diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 45836c4..c1e8936 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ protoc --avro_out=. --avro_opt=namespace_map=foo:bar,baz:spam *.proto
 To Do List:
 
 * Add tests
-* Map is currently outputting as Array<Map> due to how Protobuf handles [maps](https://protobuf.com/docs/descriptors#map-fields) (as repeated entries). Need to fix.
 * Need to decide on how to truly differentiate between optional and required fields (technically all fields are optional on Protobuf, but maybe we should use the actual `optional` keyword and only have those be optional in Avro?)
 * Split up `main.go` - it's trying to do too much
 
diff --git a/avro/array.go b/avro/array.go
index fcdf577..4ec0987 100644
--- a/avro/array.go
+++ b/avro/array.go
@@ -14,6 +14,16 @@ func (t Array) ToJSON(types *TypeRepo) (any, error) {
   if err != nil {
     return nil, fmt.Errorf("error parsing item type: %w", err)
   }
+ // you can't have a repeated map in protobuf, so if we are an array enclosing a map,
+  // we are *really* just a plain map. We'd see this code path because a map is encoded
+  // as a repeated "fake message type" that has key and value fields.
+  mapType, ok := itemJson.(*orderedmap.OrderedMap)
+  if ok {
+    returnedType, _ := mapType.Get("type")
+    if returnedType == "map" {
+      return itemJson, nil
+    }
+  }
   jsonMap := orderedmap.New()
   jsonMap.Set("type", "array")
   jsonMap.Set("items", itemJson)
diff --git a/avro/field.go b/avro/field.go
index 27dde12..e99bbd3 100644
--- a/avro/field.go
+++ b/avro/field.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func (t Field) ToJSON(types *TypeRepo) (any, error) {
   if t.Default != "" {
     jsonMap.Set("default", t.Default)
   } else {
-		jsonMap.Set("default", DefaultValue(t.Type))
+		jsonMap.Set("default", DefaultValue(typeJson))
 	}
   return jsonMap, nil
 }
@@ -86,3 +86,36 @@ func BasicFieldTypeFromProto(proto *descriptorpb.FieldDescriptorProto) Type {
 	}
 	return Bare(proto.GetName())
 }
+
+func DefaultValue(t any) any {
+	switch t {
+	case "null":
+		return nil
+	case "boolean":
+		return false
+	case "int":
+		return 0
+	case "long":
+		return 0
+	case "float":
+		return 0.0
+	case "double":
+		return 0.0
+	case "map":
+		return map[string]any{}
+	case "record":
+		return map[string]any{}
+	case "array":
+		return []any{}
+	}
+
+	switch typedT := t.(type) {
+		case []any:
+			return DefaultValue(typedT[0])
+		case *orderedmap.OrderedMap:
+			val, _ := typedT.Get("type")
+			return DefaultValue(val)
+	}
+
+	return ""
+}
diff --git a/avro/map.go b/avro/map.go
index ed4dda7..e49c04a 100644
--- a/avro/map.go
+++ b/avro/map.go
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ func (t Map) ToJSON(types *TypeRepo) (any, error) {
   if err != nil {
     return nil, fmt.Errorf("error parsing map value type: %w", err)
   }
+  // values are pretty much never a union of null and something else - but since Protobuf is
+  // optional by default, it seems like it is
+  mapType, ok := valueJson.([]any)
+  if ok && mapType[0] == "null"{
+    valueJson = mapType[1]
+  }
   jsonMap := orderedmap.New()
   jsonMap.Set("type", "map")
   jsonMap.Set("values", valueJson)
diff --git a/avro/type.go b/avro/type.go
index b74c743..af3a921 100644
--- a/avro/type.go
+++ b/avro/type.go
@@ -29,35 +29,3 @@ func FullName(t NamedType) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf(".%s.%s", t.GetNamespace(), t.GetName())
 }
 
-func DefaultValue(t Type) any {
-	switch t {
-	case Bare("null"):
-		return nil
-	case Bare("boolean"):
-		return false
-	case Bare("int"):
-		return 0
-	case Bare("long"):
-		return 0
-	case Bare("float"):
-		return 0.0
-	case Bare("double"):
-		return 0.0
-	}
-
-	switch typedT := t.(type) {
-		case Record:
-			return map[string]any{}
-		case Map:
-			return map[string]any{}
-		case Array:
-			return []string{}
-		case Union:
-			if typedT.Types[0] == Bare("null") {
-				return nil
-			}
-			return DefaultValue(typedT.Types[0])
-	}
-
-	return ""
-}