diff --git a/cmd/cgr-engine/cgr-engine.go b/cmd/cgr-engine/cgr-engine.go
index 97a58fc0c..4006e438c 100644
--- a/cmd/cgr-engine/cgr-engine.go
+++ b/cmd/cgr-engine/cgr-engine.go
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ func main() {
 	var logDb engine.LogStorage
 	var loadDb engine.LoadStorage
 	var cdrDb engine.CdrStorage
-	dataDb, err = engine.ConfigureDataStorage(cfg.DataDBType, cfg.DataDBHost, cfg.DataDBPort, cfg.DataDBName, cfg.DataDBUser, cfg.DataDBPass)
+	dataDb, err = engine.ConfigureDataStorage(cfg.DataDBType, cfg.DataDBHost, cfg.DataDBPort, cfg.DataDBName, cfg.DataDBUser, cfg.DataDBPass, cfg.DBDataEncoding)
 	if err != nil { // Cannot configure getter database, show stopper
 		engine.Logger.Crit(fmt.Sprintf("Could not configure dataDb: %s exiting!", err))
 		return
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func main() {
 	if cfg.StorDBType == SAME {
 		logDb = dataDb.(engine.LogStorage)
 	} else {
-		logDb, err = engine.ConfigureLogStorage(cfg.StorDBType, cfg.StorDBHost, cfg.StorDBPort, cfg.StorDBName, cfg.StorDBUser, cfg.StorDBPass)
+		logDb, err = engine.ConfigureLogStorage(cfg.StorDBType, cfg.StorDBHost, cfg.StorDBPort, cfg.StorDBName, cfg.StorDBUser, cfg.StorDBPass, cfg.DBDataEncoding)
 		if err != nil { // Cannot configure logger database, show stopper
 			engine.Logger.Crit(fmt.Sprintf("Could not configure logger database: %s exiting!", err))
 			return
diff --git a/cmd/cgr-loader/cgr-loader.go b/cmd/cgr-loader/cgr-loader.go
index 0f3446647..311c199ec 100644
--- a/cmd/cgr-loader/cgr-loader.go
+++ b/cmd/cgr-loader/cgr-loader.go
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ var (
 	stor_db_user = flag.String("stordb_user", cgrConfig.StorDBUser, "The storDb user to sign in as.")
 	stor_db_pass = flag.String("stordb_passwd", cgrConfig.StorDBPass, "The storDb user's password.")
 
+	dbdata_encoding = flag.String("dbdata_encoding", cgrConfig.DBDataEncoding, "The encoding used to store object data in strings")
+
 	flush         = flag.Bool("flush", false, "Flush the database before importing")
 	tpid          = flag.String("tpid", "", "The tariff plan id from the database")
 	dataPath      = flag.String("path", ".", "The path containing the data files")
@@ -70,12 +72,12 @@ func main() {
 	var storDb engine.LoadStorage
 	// Init necessary db connections
 	if *fromStorDb {
-		dataDb, errDataDb = engine.ConfigureDataStorage(*data_db_type, *data_db_host, *data_db_port, *data_db_name, *data_db_user, *data_db_pass)
-		storDb, errStorDb = engine.ConfigureLoadStorage(*stor_db_type, *stor_db_host, *stor_db_port, *stor_db_name, *stor_db_user, *stor_db_pass)
+		dataDb, errDataDb = engine.ConfigureDataStorage(*data_db_type, *data_db_host, *data_db_port, *data_db_name, *data_db_user, *data_db_pass, *dbdata_encoding)
+		storDb, errStorDb = engine.ConfigureLoadStorage(*stor_db_type, *stor_db_host, *stor_db_port, *stor_db_name, *stor_db_user, *stor_db_pass, *dbdata_encoding)
 	} else if *toStorDb { // Import from csv files to storDb
-		storDb, errStorDb = engine.ConfigureLoadStorage(*stor_db_type, *stor_db_host, *stor_db_port, *stor_db_name, *stor_db_user, *stor_db_pass)
+		storDb, errStorDb = engine.ConfigureLoadStorage(*stor_db_type, *stor_db_host, *stor_db_port, *stor_db_name, *stor_db_user, *stor_db_pass, *dbdata_encoding)
 	} else { // Default load from csv files to dataDb
-		dataDb, errDataDb = engine.ConfigureDataStorage(*data_db_type, *data_db_host, *data_db_port, *data_db_name, *data_db_user, *data_db_pass)
+		dataDb, errDataDb = engine.ConfigureDataStorage(*data_db_type, *data_db_host, *data_db_port, *data_db_name, *data_db_user, *data_db_pass, *dbdata_encoding)
 	}
 	// Defer databases opened to be closed when we are done
 	for _, db := range []engine.Storage{dataDb, storDb} {
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 6576ef347..3a2bea688 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -45,12 +45,14 @@ type CGRConfig struct {
 	DataDBName               string // The name of the database to connect to.
 	DataDBUser               string // The user to sign in as.
 	DataDBPass               string // The user's password.
+	DataDBEncoding		string // The encoding used to store objects in string keys
 	StorDBType               string // Should reflect the database type used to store logs
 	StorDBHost               string // The host to connect to. Values that start with / are for UNIX domain sockets.
 	StorDBPort               string // The port to bind to.
 	StorDBName               string // The name of the database to connect to.
 	StorDBUser               string // The user to sign in as.
 	StorDBPass               string // The user's password.
+	DBDataEncoding		 string // The encoding used to store object data in strings: <msgpack|json>
 	RPCEncoding              string // RPC encoding used on APIs: <gob|json>.
 	DefaultReqType           string // Use this request type if not defined on top
 	DefaultTOR               string // set default type of record
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ func (self *CGRConfig) setDefaults() error {
 	self.StorDBName = "cgrates"
 	self.StorDBUser = "cgrates"
 	self.StorDBPass = "CGRateS.org"
+	self.DBDataEncoding = utils.MSGPACK
 	self.RPCEncoding = JSON
 	self.DefaultReqType = utils.RATED
 	self.DefaultTOR = "0"
@@ -228,6 +231,9 @@ func loadConfig(c *conf.ConfigFile) (*CGRConfig, error) {
 	if hasOpt = c.HasOption("global", "stordb_passwd"); hasOpt {
 		cfg.StorDBPass, _ = c.GetString("global", "stordb_passwd")
 	}
+	if hasOpt = c.HasOption("global", "dbdata_encoding"); hasOpt {
+		cfg.DBDataEncoding, _ = c.GetString("global", "dbdata_encoding")
+	}
 	if hasOpt = c.HasOption("global", "rpc_encoding"); hasOpt {
 		cfg.RPCEncoding, _ = c.GetString("global", "rpc_encoding")
 	}
diff --git a/config/config_test.go b/config/config_test.go
index 04e8325c6..58266f88b 100644
--- a/config/config_test.go
+++ b/config/config_test.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ func TestDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	eCfg.StorDBName = "cgrates"
 	eCfg.StorDBUser = "cgrates"
 	eCfg.StorDBPass = "CGRateS.org"
+	eCfg.DBDataEncoding = utils.MSGPACK
 	eCfg.RPCEncoding = JSON
 	eCfg.DefaultReqType = utils.RATED
 	eCfg.DefaultTOR = "0"
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ func TestConfigFromFile(t *testing.T) {
 	eCfg.StorDBName = "test"
 	eCfg.StorDBUser = "test"
 	eCfg.StorDBPass = "test"
+	eCfg.DBDataEncoding = "test"
 	eCfg.RPCEncoding = "test"
 	eCfg.DefaultReqType = "test"
 	eCfg.DefaultTOR = "test"
diff --git a/config/test_data.txt b/config/test_data.txt
index 132b16506..006d72f5b 100644
--- a/config/test_data.txt
+++ b/config/test_data.txt
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ stordb_port = test				# The port to reach the logdb.
 stordb_name = test 				# The name of the log database to connect to.
 stordb_user = test  	 			# Username to use when connecting to logdb.
 stordb_passwd = test 	 			# Password to use when connecting to logdb.
+dbdata_encoding = test				# The encoding used to store object data in strings: <msgpack|json>
 rpc_encoding = test 				# RPC encoding used on APIs: <gob|json>.
 default_reqtype = test				# Default request type to consider when missing from requests: <""|prepaid|postpaid|pseudoprepaid|rated>.
 default_tor = test				# Default Type of Record to consider when missing from requests.
diff --git a/data/conf/cgrates.cfg b/data/conf/cgrates.cfg
index 8a29c8369..b8d1c0de0 100644
--- a/data/conf/cgrates.cfg
+++ b/data/conf/cgrates.cfg
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 # stordb_name = cgrates 		# The name of the log database to connect to.
 # stordb_user = cgrates	 		# Username to use when connecting to stordb.
 # stordb_passwd = CGRateS.org		# Password to use when connecting to stordb.
+# dbdata_encoding = msgpack		# The encoding used to store object data in strings: <msgpack|json>
 # rpc_encoding = json 			# RPC encoding used on APIs: <gob|json>.
 # default_reqtype = rated		# Default request type to consider when missing from requests: <""|prepaid|postpaid|pseudoprepaid|rated>.
 # default_tor = 0			# Default Type of Record to consider when missing from requests.
diff --git a/engine/storage_redis.go b/engine/storage_redis.go
index d0d0ac95c..baaa20349 100644
--- a/engine/storage_redis.go
+++ b/engine/storage_redis.go
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ type RedisStorage struct {
 	ms   Marshaler
 }
 
-func NewRedisStorage(address string, db int, pass string) (Storage, error) {
+func NewRedisStorage(address string, db int, pass, mrshlerStr string) (Storage, error) {
 	addrSplit := strings.Split(address, ":")
 	host := addrSplit[0]
 	port := 6379
@@ -56,7 +56,15 @@ func NewRedisStorage(address string, db int, pass string) (Storage, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
-	return &RedisStorage{db: ndb, dbNb: db, ms: NewCodecMsgpackMarshaler()}, nil
+	var mrshler Marshaler
+	if mrshlerStr == utils.MSGPACK {
+		mrshler = NewCodecMsgpackMarshaler()
+	} else if mrshlerStr == utils.JSON {
+		mrshler = new(JSONMarshaler)
+	} else {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unsupported marshaler: %v", mrshlerStr)
+	}
+	return &RedisStorage{db: ndb, dbNb: db, ms: mrshler}, nil
 }
 
 func (rs *RedisStorage) Close() {
diff --git a/engine/storage_utils.go b/engine/storage_utils.go
index 7436118f7..4619ed30a 100644
--- a/engine/storage_utils.go
+++ b/engine/storage_utils.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 
 // Various helpers to deal with database
 
-func ConfigureDataStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db DataStorage, err error) {
+func ConfigureDataStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass, marshaler string) (db DataStorage, err error) {
 	var d Storage
 	switch db_type {
 	case utils.REDIS:
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func ConfigureDataStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db Data
 		if port != "" {
 			host += ":" + port
 		}
-		d, err = NewRedisStorage(host, db_nb, pass)
+		d, err = NewRedisStorage(host, db_nb, pass, marshaler)
 		db = d.(DataStorage)
 	case utils.MONGO:
 		d, err = NewMongoStorage(host, port, name, user, pass)
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ func ConfigureDataStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db Data
 	return db, nil
 }
 
-func ConfigureLogStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db LogStorage, err error) {
+func ConfigureLogStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass, marshaler string) (db LogStorage, err error) {
 	var d Storage
 	switch db_type {
 	case utils.REDIS:
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func ConfigureLogStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db LogSt
 		if port != "" {
 			host += ":" + port
 		}
-		d, err = NewRedisStorage(host, db_nb, pass)
+		d, err = NewRedisStorage(host, db_nb, pass, marshaler)
 		db = d.(LogStorage)
 	case utils.MONGO:
 		d, err = NewMongoStorage(host, port, name, user, pass)
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func ConfigureLogStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db LogSt
 	return db, nil
 }
 
-func ConfigureLoadStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass string) (db LoadStorage, err error) {
+func ConfigureLoadStorage(db_type, host, port, name, user, pass, marshaler string) (db LoadStorage, err error) {
 	var d Storage
 	switch db_type {
 	case utils.POSTGRES:
diff --git a/utils/consts.go b/utils/consts.go
index 12098d4ea..fa1800b8c 100644
--- a/utils/consts.go
+++ b/utils/consts.go
@@ -55,4 +55,6 @@ const (
 	ROUNDING_MIDDLE          = "*middle"
 	ROUNDING_DOWN            = "*down"
 	COMMENT_CHAR             = '#'
+	JSON			 = "json"
+	MSGPACK			 = "msgpack"
 )