diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a6694f4f..1e7a312f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ Version 75:
 
 * Use file_body for valid requests, string_body otherwise.
 * Construct buffer_prefix_view in-place
+* Shrink serializer buffers using buffers_ref
+* Tidy up BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
 
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp b/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp
index 2f492cd3..d6984cfa 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp
+++ b/include/beast/http/impl/serializer.ipp
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ next(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
         if(! result)
             goto go_header_only_c;
         more_ = result->second;
-    #if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+    #ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
         if(! more_)
         {
             // do it all in one buffer
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ next(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
         if(! result)
             goto go_final_c;
         more_ = result->second;
-    #if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+    #ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
         if(! more_)
         {
             // do it all in one buffer
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ next(error_code& ec, Visit&& visit)
         visit(ec, boost::get<ch1_t>(v_));
         break;
 
-#if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+#ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
     go_body_final_c:
         s_ = do_body_final_c;
     case do_body_final_c:
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ consume(std::size_t n)
             s_ = do_final_c;
         break;
 
-#if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+#ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
     case do_body_final_c:
     {
         auto& b = boost::get<ch2_t>(v_);
diff --git a/include/beast/http/serializer.hpp b/include/beast/http/serializer.hpp
index 7069d31e..0ba8f431 100644
--- a/include/beast/http/serializer.hpp
+++ b/include/beast/http/serializer.hpp
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@
 
 #ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
 # if defined(BOOST_GCC) && BOOST_GCC < 50000 && BOOST_VERSION < 106400
-#  define BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS 1
-# else
-#  define BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS 0
+#  define BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
 # endif
 #endif
 
@@ -148,7 +146,7 @@ class serializer
         do_header_c         =  70,
         do_body_c           =  80,
         do_final_c          =  90,
-    #if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+    #ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
         do_body_final_c     = 100,
         do_all_c            = 110,
     #endif
@@ -186,7 +184,7 @@ class serializer
         typename reader::const_buffers_type,        // body
         boost::asio::const_buffers_1>>;             // crlf
 
-#if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+#ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
     using ch2_t = consuming_buffers<buffer_cat_view<
         detail::chunk_header,                       // chunk-header
         boost::asio::const_buffers_1,               // chunk-ext
@@ -219,7 +217,7 @@ class serializer
     boost::optional<reader> rd_;
     boost::variant<boost::blank,
         ch_t, cb0_t, cb1_t, ch0_t, ch1_t
-    #if ! BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
+    #ifndef BEAST_NO_BIG_VARIANTS
         ,ch2_t, ch3_t
     #endif
         , ch4_t> v_;