diff --git a/pkg/rdkafka/RdKafkaContext.php b/pkg/rdkafka/RdKafkaContext.php
index a252fcfd5..cd0ff3c1a 100644
--- a/pkg/rdkafka/RdKafkaContext.php
+++ b/pkg/rdkafka/RdKafkaContext.php
@@ -54,8 +54,7 @@ public function __construct(array $config)
         $this->config = $config;
         $this->kafkaConsumers = [];
         $this->rdKafkaConsumers = [];
-
-        $this->setSerializer(new JsonSerializer());
+        $this->configureSerializer($config);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -180,6 +179,58 @@ public static function getLibrdKafkaVersion(): string
         return "$major.$minor.$patch";
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @return void
+     *              JsonSerializer should be the default fallback if no serializer is specified
+     */
+    private function configureSerializer(array $config): void
+    {
+        if (!isset($config['serializer'])) {
+            $this->setSerializer(new JsonSerializer());
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $serializer = $config['serializer'];
+
+        if ($serializer instanceof Serializer) {
+            $this->setSerializer($serializer);
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $serializerClass = $this->resolveSerializerClass($serializer);
+
+        if (!class_exists($serializerClass) || !is_a($serializerClass, Serializer::class, true)) {
+            throw $this->createInvalidSerializerException($serializerClass);
+        }
+
+        $serializerOptions = $serializer['options'] ?? [];
+        $this->setSerializer(new $serializerClass($serializerOptions));
+    }
+
+    private function resolveSerializerClass(mixed $serializer): string
+    {
+        if (is_string($serializer)) {
+            return $serializer;
+        }
+
+        if (is_array($serializer) && isset($serializer['class'])) {
+            return $serializer['class'];
+        }
+
+        throw $this->createInvalidSerializerException($serializer);
+    }
+
+    private function createInvalidSerializerException(mixed $value): \InvalidArgumentException
+    {
+        return new \InvalidArgumentException(sprintf(
+            'Invalid serializer configuration. Expected "serializer" to be a string, an array with a "class" key, or a %s instance. Received %s instead.',
+            Serializer::class,
+            get_debug_type($value)
+        ));
+    }
+
     private function getConf(): Conf
     {
         if (null === $this->conf) {
diff --git a/pkg/rdkafka/Tests/RdKafkaContextTest.php b/pkg/rdkafka/Tests/RdKafkaContextTest.php
index dc1b597de..a691fcc5b 100644
--- a/pkg/rdkafka/Tests/RdKafkaContextTest.php
+++ b/pkg/rdkafka/Tests/RdKafkaContextTest.php
@@ -36,6 +36,34 @@ public function testShouldSetJsonSerializerInConstructor()
         $this->assertInstanceOf(JsonSerializer::class, $context->getSerializer());
     }
 
+    public function testShouldUseStringSerializerClassFromConfig()
+    {
+        $mockSerializerClass = get_class($this->createMock(Serializer::class));
+
+        $context = new RdKafkaContext([
+            'serializer' => $mockSerializerClass,
+        ]);
+
+        $this->assertInstanceOf($mockSerializerClass, $context->getSerializer());
+    }
+
+    public function testShouldUseJsonSerializer()
+    {
+        $context = new RdKafkaContext([]);
+
+        $this->assertInstanceOf(JsonSerializer::class, $context->getSerializer());
+    }
+
+    public function testShouldThrowExceptionOnInvalidSerializerConfig()
+    {
+        $this->expectException(\InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $this->expectExceptionMessage('Invalid serializer configuration');
+
+        new RdKafkaContext([
+            'serializer' => 123,
+        ]);
+    }
+
     public function testShouldAllowGetPreviouslySetSerializer()
     {
         $context = new RdKafkaContext([]);