diff --git a/quartodoc/builder/blueprint.py b/quartodoc/builder/blueprint.py
index d7d411de..4f745780 100644
--- a/quartodoc/builder/blueprint.py
+++ b/quartodoc/builder/blueprint.py
@@ -117,9 +117,7 @@ def _to_simple_dict(el: "BaseModel"):
 
 
 def _non_default_entries(el: Auto):
-    d = el.dict()
-
-    return {k: d[k] for k in el._fields_specified}
+    return {k: getattr(el, k) for k in el._fields_specified}
 
 
 class BlueprintTransformer(PydanticTransformer):
diff --git a/quartodoc/tests/test_builder_blueprint.py b/quartodoc/tests/test_builder_blueprint.py
index 70be5c5f..d5d9ceea 100644
--- a/quartodoc/tests/test_builder_blueprint.py
+++ b/quartodoc/tests/test_builder_blueprint.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from quartodoc import get_object
 from quartodoc import layout as lo
 from quartodoc.builder.blueprint import (
+    _non_default_entries,
     BlueprintTransformer,
     blueprint,
     WorkaroundKeyError,
@@ -37,6 +38,23 @@ def bp():
     return BlueprintTransformer()
 
 
+def test_non_default_entries_auto():
+    assert _non_default_entries(lo.Auto(name="a_func", include_attributes=False)) == {
+        "name": "a_func",
+        "include_attributes": False,
+    }
+
+
+def test_non_default_entries_auto_member_options():
+    # these entries are nested inside auto
+    res = _non_default_entries(
+        lo.Auto(name="a_func", member_options={"include_attributes": False})
+    )
+
+    assert res["name"] == "a_func"
+    assert _non_default_entries(res["member_options"]) == {"include_attributes": False}
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("path", ["quartodoc.get_object", "quartodoc:get_object"])
 def test_blueprint_basic(bp, path):
     auto = lo.Auto(name=path)