diff --git a/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/plan.json b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/plan.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..56cfc6945f97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/plan.json
@@ -0,0 +1,230 @@
+{
+  "plan" : [ {
+    "@type" : "ksqlPlanV1",
+    "statementText" : "CREATE STREAM TEST (FOO STRUCT<F0 INTEGER, F1 STRING>) WITH (KAFKA_TOPIC='test_topic', KEY_FORMAT='KAFKA', PARTITIONS=1, VALUE_FORMAT='JSON_SR');",
+    "ddlCommand" : {
+      "@type" : "createStreamV1",
+      "sourceName" : "TEST",
+      "schema" : "`FOO` STRUCT<`F0` INTEGER, `F1` STRING>",
+      "timestampColumn" : null,
+      "topicName" : "test_topic",
+      "formats" : {
+        "keyFormat" : {
+          "format" : "KAFKA",
+          "properties" : { }
+        },
+        "valueFormat" : {
+          "format" : "JSON_SR",
+          "properties" : { }
+        }
+      },
+      "windowInfo" : null,
+      "orReplace" : false,
+      "isSource" : false
+    },
+    "queryPlan" : null
+  }, {
+    "@type" : "ksqlPlanV1",
+    "statementText" : "CREATE STREAM INPUT (FOO STRING) WITH (KAFKA_TOPIC='test_topic', KEY_FORMAT='KAFKA', VALUE_FORMAT='JSON_SR');",
+    "ddlCommand" : {
+      "@type" : "createStreamV1",
+      "sourceName" : "INPUT",
+      "schema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+      "timestampColumn" : null,
+      "topicName" : "test_topic",
+      "formats" : {
+        "keyFormat" : {
+          "format" : "KAFKA",
+          "properties" : { }
+        },
+        "valueFormat" : {
+          "format" : "JSON_SR",
+          "properties" : { }
+        }
+      },
+      "windowInfo" : null,
+      "orReplace" : false,
+      "isSource" : false
+    },
+    "queryPlan" : null
+  }, {
+    "@type" : "ksqlPlanV1",
+    "statementText" : "CREATE STREAM OUTPUT AS SELECT *\nFROM INPUT INPUT\nEMIT CHANGES",
+    "ddlCommand" : {
+      "@type" : "createStreamV1",
+      "sourceName" : "OUTPUT",
+      "schema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+      "timestampColumn" : null,
+      "topicName" : "OUTPUT",
+      "formats" : {
+        "keyFormat" : {
+          "format" : "KAFKA",
+          "properties" : { }
+        },
+        "valueFormat" : {
+          "format" : "JSON_SR",
+          "properties" : { }
+        }
+      },
+      "windowInfo" : null,
+      "orReplace" : false,
+      "isSource" : false
+    },
+    "queryPlan" : {
+      "sources" : [ "INPUT" ],
+      "sink" : "OUTPUT",
+      "physicalPlan" : {
+        "@type" : "streamSinkV1",
+        "properties" : {
+          "queryContext" : "OUTPUT"
+        },
+        "source" : {
+          "@type" : "streamSelectV1",
+          "properties" : {
+            "queryContext" : "Project"
+          },
+          "source" : {
+            "@type" : "streamSourceV1",
+            "properties" : {
+              "queryContext" : "KsqlTopic/Source"
+            },
+            "topicName" : "test_topic",
+            "formats" : {
+              "keyFormat" : {
+                "format" : "KAFKA",
+                "properties" : { }
+              },
+              "valueFormat" : {
+                "format" : "JSON_SR",
+                "properties" : { }
+              }
+            },
+            "timestampColumn" : null,
+            "sourceSchema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+            "pseudoColumnVersion" : 1
+          },
+          "keyColumnNames" : [ ],
+          "selectedKeys" : null,
+          "selectExpressions" : [ "FOO AS FOO" ]
+        },
+        "formats" : {
+          "keyFormat" : {
+            "format" : "KAFKA",
+            "properties" : { }
+          },
+          "valueFormat" : {
+            "format" : "JSON_SR",
+            "properties" : { }
+          }
+        },
+        "topicName" : "OUTPUT",
+        "timestampColumn" : null
+      },
+      "queryId" : "CSAS_OUTPUT_0",
+      "runtimeId" : null
+    }
+  } ],
+  "configs" : {
+    "ksql.extension.dir" : "ext",
+    "ksql.streams.cache.max.bytes.buffering" : "0",
+    "metric.reporters" : "",
+    "ksql.query.status.running.threshold.seconds" : "300",
+    "ksql.connect.basic.auth.credentials.reload" : "false",
+    "ksql.output.topic.name.prefix" : "",
+    "ksql.query.pull.stream.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.interpreter.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.queryanonymizer.logs_enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.variable.substitution.enable" : "true",
+    "ksql.streams.shutdown.timeout.ms" : "300000",
+    "ksql.query.pull.max.allowed.offset.lag" : "9223372036854775807",
+    "ksql.query.pull.max.qps" : "2147483647",
+    "ksql.access.validator.enable" : "auto",
+    "ksql.streams.bootstrap.servers" : "localhost:0",
+    "ksql.query.pull.metrics.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.metrics.extension" : null,
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.alos.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.max.hourly.bandwidth.megabytes" : "2147483647",
+    "ksql.query.pull.range.scan.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.transient.query.cleanup.service.initial.delay.seconds" : "600",
+    "ksql.hidden.topics" : "_confluent.*,__confluent.*,_schemas,__consumer_offsets,__transaction_state,connect-configs,connect-offsets,connect-status,connect-statuses",
+    "ksql.lambdas.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.source.table.materialization.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.pull.max.hourly.bandwidth.megabytes" : "2147483647",
+    "ksql.sink.window.change.log.additional.retention" : "1000000",
+    "ksql.query.persistent.active.limit" : "2147483647",
+    "ksql.websocket.connection.max.timeout.ms" : "3600000",
+    "ksql.persistence.wrap.single.values" : null,
+    "ksql.query.transient.max.bytes.buffering.total" : "-1",
+    "ksql.connect.basic.auth.credentials.source" : "NONE",
+    "ksql.schema.registry.url" : "schema_registry.url:0",
+    "ksql.properties.overrides.denylist" : "",
+    "ksql.service.id" : "some.ksql.service.id",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.max.catchup.consumers" : "5",
+    "ksql.assert.topic.default.timeout.ms" : "1000",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.enabled" : "false",
+    "ksql.transient.query.cleanup.service.enable" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.metrics.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.streams.commit.interval.ms" : "2000",
+    "ksql.query.pull.table.scan.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.streams.auto.commit.interval.ms" : "0",
+    "ksql.streams.topology.optimization" : "all",
+    "ksql.endpoint.migrate.query" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.registry.installed" : "false",
+    "ksql.streams.num.stream.threads" : "4",
+    "ksql.metrics.tags.custom" : "",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.catchup.consumer.msg.window" : "50",
+    "ksql.runtime.feature.shared.enabled" : "false",
+    "ksql.udf.collect.metrics" : "false",
+    "ksql.new.query.planner.enabled" : "false",
+    "ksql.connect.request.headers.plugin" : null,
+    "ksql.security.extension.class" : null,
+    "ksql.transient.prefix" : "transient_",
+    "ksql.headers.columns.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.streams.default.deserialization.exception.handler" : "io.confluent.ksql.errors.LogMetricAndContinueExceptionHandler",
+    "ksql.connect.request.timeout.ms" : "5000",
+    "ksql.query.pull.enable.standby.reads" : "false",
+    "ksql.persistence.default.format.key" : "KAFKA",
+    "ksql.query.persistent.max.bytes.buffering.total" : "-1",
+    "ksql.query.error.max.queue.size" : "10",
+    "ksql.query.cleanup.shutdown.timeout.ms" : "30000",
+    "ksql.internal.topic.min.insync.replicas" : "1",
+    "ksql.internal.topic.replicas" : "1",
+    "ksql.insert.into.values.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.queryanonymizer.cluster_namespace" : null,
+    "ksql.create.or.replace.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.shared.runtimes.count" : "2",
+    "ksql.cast.strings.preserve.nulls" : "true",
+    "ksql.authorization.cache.max.entries" : "10000",
+    "ksql.pull.queries.enable" : "true",
+    "ksql.transient.query.cleanup.service.period.seconds" : "600",
+    "ksql.suppress.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.readonly.topics" : "_confluent.*,__confluent.*,_schemas,__consumer_offsets,__transaction_state,connect-configs,connect-offsets,connect-status,connect-statuses",
+    "ksql.connect.basic.auth.credentials.file" : "",
+    "ksql.authorization.cache.expiry.time.secs" : "30",
+    "ksql.query.retry.backoff.initial.ms" : "15000",
+    "ksql.query.pull.max.concurrent.requests" : "2147483647",
+    "ksql.streams.auto.offset.reset" : "earliest",
+    "ksql.connect.url" : "http://localhost:8083",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.new.latest.delay.ms" : "5000",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.latest.reset.age.ms" : "30000",
+    "ksql.streams.default.production.exception.handler" : "io.confluent.ksql.errors.ProductionExceptionHandlerUtil$LogAndFailProductionExceptionHandler",
+    "ksql.query.pull.interpreter.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.json_sr.converter.deserializer.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.assert.schema.default.timeout.ms" : "1000",
+    "ksql.query.pull.limit.clause.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.pull.router.thread.pool.size" : "50",
+    "ksql.query.push.v2.continuation.tokens.enabled" : "false",
+    "ksql.query.retry.backoff.max.ms" : "900000",
+    "ksql.timestamp.throw.on.invalid" : "false",
+    "ksql.persistence.default.format.value" : null,
+    "ksql.udfs.enabled" : "true",
+    "ksql.udf.enable.security.manager" : "true",
+    "ksql.connect.worker.config" : "",
+    "ksql.nested.error.set.null" : "true",
+    "ksql.query.pull.thread.pool.size" : "50",
+    "ksql.persistent.prefix" : "query_",
+    "ksql.metastore.backup.location" : "",
+    "ksql.error.classifier.regex" : "",
+    "ksql.suppress.buffer.size.bytes" : "-1"
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/spec.json b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/spec.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c857a39164b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/spec.json
@@ -0,0 +1,190 @@
+{
+  "version" : "7.4.0",
+  "timestamp" : 1667521016436,
+  "path" : "query-validation-tests/json_sr.json",
+  "schemas" : {
+    "CSAS_OUTPUT_0.KsqlTopic.Source" : {
+      "schema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+      "keyFormat" : {
+        "format" : "KAFKA"
+      },
+      "valueFormat" : {
+        "format" : "JSON_SR"
+      }
+    },
+    "CSAS_OUTPUT_0.OUTPUT" : {
+      "schema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+      "keyFormat" : {
+        "format" : "KAFKA"
+      },
+      "valueFormat" : {
+        "format" : "JSON_SR"
+      }
+    }
+  },
+  "testCase" : {
+    "name" : "struct must be converted to String",
+    "inputs" : [ {
+      "topic" : "test_topic",
+      "key" : null,
+      "value" : {
+        "FOO" : {
+          "F0" : 1,
+          "F1" : "bar"
+        }
+      }
+    } ],
+    "outputs" : [ {
+      "topic" : "OUTPUT",
+      "key" : null,
+      "value" : {
+        "FOO" : "{F0=1,F1=bar}"
+      }
+    } ],
+    "topics" : [ {
+      "name" : "OUTPUT",
+      "replicas" : 1,
+      "numPartitions" : 4
+    }, {
+      "name" : "test_topic",
+      "valueSchema" : {
+        "type" : "object",
+        "properties" : {
+          "FOO" : {
+            "connect.index" : 0,
+            "oneOf" : [ {
+              "type" : "null"
+            }, {
+              "type" : "object",
+              "properties" : {
+                "F0" : {
+                  "connect.index" : 0,
+                  "oneOf" : [ {
+                    "type" : "null"
+                  }, {
+                    "type" : "integer",
+                    "connect.type" : "int32"
+                  } ]
+                },
+                "F1" : {
+                  "connect.index" : 1,
+                  "oneOf" : [ {
+                    "type" : "null"
+                  }, {
+                    "type" : "string"
+                  } ]
+                }
+              }
+            } ]
+          }
+        }
+      },
+      "valueFormat" : "JSON",
+      "replicas" : 1,
+      "numPartitions" : 1
+    } ],
+    "statements" : [ "CREATE STREAM TEST (FOO STRUCT <F0 INT, F1 STRING>) WITH (kafka_topic='test_topic', value_format='JSON_SR', partitions=1);", "CREATE STREAM INPUT (FOO STRING) WITH (kafka_topic='test_topic', value_format='JSON_SR');", "CREATE STREAM OUTPUT as select * from INPUT;" ],
+    "post" : {
+      "sources" : [ {
+        "name" : "INPUT",
+        "type" : "STREAM",
+        "schema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+        "keyFormat" : {
+          "format" : "KAFKA"
+        },
+        "valueFormat" : "JSON_SR",
+        "keyFeatures" : [ ],
+        "valueFeatures" : [ ],
+        "isSource" : false
+      }, {
+        "name" : "OUTPUT",
+        "type" : "STREAM",
+        "schema" : "`FOO` STRING",
+        "keyFormat" : {
+          "format" : "KAFKA"
+        },
+        "valueFormat" : "JSON_SR",
+        "keyFeatures" : [ ],
+        "valueFeatures" : [ ],
+        "isSource" : false
+      }, {
+        "name" : "TEST",
+        "type" : "STREAM",
+        "schema" : "`FOO` STRUCT<`F0` INTEGER, `F1` STRING>",
+        "keyFormat" : {
+          "format" : "KAFKA"
+        },
+        "valueFormat" : "JSON_SR",
+        "keyFeatures" : [ ],
+        "valueFeatures" : [ ],
+        "isSource" : false
+      } ],
+      "topics" : {
+        "topics" : [ {
+          "name" : "test_topic",
+          "keyFormat" : {
+            "format" : "KAFKA"
+          },
+          "valueFormat" : {
+            "format" : "JSON_SR"
+          },
+          "partitions" : 1,
+          "valueSchema" : {
+            "type" : "object",
+            "properties" : {
+              "FOO" : {
+                "connect.index" : 0,
+                "oneOf" : [ {
+                  "type" : "null"
+                }, {
+                  "type" : "object",
+                  "properties" : {
+                    "F0" : {
+                      "connect.index" : 0,
+                      "oneOf" : [ {
+                        "type" : "null"
+                      }, {
+                        "type" : "integer",
+                        "connect.type" : "int32"
+                      } ]
+                    },
+                    "F1" : {
+                      "connect.index" : 1,
+                      "oneOf" : [ {
+                        "type" : "null"
+                      }, {
+                        "type" : "string"
+                      } ]
+                    }
+                  }
+                } ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }, {
+          "name" : "OUTPUT",
+          "keyFormat" : {
+            "format" : "KAFKA"
+          },
+          "valueFormat" : {
+            "format" : "JSON_SR"
+          },
+          "partitions" : 4,
+          "valueSchema" : {
+            "type" : "object",
+            "properties" : {
+              "FOO" : {
+                "connect.index" : 0,
+                "oneOf" : [ {
+                  "type" : "null"
+                }, {
+                  "type" : "string"
+                } ]
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        } ]
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/topology b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/topology
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..441a8f282644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/historical_plans/json_sr_-_struct_must_be_converted_to_String/7.4.0_1667521016436/topology
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Topologies:
+   Sub-topology: 0
+    Source: KSTREAM-SOURCE-0000000000 (topics: [test_topic])
+      --> KSTREAM-TRANSFORMVALUES-0000000001
+    Processor: KSTREAM-TRANSFORMVALUES-0000000001 (stores: [])
+      --> Project
+      <-- KSTREAM-SOURCE-0000000000
+    Processor: Project (stores: [])
+      --> KSTREAM-SINK-0000000003
+      <-- KSTREAM-TRANSFORMVALUES-0000000001
+    Sink: KSTREAM-SINK-0000000003 (topic: OUTPUT)
+      <-- Project
+
diff --git a/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/query-validation-tests/json_sr.json b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/query-validation-tests/json_sr.json
index 9754b9c5b72a..6bd2a1498b2e 100644
--- a/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/query-validation-tests/json_sr.json
+++ b/ksqldb-functional-tests/src/test/resources/query-validation-tests/json_sr.json
@@ -869,15 +869,15 @@
     {
       "name": "struct must be converted to String",
       "statements": [
-        "CREATE STREAM TEST (FOO STRUCT <F0 INT>) WITH (kafka_topic='test_topic', value_format='JSON_SR', partitions=1);",
-        "CREATE STREAM INPUT (FOO VARCHAR) WITH (kafka_topic='test_topic', value_format='JSON_SR');",
+        "CREATE STREAM TEST (FOO STRUCT <F0 INT, F1 STRING>) WITH (kafka_topic='test_topic', value_format='JSON_SR', partitions=1);",
+        "CREATE STREAM INPUT (FOO STRING) WITH (kafka_topic='test_topic', value_format='JSON_SR');",
         "CREATE STREAM OUTPUT as select * from INPUT;"
       ],
       "inputs": [
-        {"topic": "test_topic", "value": {"FOO": {"F0": 1}}}
+        {"topic": "test_topic", "value": {"FOO": {"F0": 1, "F1": "bar"}}}
       ],
       "outputs": [
-        {"topic": "OUTPUT", "value": {"FOO": "Struct{F0=1}"}}
+        {"topic": "OUTPUT", "value": {"FOO": "{F0=1,F1=bar}"}}
       ]
     }
   ]
diff --git a/ksqldb-serde/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/connect/ConnectDataTranslator.java b/ksqldb-serde/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/connect/ConnectDataTranslator.java
index b4b42fe76371..f2e108300e59 100644
--- a/ksqldb-serde/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/connect/ConnectDataTranslator.java
+++ b/ksqldb-serde/src/main/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/connect/ConnectDataTranslator.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Objects;
+import org.apache.kafka.common.protocol.types.Field.Str;
 import org.apache.kafka.connect.data.Date;
 import org.apache.kafka.connect.data.Field;
 import org.apache.kafka.connect.data.Schema;
@@ -233,6 +234,9 @@ private Object toKsqlValue(
         return toKsqlStruct(schema, connectSchema, (Struct) convertedValue, pathStr);
       case STRING:
         // use String.valueOf to convert various int types, Struct and Boolean to string
+        if (convertedValue instanceof Struct) {
+          return structToString((Struct) convertedValue);
+        }
         return String.valueOf(convertedValue);
       case BYTES:
         if (convertedValue instanceof byte[]) {
@@ -245,6 +249,27 @@ private Object toKsqlValue(
     }
   }
 
+  private String structToString(Struct input) {
+    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("{");
+    boolean first = true;
+    List<Field> fields = input.schema().fields();
+
+    for (Field field : fields) {
+      Object value = input.get(field);
+      if (value != null) {
+        if (first) {
+          first = false;
+        } else {
+          sb.append(",");
+        }
+
+        sb.append(field.name()).append("=").append(value);
+      }
+    }
+
+    return sb.append("}").toString();
+  }
+
   private List<?> toKsqlArray(
       final Schema valueSchema,
       final Schema connectValueSchema,
diff --git a/ksqldb-serde/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/avro/KsqlAvroDeserializerTest.java b/ksqldb-serde/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/avro/KsqlAvroDeserializerTest.java
index 0c7f8a29fb7b..78a8201272e3 100644
--- a/ksqldb-serde/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/avro/KsqlAvroDeserializerTest.java
+++ b/ksqldb-serde/src/test/java/io/confluent/ksql/serde/avro/KsqlAvroDeserializerTest.java
@@ -1788,7 +1788,7 @@ private static List<?> buildEntriesForMapWithOptionalKey(
   }
 
   private static String toStructString (Map<String, Object> map) {
-    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("Struct{");
+    StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("{");
     boolean first = true;
 
     for (Map.Entry<String, Object> entry : map.entrySet()) {