diff --git a/common/nexus/payload_serializer.go b/common/nexus/payload_serializer.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c41f2d469ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/nexus/payload_serializer.go
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+// The MIT License
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2023 Temporal Technologies Inc.  All rights reserved.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+
+package nexus
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"maps"
+	"mime"
+
+	"github.com/nexus-rpc/sdk-go/nexus"
+	commonpb "go.temporal.io/api/common/v1"
+)
+
+type payloadSerializer struct{}
+
+var errSerializer = errors.New("serializer error")
+
+// Deserialize implements nexus.Serializer.
+func (payloadSerializer) Deserialize(content *nexus.Content, v any) error {
+	payloadRef, ok := v.(**commonpb.Payload)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: cannot deserialize into %v", errSerializer, v)
+	}
+
+	payload := &commonpb.Payload{}
+	*payloadRef = payload
+	payload.Metadata = make(map[string][]byte)
+	payload.Data = content.Data
+
+	h := maps.Clone(content.Header)
+	// We assume that encoding is handled by the transport layer and the content is decoded.
+	delete(h, "encoding")
+	// Length can safely be ignored.
+	delete(h, "length")
+
+	if len(h) > 1 {
+		setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	contentType := h.Get("type")
+	if contentType == "" {
+		if len(h) == 0 && len(content.Data) == 0 {
+			payload.Metadata["encoding"] = []byte("binary/null")
+		} else {
+			setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	mediaType, params, err := mime.ParseMediaType(contentType)
+	if err != nil {
+		setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	switch mediaType {
+	case "application/x-temporal-payload":
+		err := payload.Unmarshal(content.Data)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	case "application/json":
+		if len(params) == 0 {
+			payload.Metadata["encoding"] = []byte("json/plain")
+		} else if len(params) == 2 && params["format"] == "protobuf" && params["message-type"] != "" {
+			payload.Metadata["encoding"] = []byte("json/protobuf")
+			payload.Metadata["messageType"] = []byte(params["message-type"])
+		} else {
+			setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+		}
+	case "application/x-protobuf":
+		if len(params) == 1 && params["message-type"] != "" {
+			payload.Metadata["encoding"] = []byte("binary/protobuf")
+			payload.Metadata["messageType"] = []byte(params["message-type"])
+		} else {
+			setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+		}
+	case "application/octet-stream":
+		if len(params) == 0 {
+			payload.Metadata["encoding"] = []byte("binary/plain")
+		} else {
+			setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+		}
+	default:
+		setUnknownNexusContent(h, payload.Metadata)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func setUnknownNexusContent(nexusHeader nexus.Header, payloadMetadata map[string][]byte) {
+	for k, v := range nexusHeader {
+		payloadMetadata[k] = []byte(v)
+	}
+	payloadMetadata["encoding"] = []byte("unknown/nexus-content")
+}
+
+// Serialize implements nexus.Serializer.
+func (payloadSerializer) Serialize(v any) (*nexus.Content, error) {
+	payload, ok := v.(*commonpb.Payload)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: cannot serialize %v", errSerializer, v)
+	}
+
+	if payload == nil {
+		return &nexus.Content{}, nil
+	}
+
+	if payload.GetMetadata() == nil {
+		return xTemporalPayload(payload)
+	}
+
+	content := nexus.Content{Header: nexus.Header{}, Data: payload.Data}
+	encoding := string(payload.Metadata["encoding"])
+	messageType := string(payload.Metadata["messageType"])
+
+	switch encoding {
+	case "unknown/nexus-content":
+		for k, v := range payload.Metadata {
+			if k != "encoding" {
+				content.Header[k] = string(v)
+			}
+		}
+	case "json/protobuf":
+		if len(payload.Metadata) != 2 || messageType == "" {
+			return xTemporalPayload(payload)
+		}
+		content.Header["type"] = fmt.Sprintf("application/json; format=protobuf; message-type=%q", messageType)
+	case "binary/protobuf":
+		if len(payload.Metadata) != 2 || messageType == "" {
+			return xTemporalPayload(payload)
+		}
+		content.Header["type"] = fmt.Sprintf("application/x-protobuf; message-type=%q", messageType)
+	case "json/plain":
+		content.Header["type"] = "application/json"
+	case "binary/null":
+		if len(payload.Metadata) != 1 {
+			return xTemporalPayload(payload)
+		}
+		// type is unset
+	case "binary/plain":
+		if len(payload.Metadata) != 1 {
+			return xTemporalPayload(payload)
+		}
+		content.Header["type"] = "application/octet-stream"
+	default:
+		return xTemporalPayload(payload)
+	}
+
+	return &content, nil
+}
+
+func xTemporalPayload(payload *commonpb.Payload) (*nexus.Content, error) {
+	data, err := payload.Marshal()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: payload marshal error: %w", errSerializer, err)
+	}
+	return &nexus.Content{
+		Header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/x-temporal-payload"},
+		Data:   data,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+var _ nexus.Serializer = payloadSerializer{}
diff --git a/common/nexus/payload_serializer_test.go b/common/nexus/payload_serializer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a960781c65c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/nexus/payload_serializer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+// The MIT License
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2023 Temporal Technologies Inc.  All rights reserved.
+//
+// Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+// of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+// in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+// to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+// copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+// furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+//
+// The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+// all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+//
+// THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+// IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+// AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+// LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+// OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+// THE SOFTWARE.
+
+package nexus
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/nexus-rpc/sdk-go/nexus"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	commonpb "go.temporal.io/api/common/v1"
+	"go.temporal.io/sdk/converter"
+)
+
+func mustToPayload(t *testing.T, v any) *commonpb.Payload {
+	conv := converter.GetDefaultDataConverter()
+	payload, err := conv.ToPayload(v)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	return payload
+}
+
+func TestNexusPayloadSerializer(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	type testcase struct {
+		name         string
+		inputPayload *commonpb.Payload
+		// defaults to inputPayload
+		expectedPayload *commonpb.Payload
+		header          nexus.Header
+	}
+	cases := []testcase{
+		{
+			name:         "json",
+			inputPayload: mustToPayload(t, "foo"),
+			header:       nexus.Header{"type": "application/json"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "bytes",
+			inputPayload: mustToPayload(t, []byte("foo")),
+			header:       nexus.Header{"type": "application/octet-stream"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "nil",
+			inputPayload: mustToPayload(t, nil),
+			header:       nexus.Header{},
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "json proto",
+			inputPayload: mustToPayload(t, commonpb.RetryPolicy{}),
+			header: nexus.Header{
+				"type": `application/json; format=protobuf; message-type="temporal.api.common.v1.RetryPolicy"`,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "binary proto with no messageType",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Data: []byte("ignored"),
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("binary/protobuf"),
+				},
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{
+				"type": "application/x-temporal-payload",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "binary proto with messageType",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Data: []byte("ignored"),
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding":    []byte("binary/protobuf"),
+					"messageType": []byte("temporal.api.common.v1.RetryPolicy"),
+				},
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{
+				"type": `application/x-protobuf; message-type="temporal.api.common.v1.RetryPolicy"`,
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "nil pointer",
+			inputPayload: nil,
+			expectedPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("binary/null"),
+				},
+			},
+			// Yes this is the default value, but this test should have an explicit expectation.
+			header: nil,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "nil metadata",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{},
+			expectedPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{},
+				Data:     []byte{},
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/x-temporal-payload"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non-standard encoding",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Data: []byte("some-data"),
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("non-standard"),
+				},
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/x-temporal-payload"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non-standard metadata field",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Data: []byte("some-data"),
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding":     []byte("binary/plain"),
+					"non-standard": []byte("value"),
+				},
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/x-temporal-payload"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nexus content with non-standard header",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding":     []byte("unknown/nexus-content"),
+					"type":         []byte("application/json"),
+					"non-standard": []byte("value"),
+				},
+				Data: []byte(`"data"`),
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"non-standard": "value", "type": "application/json"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nexus content with non-standard content params",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("unknown/nexus-content"),
+					"type":     []byte("application/json; something=nonstandard"),
+				},
+				Data: []byte(`"data"`),
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/json; something=nonstandard"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nexus content with non-standard media type",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("unknown/nexus-content"),
+					"type":     []byte("application/x-www-form-urlencoded"),
+				},
+				Data: []byte(`"data"`),
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/x-www-form-urlencoded"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nexus content with unparsable content params",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("unknown/nexus-content"),
+					"type":     []byte("application/"),
+				},
+				Data: []byte(`"data"`),
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/"},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "nexus content with length header",
+			inputPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("unknown/nexus-content"),
+					"type":     []byte("application/json"),
+					"length":   []byte("4"),
+				},
+				Data: []byte(`"data"`),
+			},
+			expectedPayload: &commonpb.Payload{
+				Metadata: map[string][]byte{
+					"encoding": []byte("json/plain"),
+				},
+				Data: []byte(`"data"`),
+			},
+			header: nexus.Header{"type": "application/json", "length": "4"},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		c := c
+		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			s := payloadSerializer{}
+			content, err := s.Serialize(c.inputPayload)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Equal(t, c.header, content.Header)
+			var outputPayload *commonpb.Payload
+			require.NoError(t, s.Deserialize(content, &outputPayload))
+			expectedPayload := c.expectedPayload
+			if expectedPayload == nil {
+				expectedPayload = c.inputPayload
+			}
+			require.Equal(t, expectedPayload, outputPayload)
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 1085b7ed448..1ed07802778 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/iancoleman/strcase v0.3.0
 	github.com/jmoiron/sqlx v1.3.4
 	github.com/lib/pq v1.10.9
+	github.com/nexus-rpc/sdk-go v0.0.2
 	github.com/olekukonko/tablewriter v0.0.5
 	github.com/olivere/elastic/v7 v7.0.32
 	github.com/pborman/uuid v1.2.1
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ require (
 )
 
 require (
+	github.com/gorilla/mux v1.8.0 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgpassfile v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/jackc/pgservicefile v0.0.0-20221227161230-091c0ba34f0a // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 471e8174370..7e22641e945 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ github.com/googleapis/enterprise-certificate-proxy v0.3.2 h1:Vie5ybvEvT75RniqhfF
 github.com/googleapis/enterprise-certificate-proxy v0.3.2/go.mod h1:VLSiSSBs/ksPL8kq3OBOQ6WRI2QnaFynd1DCjZ62+V0=
 github.com/googleapis/gax-go/v2 v2.12.0 h1:A+gCJKdRfqXkr+BIRGtZLibNXf0m1f9E4HG56etFpas=
 github.com/googleapis/gax-go/v2 v2.12.0/go.mod h1:y+aIqrI5eb1YGMVJfuV3185Ts/D7qKpsEkdD5+I6QGU=
+github.com/gorilla/mux v1.8.0 h1:i40aqfkR1h2SlN9hojwV5ZA91wcXFOvkdNIeFDP5koI=
+github.com/gorilla/mux v1.8.0/go.mod h1:DVbg23sWSpFRCP0SfiEN6jmj59UnW/n46BH5rLB71So=
 github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware v1.4.0 h1:UH//fgunKIs4JdUbpDl1VZCDaL56wXCB/5+wF6uHfaI=
 github.com/grpc-ecosystem/go-grpc-middleware v1.4.0/go.mod h1:g5qyo/la0ALbONm6Vbp88Yd8NsDy6rZz+RcrMPxvld8=
 github.com/grpc-ecosystem/grpc-gateway v1.16.0 h1:gmcG1KaJ57LophUzW0Hy8NmPhnMZb4M0+kPpLofRdBo=
@@ -246,6 +248,8 @@ github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v0.0.0-20180701023420-4b7aa43c6742/go.mod h1:bx2lN
 github.com/modern-go/reflect2 v1.0.1/go.mod h1:bx2lNnkwVCuqBIxFjflWJWanXIb3RllmbCylyMrvgv0=
 github.com/mwitkow/go-conntrack v0.0.0-20161129095857-cc309e4a2223/go.mod h1:qRWi+5nqEBWmkhHvq77mSJWrCKwh8bxhgT7d/eI7P4U=
 github.com/mwitkow/go-conntrack v0.0.0-20190716064945-2f068394615f/go.mod h1:qRWi+5nqEBWmkhHvq77mSJWrCKwh8bxhgT7d/eI7P4U=
+github.com/nexus-rpc/sdk-go v0.0.2 h1:7VxbXX6UdSkB6gB4nZH8MqJTx8poIkUa5RA5Cj57ghM=
+github.com/nexus-rpc/sdk-go v0.0.2/go.mod h1:uBe8fX151zUW9DhXxwHjji19d6YfnNUqJ81tR3JbwHY=
 github.com/niemeyer/pretty v0.0.0-20200227124842-a10e7caefd8e/go.mod h1:zD1mROLANZcx1PVRCS0qkT7pwLkGfwJo4zjcN/Tysno=
 github.com/olekukonko/tablewriter v0.0.5 h1:P2Ga83D34wi1o9J6Wh1mRuqd4mF/x/lgBS7N7AbDhec=
 github.com/olekukonko/tablewriter v0.0.5/go.mod h1:hPp6KlRPjbx+hW8ykQs1w3UBbZlj6HuIJcUGPhkA7kY=