diff --git a/plugins/out_loki/loki.c b/plugins/out_loki/loki.c
index bcc89f37298..d7d9db524d4 100644
--- a/plugins/out_loki/loki.c
+++ b/plugins/out_loki/loki.c
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ void flb_loki_kv_destroy(struct flb_loki_kv *kv)
     flb_free(kv);
 }
 
-int flb_loki_kv_append(struct flb_loki *ctx, char *key, char *val)
+int flb_loki_kv_append(struct flb_loki *ctx, struct mk_list *list, char *key, char *val)
 {
     int ra_count = 0;
     int k_len;
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ int flb_loki_kv_append(struct flb_loki *ctx, char *key, char *val)
             return -1;
         }
     }
-    mk_list_add(&kv->_head, &ctx->labels_list);
+    mk_list_add(&kv->_head, list);
 
     /* return the number of record accessor values */
     return ra_count;
@@ -291,6 +291,13 @@ static void flb_loki_kv_exit(struct flb_loki *ctx)
     mk_list_foreach_safe(head, tmp, &ctx->labels_list) {
         kv = mk_list_entry(head, struct flb_loki_kv, _head);
 
+        /* unlink and destroy */
+        mk_list_del(&kv->_head);
+        flb_loki_kv_destroy(kv);
+    }
+    mk_list_foreach_safe(head, tmp, &ctx->structured_metadata_list) {
+        kv = mk_list_entry(head, struct flb_loki_kv, _head);
+
         /* unlink and destroy */
         mk_list_del(&kv->_head);
         flb_loki_kv_destroy(kv);
@@ -337,25 +344,17 @@ static int pack_label_key(msgpack_packer *mp_pck, char *key, int key_len)
     return 0;
 }
 
-static flb_sds_t pack_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx,
-                             msgpack_packer *mp_pck,
-                             char *tag, int tag_len,
-                             msgpack_object *map)
+static void pack_kv(struct flb_loki *ctx,
+                    msgpack_packer *mp_pck,
+                    char *tag, int tag_len,
+                    msgpack_object *map,
+                    struct flb_mp_map_header *mh,
+                    struct mk_list *list)
 {
-    int i;
-    flb_sds_t ra_val;
     struct mk_list *head;
-    struct flb_ra_value *rval = NULL;
     struct flb_loki_kv *kv;
-    msgpack_object k;
-    msgpack_object v;
-    struct flb_mp_map_header mh;
-
-
-    /* Initialize dynamic map header */
-    flb_mp_map_header_init(&mh, mp_pck);
-
-    mk_list_foreach(head, &ctx->labels_list) {
+    flb_sds_t ra_val;
+    mk_list_foreach(head, list) {
         kv = mk_list_entry(head, struct flb_loki_kv, _head);
 
         /* record accessor key/value pair */
@@ -369,7 +368,7 @@ static flb_sds_t pack_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx,
             }
             else {
                 /* Pack the key and value */
-                flb_mp_map_header_append(&mh);
+                flb_mp_map_header_append(mh);
 
                 /* We skip the first '$' character since it won't be valid in Loki */
                 pack_label_key(mp_pck, kv->key_normalized,
@@ -390,7 +389,7 @@ static flb_sds_t pack_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx,
          * invalid or empty value, on that case the k/v is skipped.
          */
         if (kv->val_type == FLB_LOKI_KV_STR) {
-            flb_mp_map_header_append(&mh);
+            flb_mp_map_header_append(mh);
             msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, flb_sds_len(kv->key));
             msgpack_pack_str_body(mp_pck, kv->key, flb_sds_len(kv->key));
             msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, flb_sds_len(kv->str_val));
@@ -403,7 +402,7 @@ static flb_sds_t pack_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx,
                 flb_plg_debug(ctx->ins, "could not translate record accessor");
             }
             else {
-                flb_mp_map_header_append(&mh);
+                flb_mp_map_header_append(mh);
                 msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, flb_sds_len(kv->key));
                 msgpack_pack_str_body(mp_pck, kv->key, flb_sds_len(kv->key));
                 msgpack_pack_str(mp_pck, flb_sds_len(ra_val));
@@ -415,6 +414,35 @@ static flb_sds_t pack_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx,
             }
         }
     }
+}
+
+static flb_sds_t pack_structured_metadata(struct flb_loki *ctx,
+                                          msgpack_packer *mp_pck,
+                                          char *tag, int tag_len,
+                                          msgpack_object *map)
+{
+    struct flb_mp_map_header mh;
+    /* Initialize dynamic map header */
+    flb_mp_map_header_init(&mh, mp_pck);
+    pack_kv(ctx, mp_pck, tag, tag_len, map, &mh, &ctx->structured_metadata_list);
+    flb_mp_map_header_end(&mh);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static flb_sds_t pack_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx,
+                             msgpack_packer *mp_pck,
+                             char *tag, int tag_len,
+                             msgpack_object *map)
+{
+    int i;
+    struct flb_ra_value *rval = NULL;
+    msgpack_object k;
+    msgpack_object v;
+    struct flb_mp_map_header mh;
+
+    /* Initialize dynamic map header */
+    flb_mp_map_header_init(&mh, mp_pck);
+    pack_kv(ctx, mp_pck, tag, tag_len, map, &mh, &ctx->labels_list);
 
     if (ctx->auto_kubernetes_labels == FLB_TRUE) {
         rval = flb_ra_get_value_object(ctx->ra_k8s, *map);
@@ -490,7 +518,7 @@ static int create_label_map_entry(struct flb_loki *ctx,
           printf("label_key=%s val_str=%s\n", label_key, val_str);
          */
 
-        ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, label_key, val_str);
+        ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, &ctx->labels_list, label_key, val_str);
         flb_sds_destroy(label_key);
         flb_sds_destroy(val_str);
         if (ret == -1) {
@@ -686,68 +714,92 @@ static int load_label_map_path(struct flb_loki *ctx, flb_sds_t path, int *ra_use
     return 0;
 }
 
-static int parse_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx)
+static int parse_kv(struct flb_loki *ctx, struct mk_list *kv, struct mk_list *list, int *ra_used)
 {
     int ret;
-    int ra_used = 0;
     char *p;
     flb_sds_t key;
     flb_sds_t val;
     struct mk_list *head;
     struct flb_slist_entry *entry;
 
-    flb_loki_kv_init(&ctx->labels_list);
-
-    if (ctx->labels) {
-        mk_list_foreach(head, ctx->labels) {
-            entry = mk_list_entry(head, struct flb_slist_entry, _head);
-
-            /* record accessor label key ? */
-            if (entry->str[0] == '$') {
-                ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, entry->str, NULL);
-                if (ret == -1) {
-                    return -1;
-                }
-                else if (ret > 0) {
-                    ra_used++;
-                }
-                continue;
-            }
+    if (ctx == NULL || list == NULL || ra_used == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
 
-            p = strchr(entry->str, '=');
-            if (!p) {
-                flb_plg_error(ctx->ins, "invalid key value pair on '%s'",
-                              entry->str);
-                return -1;
-            }
+    mk_list_foreach(head, kv) {
+        entry = mk_list_entry(head, struct flb_slist_entry, _head);
 
-            key = flb_sds_create_size((p - entry->str) + 1);
-            flb_sds_cat(key, entry->str, p - entry->str);
-            val = flb_sds_create(p + 1);
-            if (!key) {
-                flb_plg_error(ctx->ins,
-                              "invalid key value pair on '%s'",
-                              entry->str);
+        /* record accessor label key ? */
+        if (entry->str[0] == '$') {
+            ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, list, entry->str, NULL);
+            if (ret == -1) {
                 return -1;
             }
-            if (!val || flb_sds_len(val) == 0) {
-                flb_plg_error(ctx->ins,
-                              "invalid key value pair on '%s'",
-                              entry->str);
-                flb_sds_destroy(key);
-                return -1;
+            else if (ret > 0) {
+                (*ra_used)++;
             }
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        p = strchr(entry->str, '=');
+        if (!p) {
+            flb_plg_error(ctx->ins, "invalid key value pair on '%s'",
+                          entry->str);
+            return -1;
+        }
 
-            ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, key, val);
+        key = flb_sds_create_size((p - entry->str) + 1);
+        flb_sds_cat(key, entry->str, p - entry->str);
+        val = flb_sds_create(p + 1);
+        if (!key) {
+            flb_plg_error(ctx->ins,
+                          "invalid key value pair on '%s'",
+                          entry->str);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        if (!val || flb_sds_len(val) == 0) {
+            flb_plg_error(ctx->ins,
+                          "invalid key value pair on '%s'",
+                          entry->str);
             flb_sds_destroy(key);
-            flb_sds_destroy(val);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, list, key, val);
+        flb_sds_destroy(key);
+        flb_sds_destroy(val);
 
-            if (ret == -1) {
-                return -1;
-            }
-            else if (ret > 0) {
-                ra_used++;
-            }
+        if (ret == -1) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+        else if (ret > 0) {
+            (*ra_used)++;
+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int parse_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx)
+{
+    int ret;
+    int ra_used = 0;
+    struct mk_list *head;
+    struct flb_slist_entry *entry;
+
+    flb_loki_kv_init(&ctx->labels_list);
+    flb_loki_kv_init(&ctx->structured_metadata_list);
+
+    if (ctx->structured_metadata) {
+        ret = parse_kv(ctx, ctx->structured_metadata, &ctx->structured_metadata_list, &ra_used);
+        if (ret == -1) {
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (ctx->labels) {
+        ret = parse_kv(ctx, ctx->labels, &ctx->labels_list, &ra_used);
+        if (ret == -1) {
+            return -1;
         }
     }
 
@@ -761,7 +813,7 @@ static int parse_labels(struct flb_loki *ctx)
                 return -1;
             }
 
-            ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, entry->str, NULL);
+            ret = flb_loki_kv_append(ctx, &ctx->labels_list, entry->str, NULL);
             if (ret == -1) {
                 return -1;
             }
@@ -918,6 +970,7 @@ static struct flb_loki *loki_config_create(struct flb_output_instance *ins,
     }
     ctx->ins = ins;
     flb_loki_kv_init(&ctx->labels_list);
+    flb_loki_kv_init(&ctx->structured_metadata_list);
 
     /* Register context with plugin instance */
     flb_output_set_context(ins, ctx);
@@ -1431,6 +1484,13 @@ static flb_sds_t loki_compose_payload(struct flb_loki *ctx,
      *     }
      *   ]
      * }
+     *
+     * As of Loki 3.0, log entries may optionally contain a third element which is a JSON
+     * object indicating structured metadata:
+     *
+     * "values": [
+     *     [ "<unix epoch in nanoseconds>", "<log line>", {"trace_id": "0242ac120002"}]
+     * ]
      */
 
     ret = flb_log_event_decoder_init(&log_decoder, (char *) data, bytes);
@@ -1479,11 +1539,14 @@ static flb_sds_t loki_compose_payload(struct flb_loki *ctx,
         while ((ret = flb_log_event_decoder_next(
                         &log_decoder,
                         &log_event)) == FLB_EVENT_DECODER_SUCCESS) {
-            msgpack_pack_array(&mp_pck, 2);
+            msgpack_pack_array(&mp_pck, ctx->structured_metadata ? 3 : 2);
 
             /* Append the timestamp */
             pack_timestamp(&mp_pck, &log_event.timestamp);
             pack_record(ctx, &mp_pck, log_event.body, dynamic_tenant_id);
+            if (ctx->structured_metadata) {
+                pack_structured_metadata(ctx, &mp_pck, tag, tag_len, NULL);
+            }
         }
     }
     else {
@@ -1512,11 +1575,14 @@ static flb_sds_t loki_compose_payload(struct flb_loki *ctx,
             msgpack_pack_str_body(&mp_pck, "values", 6);
             msgpack_pack_array(&mp_pck, 1);
 
-            msgpack_pack_array(&mp_pck, 2);
+            msgpack_pack_array(&mp_pck, ctx->structured_metadata ? 3 : 2);
 
             /* Append the timestamp */
             pack_timestamp(&mp_pck, &log_event.timestamp);
             pack_record(ctx, &mp_pck, log_event.body, dynamic_tenant_id);
+            if (ctx->structured_metadata) {
+                pack_structured_metadata(ctx, &mp_pck, tag, tag_len, log_event.body);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -1808,6 +1874,12 @@ static struct flb_config_map config_map[] = {
      "labels for API requests. If no value is set, the default label is 'job=fluent-bit'"
     },
 
+    {
+     FLB_CONFIG_MAP_CLIST, "structured_metadata", NULL,
+     0, FLB_TRUE, offsetof(struct flb_loki, structured_metadata),
+     "optional structured metadata fields for API requests."
+    },
+
     {
      FLB_CONFIG_MAP_BOOL, "auto_kubernetes_labels", "false",
      0, FLB_TRUE, offsetof(struct flb_loki, auto_kubernetes_labels),
diff --git a/plugins/out_loki/loki.h b/plugins/out_loki/loki.h
index fa3eed14d3d..eab0fa907d6 100644
--- a/plugins/out_loki/loki.h
+++ b/plugins/out_loki/loki.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ struct flb_loki {
     /* Labels */
     struct mk_list *labels;
     struct mk_list *label_keys;
+    struct mk_list *structured_metadata;
     struct mk_list *remove_keys;
 
     flb_sds_t label_map_path;
@@ -86,11 +87,12 @@ struct flb_loki {
     char *tcp_host;
     int out_line_format;
     int out_drop_single_key;
-    int ra_used;                        /* number of record accessor label keys */
-    struct flb_record_accessor *ra_k8s; /* kubernetes record accessor */
-    struct mk_list labels_list;         /* list of flb_loki_kv nodes */
-    struct mk_list remove_keys_derived; /* remove_keys with label RAs */
-    struct flb_mp_accessor *remove_mpa; /* remove_keys multi-pattern accessor */
+    int ra_used;                             /* number of record accessor label keys */
+    struct flb_record_accessor *ra_k8s;      /* kubernetes record accessor */
+    struct mk_list labels_list;              /* list of flb_loki_kv nodes */
+    struct mk_list structured_metadata_list; /* list of flb_loki_kv nodes */
+    struct mk_list remove_keys_derived;      /* remove_keys with label RAs */
+    struct flb_mp_accessor *remove_mpa;      /* remove_keys multi-pattern accessor */
     struct flb_record_accessor *ra_tenant_id_key; /* dynamic tenant id key */
 
     struct cfl_list dynamic_tenant_list;