diff --git a/d2graph/serde.go b/d2graph/serde.go
index 1e1778577..0b7c49ca1 100644
--- a/d2graph/serde.go
+++ b/d2graph/serde.go
@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package d2graph
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
+	"oss.terrastruct.com/d2/d2target"
 	"oss.terrastruct.com/util-go/go2"
 )
 
@@ -24,10 +26,10 @@ func DeserializeGraph(bytes []byte, g *Graph) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	g.Root = &Object{
-		Graph:    g,
-		Children: make(map[string]*Object),
-	}
+	var root Object
+	convert(sg.Root, &root)
+	g.Root = &root
+	root.Graph = g
 
 	idToObj := make(map[string]*Object)
 	idToObj[""] = g.Root
@@ -158,3 +160,316 @@ func convert[T, Q any](from T, to *Q) error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+func CompareSerializedGraph(g, other *Graph) error {
+	if len(g.Objects) != len(other.Objects) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("object count differs: g=%d, other=%d", len(g.Objects), len(other.Objects))
+	}
+
+	if len(g.Edges) != len(other.Edges) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("edge count differs: g=%d, other=%d", len(g.Edges), len(other.Edges))
+	}
+
+	if err := CompareSerializedObject(g.Root, other.Root); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("root differs: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(g.Objects); i++ {
+		if err := CompareSerializedObject(g.Objects[i], other.Objects[i]); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"objects differ at %d [g=%s, other=%s]: %v",
+				i,
+				g.Objects[i].ID,
+				other.Objects[i].ID,
+				err,
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(g.Edges); i++ {
+		if err := CompareSerializedEdge(g.Edges[i], other.Edges[i]); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"edges differ at %d [g=%s, other=%s]: %v",
+				i,
+				g.Edges[i].AbsID(),
+				other.Edges[i].AbsID(),
+				err,
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func CompareSerializedObject(obj, other *Object) error {
+	if obj != nil && other == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other is nil")
+	} else if obj == nil && other != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("obj is nil")
+	} else if obj == nil {
+		// both are nil
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	if obj.ID != other.ID {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ids differ: obj=%s, other=%s", obj.ID, other.ID)
+	}
+
+	if obj.AbsID() != other.AbsID() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("absolute ids differ: obj=%s, other=%s", obj.AbsID(), other.AbsID())
+	}
+
+	if obj.Box != nil && other.Box == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should have a box")
+	} else if obj.Box == nil && other.Box != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have a box")
+	} else if obj.Box != nil {
+		if obj.Width != other.Width {
+			return fmt.Errorf("widths differ: obj=%f, other=%f", obj.Width, other.Width)
+		}
+
+		if obj.Height != other.Height {
+			return fmt.Errorf("heights differ: obj=%f, other=%f", obj.Height, other.Height)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if obj.Parent != nil && other.Parent == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should have a parent")
+	} else if obj.Parent == nil && other.Parent != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have a parent")
+	} else if obj.Parent != nil && obj.Parent.ID != other.Parent.ID {
+		return fmt.Errorf("parent differs: obj=%s, other=%s", obj.Parent.ID, other.Parent.ID)
+	}
+
+	if len(obj.Children) != len(other.Children) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("children count differs: obj=%d, other=%d", len(obj.Children), len(other.Children))
+	}
+
+	for childID, objChild := range obj.Children {
+		if otherChild, exists := other.Children[childID]; exists {
+			if err := CompareSerializedObject(objChild, otherChild); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("children differ at key %s: %v", childID, err)
+			}
+		} else {
+			return fmt.Errorf("child %s does not exist in other", childID)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(obj.ChildrenArray) != len(other.ChildrenArray) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("childrenArray count differs: obj=%d, other=%d", len(obj.ChildrenArray), len(other.ChildrenArray))
+	}
+
+	for i := 0; i < len(obj.ChildrenArray); i++ {
+		if err := CompareSerializedObject(obj.ChildrenArray[i], other.ChildrenArray[i]); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("childrenArray differs at %d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if obj.Attributes != nil && other.Attributes == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should have attributes")
+	} else if obj.Attributes == nil && other.Attributes != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have attributes")
+	} else if obj.Attributes != nil {
+		if d2target.IsShape(obj.Attributes.Shape.Value) != d2target.IsShape(other.Attributes.Shape.Value) {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"shapes differ: obj=%s, other=%s",
+				obj.Attributes.Shape.Value,
+				other.Attributes.Shape.Value,
+			)
+		}
+
+		if obj.Attributes.Icon == nil && other.Attributes.Icon != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("other does not have an icon")
+		} else if obj.Attributes.Icon != nil && other.Attributes.Icon == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("obj does not have an icon")
+		}
+
+		if obj.Attributes.Direction.Value != other.Attributes.Direction.Value {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"directions differ: obj=%s, other=%s",
+				obj.Attributes.Direction.Value,
+				other.Attributes.Direction.Value,
+			)
+		}
+
+		if obj.Attributes.Label.Value != other.Attributes.Label.Value {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"labels differ: obj=%s, other=%s",
+				obj.Attributes.Label.Value,
+				other.Attributes.Label.Value,
+			)
+		}
+
+		if obj.Attributes.NearKey != nil {
+			if other.Attributes.NearKey == nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("other does not have near")
+			}
+			objKey := strings.Join(Key(obj.Attributes.NearKey), ".")
+			deserKey := strings.Join(Key(other.Attributes.NearKey), ".")
+			if objKey != deserKey {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"near differs: obj=%s, other=%s",
+					objKey,
+					deserKey,
+				)
+			}
+		} else if other.Attributes.NearKey != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("other should not have near")
+		}
+	}
+
+	if obj.SQLTable == nil && other.SQLTable != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other is not a sql table")
+	} else if obj.SQLTable != nil && other.SQLTable == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("obj is not a sql table")
+	}
+
+	if obj.SQLTable != nil {
+		if len(obj.SQLTable.Columns) != len(other.SQLTable.Columns) {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"table columns count differ: obj=%d, other=%d",
+				len(obj.SQLTable.Columns),
+				len(other.SQLTable.Columns),
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if obj.LabelWidth != nil {
+		if other.LabelWidth == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("other does not have a label width")
+		}
+		if *obj.LabelWidth != *other.LabelWidth {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"label widths differ: obj=%d, other=%d",
+				*obj.LabelWidth,
+				*other.LabelWidth,
+			)
+		}
+	} else if other.LabelWidth != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have label width")
+	}
+
+	if obj.LabelHeight != nil {
+		if other.LabelHeight == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("other does not have a label height")
+		}
+		if *obj.LabelHeight != *other.LabelHeight {
+			return fmt.Errorf(
+				"label heights differ: obj=%d, other=%d",
+				*obj.LabelHeight,
+				*other.LabelHeight,
+			)
+		}
+	} else if other.LabelHeight != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have label height")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func CompareSerializedEdge(edge, other *Edge) error {
+	if edge.AbsID() != other.AbsID() {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"absolute ids differ: edge=%s, other=%s",
+			edge.AbsID(),
+			other.AbsID(),
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.Src.AbsID() != other.Src.AbsID() {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"sources differ: edge=%s, other=%s",
+			edge.Src.AbsID(),
+			other.Src.AbsID(),
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.Dst.AbsID() != other.Dst.AbsID() {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"targets differ: edge=%s, other=%s",
+			edge.Dst.AbsID(),
+			other.Dst.AbsID(),
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.SrcArrow != other.SrcArrow {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"source arrows differ: edge=%t, other=%t",
+			edge.SrcArrow,
+			other.SrcArrow,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.DstArrow != other.DstArrow {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"target arrows differ: edge=%t, other=%t",
+			edge.DstArrow,
+			other.DstArrow,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.MinWidth != other.MinWidth {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"min width differs: edge=%d, other=%d",
+			edge.MinWidth,
+			other.MinWidth,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.MinHeight != other.MinHeight {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"min height differs: edge=%d, other=%d",
+			edge.MinHeight,
+			other.MinHeight,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.Attributes.Label.Value != other.Attributes.Label.Value {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"labels differ: edge=%s, other=%s",
+			edge.Attributes.Label.Value,
+			other.Attributes.Label.Value,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.LabelDimensions.Width != other.LabelDimensions.Width {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"label width differs: edge=%d, other=%d",
+			edge.LabelDimensions.Width,
+			other.LabelDimensions.Width,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.LabelDimensions.Height != other.LabelDimensions.Height {
+		return fmt.Errorf(
+			"label hieght differs: edge=%d, other=%d",
+			edge.LabelDimensions.Height,
+			other.LabelDimensions.Height,
+		)
+	}
+
+	if edge.SrcTableColumnIndex != nil && other.SrcTableColumnIndex == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should have src column index")
+	} else if other.SrcTableColumnIndex != nil && edge.SrcTableColumnIndex == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have src column index")
+	} else if other.SrcTableColumnIndex != nil {
+		edgeColumn := *edge.SrcTableColumnIndex
+		otherColumn := *other.SrcTableColumnIndex
+		if edgeColumn != otherColumn {
+			return fmt.Errorf("src column differs: edge=%d, other=%d", edgeColumn, otherColumn)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if edge.DstTableColumnIndex != nil && other.DstTableColumnIndex == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should have dst column index")
+	} else if other.DstTableColumnIndex != nil && edge.DstTableColumnIndex == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("other should not have dst column index")
+	} else if other.DstTableColumnIndex != nil {
+		edgeColumn := *edge.DstTableColumnIndex
+		otherColumn := *other.DstTableColumnIndex
+		if edgeColumn != otherColumn {
+			return fmt.Errorf("dst column differs: edge=%d, other=%d", edgeColumn, otherColumn)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go b/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
index 057ca405a..8a57e9a3f 100644
--- a/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
+++ b/d2layouts/d2near/layout.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func WithoutConstantNears(ctx context.Context, g *d2graph.Graph) (nears []*d2gra
 			nears = append(nears, obj)
 			g.Objects = append(g.Objects[:i], g.Objects[i+1:]...)
 			i--
-			delete(obj.Parent.Children, obj.ID)
+			delete(obj.Parent.Children, strings.ToLower(obj.ID))
 			for i := 0; i < len(obj.Parent.ChildrenArray); i++ {
 				if obj.Parent.ChildrenArray[i] == obj {
 					obj.Parent.ChildrenArray = append(obj.Parent.ChildrenArray[:i], obj.Parent.ChildrenArray[i+1:]...)
diff --git a/e2etests/e2e_test.go b/e2etests/e2e_test.go
index 5a5b7c57d..ab4059cd4 100644
--- a/e2etests/e2e_test.go
+++ b/e2etests/e2e_test.go
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ func serde(t *testing.T, tc testCase, ruler *textmeasure.Ruler) {
 	var newG d2graph.Graph
 	err = d2graph.DeserializeGraph(b, &newG)
 	trequire.Nil(t, err)
+	trequire.Nil(t, d2graph.CompareSerializedGraph(g, &newG))
 }
 
 func run(t *testing.T, tc testCase) {