diff --git a/django/core/serializers/base.py b/django/core/serializers/base.py
index c7e62265cf..e4bba1d240 100644
--- a/django/core/serializers/base.py
+++ b/django/core/serializers/base.py
@@ -41,7 +41,10 @@ class Serializer(object):
         self.start_serialization()
         for obj in queryset:
             self.start_object(obj)
-            for field in obj._meta.local_fields:
+            # Use the concrete parent class' _meta instead of the object's _meta
+            # This is to avoid local_fields problems for proxy models. Refs #17717.
+            concrete_class = obj._meta.proxy_for_model or obj.__class__
+            for field in concrete_class._meta.local_fields:
                 if field.serialize:
                     if field.rel is None:
                         if self.selected_fields is None or field.attname in self.selected_fields:
@@ -49,7 +52,7 @@ class Serializer(object):
                     else:
                         if self.selected_fields is None or field.attname[:-3] in self.selected_fields:
                             self.handle_fk_field(obj, field)
-            for field in obj._meta.many_to_many:
+            for field in concrete_class._meta.many_to_many:
                 if field.serialize:
                     if self.selected_fields is None or field.attname in self.selected_fields:
                         self.handle_m2m_field(obj, field)
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/models.py b/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/models.py
index b3ae1feaa5..9381349a61 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/models.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/models.py
@@ -259,6 +259,10 @@ class ExplicitInheritBaseModel(BaseModel):
     parent = models.OneToOneField(BaseModel)
     child_data = models.IntegerField()
 
+class ProxyBaseModel(BaseModel):
+    class Meta:
+        proxy = True
+
 class LengthModel(models.Model):
     data = models.IntegerField()
 
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/tests.py
index 5abff6345f..d8c5faba14 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/serializers_regress/tests.py
@@ -40,9 +40,9 @@ from .models import (BooleanData, CharData, DateData, DateTimeData, EmailData,
     DecimalPKData, FloatPKData, IntegerPKData, IPAddressPKData,
     GenericIPAddressPKData, PhonePKData, PositiveIntegerPKData,
     PositiveSmallIntegerPKData, SlugPKData, SmallPKData, USStatePKData,
-    AutoNowDateTimeData, ModifyingSaveData, InheritAbstractModel,
-    ExplicitInheritBaseModel, InheritBaseModel, BigIntegerData, LengthModel,
-    Tag, ComplexModel)
+    AutoNowDateTimeData, ModifyingSaveData, InheritAbstractModel, BaseModel,
+    ExplicitInheritBaseModel, InheritBaseModel, ProxyBaseModel, BigIntegerData,
+    LengthModel, Tag, ComplexModel)
 
 # A set of functions that can be used to recreate
 # test data objects of various kinds.
@@ -408,6 +408,14 @@ class SerializerTests(TestCase):
             for obj in serializers.deserialize("yaml", "{"):
                 pass
 
+    def test_serialize_proxy_model(self):
+        BaseModel.objects.create(parent_data=1)
+        base_objects  = BaseModel.objects.all()
+        proxy_objects = ProxyBaseModel.objects.all()
+        base_data  = serializers.serialize("json", base_objects)
+        proxy_data = serializers.serialize("json", proxy_objects)
+        self.assertEqual(base_data, proxy_data.replace('proxy', ''))
+
 
 def serializerTest(format, self):