diff --git a/src/constants.ts b/src/constants.ts
index c7eb6fa..401bd97 100644
--- a/src/constants.ts
+++ b/src/constants.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ export const NO_CONCURRENCY = 1;
 export const NOT_SET = "not-set";
 export const DEFAULT_RETRIES = 3;
 
-export const VERSION = "v0.2.18";
+export const VERSION = "v0.2.20";
 export const SDK_TELEMETRY = `@upstash/workflow@${VERSION}`;
 
 export const TELEMETRY_HEADER_SDK = "Upstash-Telemetry-Sdk" as const;
diff --git a/src/context/context.test.ts b/src/context/context.test.ts
index 2ba3538..2c69eeb 100644
--- a/src/context/context.test.ts
+++ b/src/context/context.test.ts
@@ -337,6 +337,9 @@ describe("context tests", () => {
           method: "POST",
           url: `${MOCK_QSTASH_SERVER_URL}/v2/batch`,
           token,
+          headers: {
+            "content-type": "application/json",
+          },
           body: [
             {
               body: '"request-body"',
@@ -439,6 +442,94 @@ describe("context tests", () => {
         },
       });
     });
+    test("should send context.call without parsing body if stringifyBody is false", async () => {
+      const context = new WorkflowContext({
+        qstashClient,
+        initialPayload: "my-payload",
+        steps: [],
+        url: WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT,
+        headers: new Headers() as Headers,
+        workflowRunId: "wfr-id",
+      });
+      await mockQStashServer({
+        execute: () => {
+          const throws = () =>
+            context.call("my-step", {
+              url,
+              body,
+              headers: { "my-header": "my-value" },
+              method: "PATCH",
+              stringifyBody: false,
+            });
+          expect(throws).toThrowError("Aborting workflow after executing step 'my-step'.");
+        },
+        responseFields: {
+          status: 200,
+          body: "msgId",
+        },
+        receivesRequest: {
+          method: "POST",
+          url: `${MOCK_QSTASH_SERVER_URL}/v2/batch`,
+          token,
+          body: [
+            {
+              body: "request-body",
+              destination: url,
+              headers: {
+                "upstash-workflow-sdk-version": "1",
+                "content-type": "application/json",
+                "upstash-callback": WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT,
+                "upstash-callback-feature-set": "LazyFetch,InitialBody,WF_DetectTrigger",
+                "upstash-callback-forward-upstash-workflow-callback": "true",
+                "upstash-callback-forward-upstash-workflow-concurrent": "1",
+                "upstash-callback-forward-upstash-workflow-contenttype": "application/json",
+                "upstash-callback-forward-upstash-workflow-stepid": "1",
+                "upstash-callback-forward-upstash-workflow-stepname": "my-step",
+                "upstash-callback-forward-upstash-workflow-steptype": "Call",
+                "upstash-callback-workflow-calltype": "fromCallback",
+                "upstash-callback-workflow-init": "false",
+                "upstash-callback-workflow-runid": "wfr-id",
+                "upstash-callback-workflow-url": WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT,
+                "upstash-feature-set": "WF_NoDelete,InitialBody",
+                "upstash-forward-my-header": "my-value",
+                "upstash-method": "PATCH",
+                "upstash-retries": "0",
+                "upstash-workflow-calltype": "toCallback",
+                "upstash-workflow-init": "false",
+                "upstash-workflow-runid": "wfr-id",
+                "upstash-workflow-url": WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT,
+              },
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("should throw error if stringifyBody is false and body is object", async () => {
+      const context = new WorkflowContext({
+        qstashClient,
+        initialPayload: "my-payload",
+        steps: [],
+        url: WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT,
+        headers: new Headers() as Headers,
+        workflowRunId: "wfr-id",
+      });
+
+      const throws = () =>
+        context.call("my-step", {
+          url,
+          body: { foo: "bar" },
+          headers: { "my-header": "my-value" },
+          method: "PATCH",
+          // @ts-expect-error testing error case
+          stringifyBody: false,
+        });
+      expect(throws).toThrowError(
+        new WorkflowError(
+          `When stringifyBody is false, body must be a string. Please check the body type of your call step.`
+        )
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   test("cancel should throw abort with cleanup: true", async () => {
diff --git a/src/context/context.ts b/src/context/context.ts
index 4d5fca8..c4a02ce 100644
--- a/src/context/context.ts
+++ b/src/context/context.ts
@@ -385,11 +385,11 @@ export class WorkflowContext<TInitialPayload = unknown> {
       | CallSettings<TBody>
       | (LazyInvokeStepParams<TBody, unknown> & Pick<CallSettings, "timeout">)
   ): Promise<CallResponse<TResult | { workflowRunId: string }>> {
-    let callStep: LazyCallStep<TResult | { workflowRunId: string }>;
+    let callStep: LazyCallStep<TResult | { workflowRunId: string }, typeof settings.body>;
     if ("workflow" in settings) {
       const url = getNewUrlFromWorkflowId(this.url, settings.workflow.workflowId);
 
-      callStep = new LazyCallStep<{ workflowRunId: string }>(
+      callStep = new LazyCallStep<{ workflowRunId: string }, typeof settings.body>(
         stepName,
         url,
         "POST",
@@ -398,7 +398,8 @@ export class WorkflowContext<TInitialPayload = unknown> {
         settings.retries || 0,
         settings.retryDelay,
         settings.timeout,
-        settings.flowControl ?? settings.workflow.options.flowControl
+        settings.flowControl ?? settings.workflow.options.flowControl,
+        settings.stringifyBody ?? true
       );
     } else {
       const {
@@ -410,9 +411,10 @@ export class WorkflowContext<TInitialPayload = unknown> {
         retryDelay,
         timeout,
         flowControl,
+        stringifyBody = true,
       } = settings;
 
-      callStep = new LazyCallStep<TResult>(
+      callStep = new LazyCallStep<TResult, typeof body>(
         stepName,
         url,
         method,
@@ -421,7 +423,8 @@ export class WorkflowContext<TInitialPayload = unknown> {
         retries,
         retryDelay,
         timeout,
-        flowControl
+        flowControl,
+        stringifyBody
       );
     }
 
@@ -509,7 +512,7 @@ export class WorkflowContext<TInitialPayload = unknown> {
     stepName: string,
     settings: LazyInvokeStepParams<TInitialPayload, TResult>
   ) {
-    return await this.addStep(new LazyInvokeStep(stepName, settings));
+    return await this.addStep(new LazyInvokeStep<TResult, TInitialPayload>(stepName, settings));
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/context/steps.test.ts b/src/context/steps.test.ts
index 37e6d0c..195245c 100644
--- a/src/context/steps.test.ts
+++ b/src/context/steps.test.ts
@@ -159,7 +159,8 @@ describe("test steps", () => {
       14,
       "1000",
       30,
-      flowControl
+      flowControl,
+      true
     );
 
     test("should set correct fields", () => {
diff --git a/src/context/steps.ts b/src/context/steps.ts
index a4154ba..535a248 100644
--- a/src/context/steps.ts
+++ b/src/context/steps.ts
@@ -333,6 +333,8 @@ export class LazyCallStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazySt
   public readonly retryDelay?: string;
   public readonly timeout?: number | Duration;
   public readonly flowControl?: FlowControl;
+  private readonly stringifyBody: boolean;
+
   stepType: StepType = "Call";
   allowUndefinedOut = false;
 
@@ -345,7 +347,8 @@ export class LazyCallStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazySt
     retries: number,
     retryDelay: string | undefined,
     timeout: number | Duration | undefined,
-    flowControl: FlowControl | undefined
+    flowControl: FlowControl | undefined,
+    stringifyBody: boolean
   ) {
     super(stepName);
     this.url = url;
@@ -356,6 +359,7 @@ export class LazyCallStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazySt
     this.retryDelay = retryDelay;
     this.timeout = timeout;
     this.flowControl = flowControl;
+    this.stringifyBody = stringifyBody;
   }
 
   public getPlanStep(concurrent: number, targetStep: number): Step<undefined> {
@@ -495,10 +499,23 @@ export class LazyCallStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazySt
   }
 
   async submitStep({ context, headers }: SubmitStepParams) {
+    let callBody: string;
+    if (this.stringifyBody) {
+      callBody = JSON.stringify(this.body);
+    } else {
+      if (typeof this.body === "string") {
+        callBody = this.body;
+      } else {
+        throw new WorkflowError(
+          "When stringifyBody is false, body must be a string. Please check the body type of your call step."
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
     return (await context.qstashClient.batch([
       {
         headers,
-        body: JSON.stringify(this.body),
+        body: callBody,
         method: this.method,
         url: this.url,
         retries: DEFAULT_RETRIES === this.retries ? undefined : this.retries,
@@ -650,7 +667,7 @@ export class LazyInvokeStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazy
   stepType: StepType = "Invoke";
   params: RequiredExceptFields<
     LazyInvokeStepParams<TBody, TResult>,
-    "retries" | "flowControl" | "retryDelay"
+    "retries" | "flowControl" | "retryDelay" | "body"
   >;
   protected allowUndefinedOut = false;
   /**
@@ -668,6 +685,7 @@ export class LazyInvokeStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazy
       retries,
       retryDelay,
       flowControl,
+      stringifyBody = true,
     }: LazyInvokeStepParams<TBody, TResult>
   ) {
     super(stepName);
@@ -679,6 +697,7 @@ export class LazyInvokeStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazy
       retries,
       retryDelay,
       flowControl,
+      stringifyBody,
     };
 
     const { workflowId } = workflow;
@@ -740,8 +759,21 @@ export class LazyInvokeStep<TResult = unknown, TBody = unknown> extends BaseLazy
     });
     invokerHeaders["Upstash-Workflow-Runid"] = context.workflowRunId;
 
+    let invokeBody: string;
+    if (this.params.stringifyBody) {
+      invokeBody = JSON.stringify(this.params.body);
+    } else {
+      if (typeof this.params.body === "string") {
+        invokeBody = this.params.body;
+      } else {
+        throw new WorkflowError(
+          "When stringifyBody is false, body must be a string. Please check the body type of your invoke step."
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
     const request: InvokeWorkflowRequest = {
-      body: JSON.stringify(this.params.body),
+      body: invokeBody,
       headers: Object.fromEntries(
         Object.entries(invokerHeaders).map((pairs) => [pairs[0], [pairs[1]]])
       ),
diff --git a/src/serve/serve-many.test.ts b/src/serve/serve-many.test.ts
index 317933f..860cdb3 100644
--- a/src/serve/serve-many.test.ts
+++ b/src/serve/serve-many.test.ts
@@ -125,11 +125,39 @@ describe("serveMany", () => {
       }
     );
 
+    const workflowFour = createWorkflow(async (context) => {
+      await context.invoke("invoke workflow two", {
+        workflow: workflowTwo,
+        body: "hello world",
+        stringifyBody: false,
+      });
+    });
+
+    const workflowFive = createWorkflow(async (context) => {
+      await context.invoke("invoke workflow two", {
+        workflow: workflowTwo,
+        body: "hello world",
+        stringifyBody: true,
+      });
+    });
+
+    const workflowSix = createWorkflow(async (context) => {
+      await context.invoke("invoke workflow two", {
+        workflow: workflowTwo,
+        stringifyBody: false,
+        // @ts-expect-error object body isn't accepted because stringifyBody is false
+        body: { hello: "world" },
+      });
+    });
+
     const { POST: handler } = serveMany(
       {
         "workflow-one": workflowOne,
         "workflow-two": workflowTwo,
         "workflow-three": workflowThree,
+        "workflow-four": workflowFour,
+        "workflow-five": workflowFive,
+        "workflow-six": workflowSix,
       },
       {
         qstashClient,
@@ -305,6 +333,119 @@ describe("serveMany", () => {
         },
       });
     });
+
+    test("should not stringify body if stringifyBody: false", async () => {
+      const request = getRequest(
+        `${WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT}/workflow-four`,
+        "wfr_id",
+        "initial-payload",
+        []
+      );
+
+      await mockQStashServer({
+        execute: async () => {
+          const response = await handler(request);
+          expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+        },
+        responseFields: { body: "msgId", status: 200 },
+        receivesRequest: {
+          method: "POST",
+          url: `${MOCK_QSTASH_SERVER_URL}/v2/publish/${WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT}/workflow-two`,
+          token,
+          body: {
+            body: "hello world",
+            headers: {
+              "Upstash-Feature-Set": ["LazyFetch,InitialBody,WF_DetectTrigger"],
+              "Upstash-Forward-Upstash-Workflow-Sdk-Version": ["1"],
+              "Upstash-Telemetry-Framework": ["nextjs"],
+              "Upstash-Telemetry-Runtime": [expect.any(String)],
+              "Upstash-Telemetry-Sdk": [expect.stringMatching(/^@upstash\/workflow@v0\.2\./)],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Init": ["false"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-RunId": ["wfr_id"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Runid": ["wfr_id"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Sdk-Version": ["1"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Url": ["https://requestcatcher.com/api/workflow-four"],
+              "content-type": ["application/json"],
+            },
+            workflowRunId: expect.any(String),
+            workflowUrl: "https://requestcatcher.com/api/workflow-four",
+            step: {
+              stepId: 1,
+              concurrent: 1,
+              stepName: "invoke workflow two",
+              stepType: "Invoke",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("should stringify body if stringifyBody: true", async () => {
+      const request = getRequest(
+        `${WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT}/workflow-five`,
+        "wfr_id",
+        "initial-payload",
+        []
+      );
+
+      await mockQStashServer({
+        execute: async () => {
+          const response = await handler(request);
+          expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+        },
+        responseFields: { body: "msgId", status: 200 },
+        receivesRequest: {
+          method: "POST",
+          url: `${MOCK_QSTASH_SERVER_URL}/v2/publish/${WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT}/workflow-two`,
+          token,
+          body: {
+            body: '"hello world"',
+            headers: {
+              "Upstash-Feature-Set": ["LazyFetch,InitialBody,WF_DetectTrigger"],
+              "Upstash-Forward-Upstash-Workflow-Sdk-Version": ["1"],
+              "Upstash-Telemetry-Framework": ["nextjs"],
+              "Upstash-Telemetry-Runtime": [expect.any(String)],
+              "Upstash-Telemetry-Sdk": [expect.stringMatching(/^@upstash\/workflow@v0\.2\./)],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Init": ["false"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-RunId": ["wfr_id"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Runid": ["wfr_id"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Sdk-Version": ["1"],
+              "Upstash-Workflow-Url": ["https://requestcatcher.com/api/workflow-five"],
+              "content-type": ["application/json"],
+            },
+            workflowRunId: expect.any(String),
+            workflowUrl: "https://requestcatcher.com/api/workflow-five",
+            step: {
+              stepId: 1,
+              concurrent: 1,
+              stepName: "invoke workflow two",
+              stepType: "Invoke",
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      });
+    });
+
+    test("should get an error if body isn't a string but stringifyBody is false", async () => {
+      const request = getRequest(
+        `${WORKFLOW_ENDPOINT}/workflow-six`,
+        "wfr_id",
+        "initial-payload",
+        []
+      );
+
+      await mockQStashServer({
+        execute: async () => {
+          const response = await handler(request);
+          expect(response.status).toBe(500);
+          expect((await response.json()).message).toBe(
+            "When stringifyBody is false, body must be a string. Please check the body type of your invoke step."
+          );
+        },
+        responseFields: { body: "msgId", status: 200 },
+        receivesRequest: false,
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe("getNewUrlFromWorkflowId", () => {
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 8e93951..4a2a797 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -443,15 +443,30 @@ export interface WaitEventOptions {
   timeout?: number | Duration;
 }
 
+export type StringifyBody<TBody = unknown> = TBody extends string ? boolean : true;
+
 export type CallSettings<TBody = unknown> = {
   url: string;
   method?: HTTPMethods;
+  /**
+   * Request body.
+   *
+   * By default, the body is stringified with `JSON.stringify`. If you want
+   * to send a string body without stringifying it, you need to set
+   * `stringifyBody` to false.
+   */
   body?: TBody;
   headers?: Record<string, string>;
   retries?: number;
   retryDelay?: string;
   timeout?: Duration | number;
   flowControl?: FlowControl;
+  /**
+   * Whether the body field should be stringified when making the request.
+   *
+   * @default true
+   */
+  stringifyBody?: StringifyBody<TBody>;
 };
 
 export type HeaderParams = {
@@ -571,9 +586,12 @@ export type LazyInvokeStepParams<TInitiaPayload, TResult> = {
     InvokableWorkflow<TInitiaPayload, TResult>,
     "routeFunction" | "workflowId" | "options"
   >;
-  body: TInitiaPayload; // TODO make optional
+  body: TInitiaPayload; // tried to make this optional but didn't work so nicely
   workflowRunId?: string;
-} & Pick<CallSettings, "retries" | "headers" | "flowControl" | "retryDelay">;
+} & Pick<
+  CallSettings<TInitiaPayload>,
+  "retries" | "headers" | "flowControl" | "retryDelay" | "stringifyBody"
+>;
 
 export type InvokeStepResponse<TBody> = {
   body: TBody;
diff --git a/src/workflow-requests.test.ts b/src/workflow-requests.test.ts
index 5d99858..bc745c7 100644
--- a/src/workflow-requests.test.ts
+++ b/src/workflow-requests.test.ts
@@ -622,7 +622,8 @@ describe("Workflow Requests", () => {
           rate: 5,
           parallelism: 6,
           period: 30,
-        }
+        },
+        true
       );
       const { headers } = lazyStep.getHeaders({
         context: new WorkflowContext({