diff --git a/decode.go b/decode.go
index 1b78725..785f6ec 100644
--- a/decode.go
+++ b/decode.go
@@ -329,6 +329,7 @@ func fieldsInStruct(rv reflect.Value) map[string]reflect.Value {
 	for i := 0; i < rv.Type().NumField(); i++ {
 		field := rv.Type().Field(i)
 		fv := rv.Field(i)
+		isPtr := fv.Type().Kind() == reflect.Ptr
 
 		name, _ := fieldInfo(field)
 		if name == "-" {
@@ -336,8 +337,20 @@ func fieldsInStruct(rv reflect.Value) map[string]reflect.Value {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		// embed anonymous structs
-		if fv.Type().Kind() == reflect.Struct && field.Anonymous {
+		// need to protect from setting unexported pointers because it will panic
+		if !fv.CanSet() && isPtr {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// embed anonymous structs, they could be pointers so test that too
+		if (fv.Type().Kind() == reflect.Struct || isPtr && fv.Type().Elem().Kind() == reflect.Struct) && field.Anonymous {
+			// set zero value for pointer
+			if isPtr {
+				zero := reflect.New(fv.Type().Elem())
+				fv.Set(zero)
+				fv = zero
+			}
+
 			innerFields := fieldsInStruct(fv)
 			for k, v := range innerFields {
 				// don't clobber top-level fields
diff --git a/decode_test.go b/decode_test.go
index 26af6d6..5f81814 100644
--- a/decode_test.go
+++ b/decode_test.go
@@ -70,17 +70,23 @@ func TestUnmarshal(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestUnmarshalItem(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range itemEncodingTests {
+		expected := tc.in
 		if tc.asymmetric {
-			continue
+			if tc.expectedDecode == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			expected = tc.expectedDecode
 		}
+
 		rv := reflect.New(reflect.TypeOf(tc.in))
 		err := unmarshalItem(tc.out, rv.Interface())
 		if err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("%s: unexpected error: %v", tc.name, err)
 		}
 
-		if !reflect.DeepEqual(rv.Elem().Interface(), tc.in) {
-			t.Errorf("%s: bad result: %#v ≠ %#v", tc.name, rv.Elem().Interface(), tc.in)
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(rv.Elem().Interface(), expected) {
+			t.Errorf("%s: bad result: %#v ≠ %#v", tc.name, rv.Elem().Interface(), expected)
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/encode.go b/encode.go
index dc5df95..8b6772d 100644
--- a/encode.go
+++ b/encode.go
@@ -78,9 +78,10 @@ func marshalStruct(rv reflect.Value) (map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue, error
 		name, flags := fieldInfo(field)
 		omitempty := flags&flagOmitEmpty != 0
 		anonStruct := fv.Type().Kind() == reflect.Struct && field.Anonymous
+		pointerAnonStruct := fv.Type().Kind() == reflect.Ptr && fv.Type().Elem().Kind() == reflect.Struct && field.Anonymous
 		switch {
 		case !fv.CanInterface():
-			if !anonStruct {
+			if !(!anonStruct || !pointerAnonStruct) {
 				continue
 			}
 		case name == "-":
@@ -92,7 +93,14 @@ func marshalStruct(rv reflect.Value) (map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue, error
 		}
 
 		// embed anonymous structs
-		if anonStruct {
+		if anonStruct || pointerAnonStruct {
+			if pointerAnonStruct {
+				if fv.IsNil() {
+					continue
+				}
+				fv = fv.Elem()
+			}
+
 			avs, err := marshalStruct(fv)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
diff --git a/encoding_test.go b/encoding_test.go
index 831bafa..6d2a353 100644
--- a/encoding_test.go
+++ b/encoding_test.go
@@ -231,10 +231,11 @@ var encodingTests = []struct {
 }
 
 var itemEncodingTests = []struct {
-	name       string
-	in         interface{}
-	out        map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue
-	asymmetric bool
+	name           string
+	in             interface{}
+	out            map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue
+	expectedDecode interface{}
+	asymmetric     bool
 }{
 	{
 		name: "strings",
@@ -425,6 +426,49 @@ var itemEncodingTests = []struct {
 			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{BOOL: aws.Bool(true)},
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		name: "pointer embedded struct",
+		in: struct {
+			*embedded
+		}{
+			embedded: &embedded{
+				Embedded: true,
+			},
+		},
+		out: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{BOOL: aws.Bool(true)},
+		},
+		expectedDecode: struct {
+			*embedded
+		}{},
+		asymmetric: true,
+	},
+	{
+		name: "exported embedded struct",
+		in: struct {
+			ExportedEmbedded
+		}{
+			ExportedEmbedded: ExportedEmbedded{
+				Embedded: true,
+			},
+		},
+		out: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{BOOL: aws.Bool(true)},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		name: "exported pointer embedded struct",
+		in: struct {
+			*ExportedEmbedded
+		}{
+			ExportedEmbedded: &ExportedEmbedded{
+				Embedded: true,
+			},
+		},
+		out: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{BOOL: aws.Bool(true)},
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		name: "embedded struct clobber",
 		in: struct {
@@ -437,6 +481,50 @@ var itemEncodingTests = []struct {
 			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{S: aws.String("OK")},
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		name: "pointer embedded struct clobber",
+		in: struct {
+			Embedded string
+			*embedded
+		}{
+			Embedded: "OK",
+		},
+		out: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{S: aws.String("OK")},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		name: "exported embedded struct clobber",
+		in: struct {
+			Embedded string
+			ExportedEmbedded
+		}{
+			Embedded: "OK",
+		},
+		out: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{S: aws.String("OK")},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		name: "exported pointer embedded struct clobber",
+		in: struct {
+			Embedded string
+			*ExportedEmbedded
+		}{
+			Embedded: "OK",
+		},
+		out: map[string]*dynamodb.AttributeValue{
+			"Embedded": &dynamodb.AttributeValue{S: aws.String("OK")},
+		},
+		expectedDecode: struct {
+			Embedded string
+			*ExportedEmbedded
+		}{
+			Embedded:         "OK",
+			ExportedEmbedded: &ExportedEmbedded{},
+		},
+		asymmetric: true,
+	},
 	{
 		name: "sets",
 		in: struct {
@@ -626,6 +714,10 @@ type embedded struct {
 	Embedded bool
 }
 
+type ExportedEmbedded struct {
+	Embedded bool
+}
+
 type customMarshaler int
 
 func (cm customMarshaler) MarshalDynamo() (*dynamodb.AttributeValue, error) {