diff --git a/examples/spec/integration/continue_as_new_spec.rb b/examples/spec/integration/continue_as_new_spec.rb
index bbeef5ce..74b0771e 100644
--- a/examples/spec/integration/continue_as_new_spec.rb
+++ b/examples/spec/integration/continue_as_new_spec.rb
@@ -6,12 +6,16 @@
     memo = {
         'my-memo' => 'foo',
     }
+    headers = {
+        'my-header' => 'bar',
+    }
     run_id = Temporal.start_workflow(
       LoopWorkflow,
       2, # it continues as new if this arg is > 1
       options: {
         workflow_id: workflow_id,
         memo: memo,
+        headers: headers,
       },
     )
 
@@ -38,7 +42,8 @@
 
     expect(final_result[:count]).to eq(1)
 
-    # memo should be copied to the next run automatically
+    # memo and headers should be copied to the next run automatically
     expect(final_result[:memo]).to eq(memo)
+    expect(final_result[:headers]).to eq(headers)
   end
 end
diff --git a/examples/spec/integration/metadata_workflow_spec.rb b/examples/spec/integration/metadata_workflow_spec.rb
index 0e3c4099..ac828e01 100644
--- a/examples/spec/integration/metadata_workflow_spec.rb
+++ b/examples/spec/integration/metadata_workflow_spec.rb
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
       MetadataWorkflow,
       options: {
           workflow_id: workflow_id,
-          headers: { 'foo' => Temporal.configuration.converter.to_payload('bar') },
+          headers: { 'foo' => 'bar' },
       }
     )
 
diff --git a/examples/workflows/loop_workflow.rb b/examples/workflows/loop_workflow.rb
index e10a9b30..b99408f4 100644
--- a/examples/workflows/loop_workflow.rb
+++ b/examples/workflows/loop_workflow.rb
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ def execute(count)
     return {
       count: count,
       memo: workflow.metadata.memo,
+      headers: workflow.metadata.headers,
     }
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/temporal/connection/grpc.rb b/lib/temporal/connection/grpc.rb
index 70987e1e..b2ce0350 100644
--- a/lib/temporal/connection/grpc.rb
+++ b/lib/temporal/connection/grpc.rb
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ def start_workflow_execution(
           workflow_task_timeout: task_timeout,
           request_id: SecureRandom.uuid,
           header: Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Header.new(
-            fields: headers
+            fields: to_payload_map(headers || {})
           ),
           cron_schedule: cron_schedule,
           memo: Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Memo.new(
@@ -312,6 +312,16 @@ def signal_with_start_workflow_execution(
         signal_input:,
         memo: nil
       )
+        proto_header_fields = if headers.nil?
+            to_payload_map({})
+        elsif headers.class == Hash
+            to_payload_map(headers)
+        else
+          # Preserve backward compatability for headers specified using proto objects
+          warn '[DEPRECATION] Specify headers using a hash rather than protobuf objects'
+          headers
+        end
+
         request = Temporal::Api::WorkflowService::V1::SignalWithStartWorkflowExecutionRequest.new(
           identity: identity,
           namespace: namespace,
@@ -328,7 +338,7 @@ def signal_with_start_workflow_execution(
           workflow_task_timeout: task_timeout,
           request_id: SecureRandom.uuid,
           header: Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Header.new(
-            fields: headers
+            fields: proto_header_fields,
           ),
           cron_schedule: cron_schedule,
           signal_name: signal_name,
diff --git a/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new.rb b/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new.rb
index db8259c6..357f0008 100644
--- a/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new.rb
+++ b/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def to_proto
         def serialize_headers(headers)
           return unless headers
 
-          Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Header.new(fields: object.headers)
+          Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Header.new(fields: to_payload_map(headers))
         end
 
         def serialize_memo(memo)
diff --git a/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/start_child_workflow.rb b/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/start_child_workflow.rb
index ce1dc6ee..5f6b350d 100644
--- a/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/start_child_workflow.rb
+++ b/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/start_child_workflow.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def to_proto
         def serialize_headers(headers)
           return unless headers
 
-          Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Header.new(fields: object.headers)
+          Temporal::Api::Common::V1::Header.new(fields: to_payload_map(headers))
         end
 
         def serialize_memo(memo)
diff --git a/lib/temporal/workflow/context.rb b/lib/temporal/workflow/context.rb
index c06e4750..d88d8f30 100644
--- a/lib/temporal/workflow/context.rb
+++ b/lib/temporal/workflow/context.rb
@@ -195,9 +195,10 @@ def continue_as_new(*input, **args)
         options = args.delete(:options) || {}
         input << args unless args.empty?
 
-        # If memo is not overridden, copy from current run
+        # If memo or headers are not overridden, use those from the current run
         options_from_metadata = {
           memo: metadata.memo,
+          headers: metadata.headers,
         }
         options = options_from_metadata.merge(options)
 
diff --git a/spec/unit/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new_spec.rb b/spec/unit/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new_spec.rb
index 4a7e90eb..18de4355 100644
--- a/spec/unit/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/lib/temporal/connection/serializer/continue_as_new_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         task_queue: 'my-task-queue',
         input: ['one', 'two'],
         timeouts: Temporal.configuration.timeouts,
+        headers: {'foo-header': 'bar'},
         memo: {'foo-memo': 'baz'},
       )
 
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@
       expect(attribs.input.payloads[0].data).to eq('"one"')
       expect(attribs.input.payloads[1].data).to eq('"two"')
 
+      expect(attribs.header.fields['foo-header'].data).to eq('"bar"')
       expect(attribs.memo.fields['foo-memo'].data).to eq('"baz"')
     end
   end