->key), pool);
+    if (s->ownsKey())
+      var = objectAdd(dst, ZeroTerminatedRamString(s->key()), pool);
     else
-      var = objectAdd(dst, ZeroTerminatedRamStringConst(s->key), pool);
-    if (!variantCopy(var, &s->value, pool)) return false;
+      var = objectAdd(dst, ZeroTerminatedRamStringConst(s->key()), pool);
+    if (!variantCopy(var, s->getData(), pool)) return false;
   }
   return true;
 }
@@ -115,7 +110,7 @@ inline bool objectEquals(const ObjectData* o1, const ObjectData* o2) {
   if (!o1 || !o2) return false;
 
   for (VariantSlot* s = o1->head; s; s = s->getNext()) {
-    VariantData* v1 = &s->value;
+    VariantData* v1 = s->getData();
     VariantData* v2 = objectGet(o2, makeString(slotGetKey(s)));
     if (!variantEquals(v1, v2)) return false;
   }
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Pair.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Pair.hpp
index 265522df..4c48ee0f 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Pair.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Object/Pair.hpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class Pair {
  public:
   Pair(MemoryPool* memoryPool, VariantSlot* slot) : _key(slot) {
     if (slot) {
-      _value = VariantRef(memoryPool, &slot->value);
+      _value = VariantRef(memoryPool, slot->getData());
     }
   }
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class PairConst {
  public:
   PairConst(const VariantSlot* slot) : _key(slot) {
     if (slot) {
-      _value = VariantConstRef(&slot->value);
+      _value = VariantConstRef(slot->getData());
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/SlotFunctions.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/SlotFunctions.hpp
index fc0499b8..e083943d 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/SlotFunctions.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/SlotFunctions.hpp
@@ -15,26 +15,23 @@ template <typename TKey>
 inline bool slotSetKey(VariantSlot* var, TKey key, MemoryPool* pool) {
   char* dup = key.save(pool);
   if (!dup) return false;
-  var->key = dup;
-  var->value.keyIsOwned = true;
+  var->setKey(dup, true);
   return true;
 }
 
 inline bool slotSetKey(VariantSlot* var, ZeroTerminatedRamStringConst key,
                        MemoryPool*) {
-  var->key = key.c_str();
-  var->value.keyIsOwned = false;
+  var->setKey(key.c_str(), false);
   return true;
 }
 
 inline bool slotSetKey(VariantSlot* var, StringInMemoryPool key, MemoryPool*) {
-  var->key = key.c_str();
-  var->value.keyIsOwned = true;
+  var->setKey(key.c_str(), true);
   return true;
 }
 
 inline const char* slotGetKey(const VariantSlot* var) {
-  return var->key;
+  return var->key();
 }
 
 inline size_t slotSize(const VariantSlot* var) {
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp
index de7016e2..88e14b34 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantData.hpp
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 
 namespace ARDUINOJSON_NAMESPACE {
 
+class VariantSlot;
+
 enum VariantType {
   JSON_NULL,
   JSON_LINKED_RAW,
@@ -26,13 +28,13 @@ enum VariantType {
 };
 
 struct ObjectData {
-  struct VariantSlot *head;
-  struct VariantSlot *tail;
+  VariantSlot *head;
+  VariantSlot *tail;
 };
 
 struct ArrayData {
-  struct VariantSlot *head;
-  struct VariantSlot *tail;
+  VariantSlot *head;
+  VariantSlot *tail;
 };
 
 struct RawData {
@@ -56,9 +58,9 @@ union VariantContent {
 
 // this struct must be a POD type to prevent error calling offsetof on clang
 struct VariantData {
+  VariantContent content;
   bool keyIsOwned : 1;
   VariantType type : 7;
-  VariantContent content;
 };
 
 inline VariantData *getVariantData(ArrayData *arr) {
diff --git a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantSlot.hpp b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantSlot.hpp
index 1512764a..5ffcfd78 100644
--- a/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantSlot.hpp
+++ b/src/ArduinoJson/Variant/VariantSlot.hpp
@@ -11,16 +11,33 @@ namespace ARDUINOJSON_NAMESPACE {
 
 typedef conditional<sizeof(void*) <= 2, int8_t, int16_t>::type VariantSlotDiff;
 
-struct VariantSlot {
-  VariantData value;
-  VariantSlotDiff next;
-  VariantSlotDiff prev;
-  const char* key;
+class VariantSlot {
+  // CAUTION: same layout as VariantData
+  // we cannot use composition because it adds padding
+  // (+20% on ESP8266 for example)
+  VariantContent _content;
+  bool _keyIsOwned : 1;
+  VariantType _type : 7;
+  VariantSlotDiff _next;
+  const char* _key;
 
-  // Must be a POD! so no constructor, nor destructor, nor virtual
+ public:
+  // Must be a POD!
+  // - no constructor
+  // - no destructor
+  // - no virtual
+  // - no inheritance
+
+  VariantData* getData() {
+    return reinterpret_cast<VariantData*>(&_content);
+  }
+
+  const VariantData* getData() const {
+    return reinterpret_cast<const VariantData*>(&_content);
+  }
 
   VariantSlot* getNext() {
-    return next ? this + next : 0;
+    return _next ? this + _next : 0;
   }
 
   const VariantSlot* getNext() const {
@@ -30,32 +47,50 @@ struct VariantSlot {
   VariantSlot* getNext(size_t distance) {
     VariantSlot* slot = this;
     while (distance--) {
-      if (!slot->next) return 0;
-      slot += slot->next;
+      if (!slot->_next) return 0;
+      slot += slot->_next;
     }
     return slot;
   }
 
+  VariantSlot* getPrev(VariantSlot* head) {
+    while (head) {
+      VariantSlot* nxt = head->getNext();
+      if (nxt == this) return head;
+      head = nxt;
+    }
+    return head;
+  }
+
   const VariantSlot* getNext(size_t distance) const {
     return const_cast<VariantSlot*>(this)->getNext(distance);
   }
 
-  VariantSlot* getPrev() {
-    return prev ? this + prev : 0;
-  }
-
   void setNext(VariantSlot* slot) {
-    this->next = VariantSlotDiff(slot ? slot - this : 0);
-  }
-
-  void setPrev(VariantSlot* slot) {
-    this->prev = VariantSlotDiff(slot ? slot - this : 0);
+    _next = VariantSlotDiff(slot ? slot - this : 0);
   }
 
   void attachTo(VariantSlot* tail) {
-    VariantSlotDiff offset = VariantSlotDiff(tail - this);
-    this->prev = offset;
-    tail->next = VariantSlotDiff(-offset);
+    tail->_next = VariantSlotDiff(this - tail);
+  }
+
+  void setKey(const char* k, bool owned) {
+    _keyIsOwned = owned;
+    _key = k;
+  }
+
+  const char* key() const {
+    return _key;
+  }
+
+  bool ownsKey() const {
+    return _keyIsOwned;
+  }
+
+  void init() {
+    _next = 0;
+    _type = JSON_NULL;
+    _keyIsOwned = false;
   }
 };