diff --git a/telegram/_bot.py b/telegram/_bot.py
index cb4e00c6b..a2929da28 100644
--- a/telegram/_bot.py
+++ b/telegram/_bot.py
@@ -8205,7 +8205,7 @@ CUSTOM_EMOJI_IDENTIFIER_LIMIT` custom emoji identifiers can be specified.
             api_kwargs=api_kwargs,
         )
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:  # skipcq: PYL-W0613
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
         data: JSONDict = {"id": self.id, "username": self.username, "first_name": self.first_name}
 
diff --git a/telegram/_chatinvitelink.py b/telegram/_chatinvitelink.py
index 3701b1d0a..f0ff6543c 100644
--- a/telegram/_chatinvitelink.py
+++ b/telegram/_chatinvitelink.py
@@ -151,9 +151,9 @@ class ChatInviteLink(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["expire_date"] = to_timestamp(self.expire_date)
 
diff --git a/telegram/_chatjoinrequest.py b/telegram/_chatjoinrequest.py
index 4edb03a90..2869df129 100644
--- a/telegram/_chatjoinrequest.py
+++ b/telegram/_chatjoinrequest.py
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ class ChatJoinRequest(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["date"] = to_timestamp(self.date)
 
diff --git a/telegram/_chatmember.py b/telegram/_chatmember.py
index 7d8f24ced..01b40f7e1 100644
--- a/telegram/_chatmember.py
+++ b/telegram/_chatmember.py
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ class ChatMember(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         if data.get("until_date", False):
             data["until_date"] = to_timestamp(data["until_date"])
diff --git a/telegram/_chatmemberupdated.py b/telegram/_chatmemberupdated.py
index cceb469c7..e0abc5f03 100644
--- a/telegram/_chatmemberupdated.py
+++ b/telegram/_chatmemberupdated.py
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ class ChatMemberUpdated(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         # Required
         data["date"] = to_timestamp(self.date)
diff --git a/telegram/_files/inputmedia.py b/telegram/_files/inputmedia.py
index 1452135b6..3174aca58 100644
--- a/telegram/_files/inputmedia.py
+++ b/telegram/_files/inputmedia.py
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ class InputMedia(TelegramObject):
         self.caption_entities = caption_entities
         self.parse_mode = parse_mode
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         if self.caption_entities:
             data["caption_entities"] = [ce.to_dict() for ce in self.caption_entities]
diff --git a/telegram/_files/sticker.py b/telegram/_files/sticker.py
index dfd23b6ab..64e42c340 100644
--- a/telegram/_files/sticker.py
+++ b/telegram/_files/sticker.py
@@ -282,9 +282,9 @@ class StickerSet(TelegramObject):
 
         return super()._de_json(data=data, bot=bot, api_kwargs=api_kwargs)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["stickers"] = [s.to_dict() for s in data.get("stickers")]  # type: ignore[union-attr]
 
diff --git a/telegram/_games/game.py b/telegram/_games/game.py
index 6fc191fda..91d31b17e 100644
--- a/telegram/_games/game.py
+++ b/telegram/_games/game.py
@@ -117,9 +117,9 @@ class Game(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["photo"] = [p.to_dict() for p in self.photo]
         if self.text_entities:
diff --git a/telegram/_inline/inlinekeyboardmarkup.py b/telegram/_inline/inlinekeyboardmarkup.py
index 39b96da96..52c398288 100644
--- a/telegram/_inline/inlinekeyboardmarkup.py
+++ b/telegram/_inline/inlinekeyboardmarkup.py
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@ class InlineKeyboardMarkup(TelegramObject):
 
         self._id_attrs = (self.inline_keyboard,)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["inline_keyboard"] = []
         for inline_keyboard in self.inline_keyboard:
diff --git a/telegram/_inline/inlinequeryresult.py b/telegram/_inline/inlinequeryresult.py
index 60da54ad5..7ccf3c00b 100644
--- a/telegram/_inline/inlinequeryresult.py
+++ b/telegram/_inline/inlinequeryresult.py
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ class InlineQueryResult(TelegramObject):
 
         self._id_attrs = (self.id,)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         # pylint: disable=no-member
         if (
diff --git a/telegram/_inline/inputinvoicemessagecontent.py b/telegram/_inline/inputinvoicemessagecontent.py
index a39952ed8..fbc7f3c33 100644
--- a/telegram/_inline/inputinvoicemessagecontent.py
+++ b/telegram/_inline/inputinvoicemessagecontent.py
@@ -228,9 +228,9 @@ class InputInvoiceMessageContent(InputMessageContent):
             )
         )
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["prices"] = [price.to_dict() for price in self.prices]
 
diff --git a/telegram/_inline/inputtextmessagecontent.py b/telegram/_inline/inputtextmessagecontent.py
index aac335ca1..71c220830 100644
--- a/telegram/_inline/inputtextmessagecontent.py
+++ b/telegram/_inline/inputtextmessagecontent.py
@@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ class InputTextMessageContent(InputMessageContent):
 
         self._id_attrs = (self.message_text,)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         if self.entities:
             data["entities"] = [ce.to_dict() for ce in self.entities]
diff --git a/telegram/_menubutton.py b/telegram/_menubutton.py
index 0ecd6df51..2c28ed742 100644
--- a/telegram/_menubutton.py
+++ b/telegram/_menubutton.py
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ class MenuButtonWebApp(MenuButton):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)  # type: ignore[return-value]
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
         data["web_app"] = self.web_app.to_dict()
         return data
 
diff --git a/telegram/_message.py b/telegram/_message.py
index e47aed4bd..e0c215f84 100644
--- a/telegram/_message.py
+++ b/telegram/_message.py
@@ -719,9 +719,9 @@ class Message(TelegramObject):
 
         return self._effective_attachment  # type: ignore[return-value]
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         # Required
         data["date"] = to_timestamp(self.date)
diff --git a/telegram/_passport/credentials.py b/telegram/_passport/credentials.py
index 2c655c628..f7432ec19 100644
--- a/telegram/_passport/credentials.py
+++ b/telegram/_passport/credentials.py
@@ -404,9 +404,9 @@ class SecureValue(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["files"] = [p.to_dict() for p in self.files]  # type: ignore[union-attr]
         data["translation"] = [p.to_dict() for p in self.translation]  # type: ignore[union-attr]
@@ -450,9 +450,9 @@ class DataCredentials(_CredentialsBase):
     def __init__(self, data_hash: str, secret: str, *, api_kwargs: JSONDict = None):
         super().__init__(hash=data_hash, secret=secret, api_kwargs=api_kwargs)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         del data["file_hash"]
         del data["hash"]
@@ -479,9 +479,9 @@ class FileCredentials(_CredentialsBase):
     def __init__(self, file_hash: str, secret: str, *, api_kwargs: JSONDict = None):
         super().__init__(hash=file_hash, secret=secret, api_kwargs=api_kwargs)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         del data["data_hash"]
         del data["hash"]
diff --git a/telegram/_passport/encryptedpassportelement.py b/telegram/_passport/encryptedpassportelement.py
index 7ba7f057a..54281b7b8 100644
--- a/telegram/_passport/encryptedpassportelement.py
+++ b/telegram/_passport/encryptedpassportelement.py
@@ -245,9 +245,9 @@ class EncryptedPassportElement(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         if self.files:
             data["files"] = [p.to_dict() for p in self.files]
diff --git a/telegram/_passport/passportdata.py b/telegram/_passport/passportdata.py
index d67055d07..fbfafce21 100644
--- a/telegram/_passport/passportdata.py
+++ b/telegram/_passport/passportdata.py
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ class PassportData(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["data"] = [e.to_dict() for e in self.data]
 
diff --git a/telegram/_payment/shippingoption.py b/telegram/_payment/shippingoption.py
index 36dc8bf3e..c21c4d534 100644
--- a/telegram/_payment/shippingoption.py
+++ b/telegram/_payment/shippingoption.py
@@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ class ShippingOption(TelegramObject):
 
         self._id_attrs = (self.id,)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["prices"] = [p.to_dict() for p in self.prices]
 
diff --git a/telegram/_poll.py b/telegram/_poll.py
index 43c62652c..5ed9a1b1c 100644
--- a/telegram/_poll.py
+++ b/telegram/_poll.py
@@ -228,9 +228,9 @@ class Poll(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["options"] = [x.to_dict() for x in self.options]
         if self.explanation_entities:
diff --git a/telegram/_replykeyboardmarkup.py b/telegram/_replykeyboardmarkup.py
index 5e78bd5a1..c122670ee 100644
--- a/telegram/_replykeyboardmarkup.py
+++ b/telegram/_replykeyboardmarkup.py
@@ -119,9 +119,9 @@ class ReplyKeyboardMarkup(TelegramObject):
 
         self._id_attrs = (self.keyboard,)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["keyboard"] = []
         for row in self.keyboard:
diff --git a/telegram/_telegramobject.py b/telegram/_telegramobject.py
index 34e9ba08a..a0bb9ebe1 100644
--- a/telegram/_telegramobject.py
+++ b/telegram/_telegramobject.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 import inspect
 import json
 from copy import deepcopy
+from itertools import chain
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Dict, List, Optional, Set, Tuple, Type, TypeVar, Union
 
 from telegram._utils.types import JSONDict
@@ -160,8 +161,8 @@ class TelegramObject:
 
         Args:
             include_private (:obj:`bool`): Whether the result should include private variables.
-            recursive (:obj:`bool`): If :obj:`True`, will convert any TelegramObjects (if found) in
-                the attributes to a dictionary. Else, preserves it as an object itself.
+            recursive (:obj:`bool`): If :obj:`True`, will convert any ``TelegramObjects`` (if
+                found) in the attributes to a dictionary. Else, preserves it as an object itself.
             remove_bot (:obj:`bool`): Whether the bot should be included in the result.
 
         Returns:
@@ -169,28 +170,23 @@ class TelegramObject:
         """
         data = {}
 
-        if not recursive:
-            try:
-                # __dict__ has attrs from superclasses, so no need to put in the for loop below
-                data.update(self.__dict__)
-            except AttributeError:
-                pass
         # We want to get all attributes for the class, using self.__slots__ only includes the
         # attributes used by that class itself, and not its superclass(es). Hence, we get its MRO
         # and then get their attributes. The `[:-1]` slice excludes the `object` class
-        for cls in self.__class__.__mro__[:-1]:
-            for key in cls.__slots__:  # type: ignore[attr-defined]
-                if not include_private and key.startswith("_"):
-                    continue
+        all_slots = (s for c in self.__class__.__mro__[:-1] for s in c.__slots__)  # type: ignore
+        # chain the class's slots with the user defined subclass __dict__ (class has no slots)
+        for key in chain(self.__dict__, all_slots) if hasattr(self, "__dict__") else all_slots:
+            if not include_private and key.startswith("_"):
+                continue
 
-                value = getattr(self, key, None)
-                if value is not None:
-                    if recursive and hasattr(value, "to_dict"):
-                        data[key] = value.to_dict()  # pylint: disable=no-member
-                    else:
-                        data[key] = value
-                elif not recursive:
+            value = getattr(self, key, None)
+            if value is not None:
+                if recursive and hasattr(value, "to_dict"):
+                    data[key] = value.to_dict(recursive=True)  # pylint: disable=no-member
+                else:
                     data[key] = value
+            elif not recursive:
+                data[key] = value
 
         if recursive and data.get("from_user"):
             data["from"] = data.pop("from_user", None)
@@ -279,16 +275,23 @@ class TelegramObject:
         """
         return json.dumps(self.to_dict())
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """Gives representation of object as :obj:`dict`.
 
         .. versionchanged:: 20.0
             Now includes all entries of :attr:`api_kwargs`.
 
+        Args:
+            recursive (:obj:`bool`, optional): If :obj:`True`, will convert any TelegramObjects
+                (if found) in the attributes to a dictionary. Else, preserves it as an object
+                itself. Defaults to :obj:`True`.
+
+                .. versionadded:: 20.0
+
         Returns:
             :obj:`dict`
         """
-        out = self._get_attrs(recursive=True)
+        out = self._get_attrs(recursive=recursive)
         out.update(out.pop("api_kwargs", {}))  # type: ignore[call-overload]
         return out
 
diff --git a/telegram/_userprofilephotos.py b/telegram/_userprofilephotos.py
index 7a5136903..ee0e8ad35 100644
--- a/telegram/_userprofilephotos.py
+++ b/telegram/_userprofilephotos.py
@@ -69,9 +69,9 @@ class UserProfilePhotos(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         data["photos"] = []
         for photo in self.photos:
diff --git a/telegram/_videochat.py b/telegram/_videochat.py
index afd750751..41bc25c64 100644
--- a/telegram/_videochat.py
+++ b/telegram/_videochat.py
@@ -121,9 +121,9 @@ class VideoChatParticipantsInvited(TelegramObject):
         data["users"] = User.de_list(data.get("users", []), bot)
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         if self.users is not None:
             data["users"] = [u.to_dict() for u in self.users]
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ class VideoChatScheduled(TelegramObject):
 
         return super().de_json(data=data, bot=bot)
 
-    def to_dict(self) -> JSONDict:
+    def to_dict(self, recursive: bool = True) -> JSONDict:
         """See :meth:`telegram.TelegramObject.to_dict`."""
-        data = super().to_dict()
+        data = super().to_dict(recursive=recursive)
 
         # Required
         data["start_date"] = to_timestamp(self.start_date)
diff --git a/tests/test_telegramobject.py b/tests/test_telegramobject.py
index 35596be11..5de88e6d3 100644
--- a/tests/test_telegramobject.py
+++ b/tests/test_telegramobject.py
@@ -138,6 +138,30 @@ class TestTelegramObject:
         to = TelegramObject(api_kwargs={"foo": "bar"})
         assert to.to_dict() == {"foo": "bar"}
 
+    def test_to_dict_recursion(self):
+        class Recursive(TelegramObject):
+            __slots__ = ("recursive",)
+
+            def __init__(self):
+                super().__init__()
+                self.recursive = "recursive"
+
+        class SubClass(TelegramObject):
+            """This class doesn't have `__slots__`, so has `__dict__` instead."""
+
+            def __init__(self):
+                super().__init__()
+                self.subclass = Recursive()
+
+        to = SubClass()
+        to_dict_no_recurse = to.to_dict(recursive=False)
+        assert to_dict_no_recurse
+        assert isinstance(to_dict_no_recurse["subclass"], Recursive)
+        to_dict_recurse = to.to_dict(recursive=True)
+        assert to_dict_recurse
+        assert isinstance(to_dict_recurse["subclass"], dict)
+        assert to_dict_recurse["subclass"]["recursive"] == "recursive"
+
     def test_slot_behaviour(self, mro_slots):
         inst = TelegramObject()
         for attr in inst.__slots__: