diff --git a/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/session-sync.decorator.ts b/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/session-sync.decorator.ts
index 243fbcc02c7..cb0200dd7a1 100644
--- a/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/session-sync.decorator.ts
+++ b/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/session-sync.decorator.ts
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 import { Jsonify } from "type-fest";
 
 import { SessionStorable } from "./session-storable";
+import { InitializeOptions } from "./sync-item-metadata";
 
 class BuildOptions<T, TJson = Jsonify<T>> {
   ctor?: new () => T;
   initializer?: (keyValuePair: TJson) => T;
-  initializeAsArray? = false;
-  initializeAsRecord? = false;
+  initializeAs?: InitializeOptions;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -47,8 +47,7 @@ export function sessionSync<T>(buildOptions: BuildOptions<T>) {
       sessionKey: `${prototype.constructor.name}_${propertyKey}`,
       ctor: buildOptions.ctor,
       initializer: buildOptions.initializer,
-      initializeAsArray: buildOptions.initializeAsArray,
-      initializeAsRecord: buildOptions.initializeAsRecord,
+      initializeAs: buildOptions.initializeAs ?? "object",
     });
   };
 }
diff --git a/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/sync-item-metadata.ts b/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/sync-item-metadata.ts
index db6b9c59c91..facfda32fd8 100644
--- a/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/sync-item-metadata.ts
+++ b/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/sync-item-metadata.ts
@@ -1,23 +1,20 @@
+export type InitializeOptions = "array" | "record" | "object";
+
 export class SyncedItemMetadata {
   propertyKey: string;
   sessionKey: string;
   ctor?: new () => any;
   initializer?: (keyValuePair: any) => any;
-  initializeAsArray?: boolean;
-  initializeAsRecord?: boolean;
+  initializeAs: InitializeOptions;
 
   static builder(metadata: SyncedItemMetadata): (o: any) => any {
-    if (metadata.initializeAsArray && metadata.initializeAsRecord) {
-      throw new Error("initializeAsArray and initializeAsRecord cannot both be true");
-    }
-
     const itemBuilder =
       metadata.initializer != null
         ? metadata.initializer
         : (o: any) => Object.assign(new metadata.ctor(), o);
-    if (metadata.initializeAsArray) {
+    if (metadata.initializeAs === "array") {
       return (keyValuePair: any) => keyValuePair.map((o: any) => itemBuilder(o));
-    } else if (metadata.initializeAsRecord) {
+    } else if (metadata.initializeAs === "record") {
       return (keyValuePair: any) => {
         const record: Record<any, any> = {};
         for (const key in keyValuePair) {
diff --git a/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/synced-item-metadata.spec.ts b/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/synced-item-metadata.spec.ts
index 58efe7307f5..7d6aed432eb 100644
--- a/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/synced-item-metadata.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/browser/src/decorators/session-sync-observable/synced-item-metadata.spec.ts
@@ -8,29 +8,40 @@ describe("builder", () => {
   const ctor = TestClass;
 
   it("should use initializer if provided", () => {
-    const metadata = { propertyKey, sessionKey: key, initializer };
+    const metadata: SyncedItemMetadata = {
+      propertyKey,
+      sessionKey: key,
+      initializer,
+      initializeAs: "object",
+    };
     const builder = SyncedItemMetadata.builder(metadata);
     expect(builder({})).toBe("used initializer");
   });
 
   it("should use ctor if initializer is not provided", () => {
-    const metadata = { propertyKey, sessionKey: key, ctor };
+    const metadata: SyncedItemMetadata = { propertyKey, sessionKey: key, ctor };
     const builder = SyncedItemMetadata.builder(metadata);
     expect(builder({})).toBeInstanceOf(TestClass);
   });
 
   it("should prefer initializer over ctor", () => {
-    const metadata = { propertyKey, sessionKey: key, ctor, initializer };
+    const metadata: SyncedItemMetadata = {
+      propertyKey,
+      sessionKey: key,
+      ctor,
+      initializer,
+      initializeAs: "object",
+    };
     const builder = SyncedItemMetadata.builder(metadata);
     expect(builder({})).toBe("used initializer");
   });
 
   it("should honor initialize as array", () => {
-    const metadata = {
+    const metadata: SyncedItemMetadata = {
       propertyKey,
       sessionKey: key,
       initializer: initializer,
-      initializeAsArray: true,
+      initializeAs: "array",
     };
     const builder = SyncedItemMetadata.builder(metadata);
     expect(builder([{}])).toBeInstanceOf(Array);
@@ -38,11 +49,11 @@ describe("builder", () => {
   });
 
   it("should honor initialize as record", () => {
-    const metadata = {
+    const metadata: SyncedItemMetadata = {
       propertyKey,
       sessionKey: key,
       initializer: initializer,
-      initializeAsRecord: true,
+      initializeAs: "record",
     };
     const builder = SyncedItemMetadata.builder(metadata);
     expect(builder({ key: "" })).toBeInstanceOf(Object);
diff --git a/apps/browser/src/services/browser-folder.service.ts b/apps/browser/src/services/browser-folder.service.ts
index 3f1802b8076..a9573ab0f78 100644
--- a/apps/browser/src/services/browser-folder.service.ts
+++ b/apps/browser/src/services/browser-folder.service.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,8 @@ import { browserSession, sessionSync } from "../decorators/session-sync-observab
 
 @browserSession
 export class BrowserFolderService extends BaseFolderService {
-  @sessionSync({ initializer: Folder.fromJSON, initializeAsArray: true })
+  @sessionSync({ initializer: Folder.fromJSON, initializeAs: "array" })
   protected _folders: BehaviorSubject<Folder[]>;
-  @sessionSync({ initializer: FolderView.fromJSON, initializeAsArray: true })
+  @sessionSync({ initializer: FolderView.fromJSON, initializeAs: "array" })
   protected _folderViews: BehaviorSubject<FolderView[]>;
 }