diff --git a/config/verbs.php b/config/verbs.php
index faa55516..21582acb 100644
--- a/config/verbs.php
+++ b/config/verbs.php
@@ -29,6 +29,22 @@
     */
     'id_type' => env('VERBS_ID_TYPE', 'snowflake'),
 
+    /*
+    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    | Serialize Event ID
+    |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+    |
+    | By default, the Event's `id` is excluded from the serialized JSON stored
+    | in verb_events.data (it's redundant with the row's primary key). Some
+    | event types (e.g. SerializedByVerbs) require `id` for deserialization.
+    | VerbEvent injects the row id when loading in that case.
+    |
+    | Set to true to include `id` in stored data so events deserialize without
+    | injection. Useful for new installations or after replaying events.
+    |
+    */
+    'serialize_event_id' => env('VERBS_SERIALIZE_EVENT_ID', false),
+
     /*
     |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     | Normalizers
@@ -118,7 +134,7 @@
     |
     | By default, Verbs will auto-commit events to the event store for you:
     |
-    |   - at the end of every request (before returning a response)
+    |   - at the end of every request (before returning the response)
     |   - at the end of every console command
     |   - at the end of every queued job
     |
diff --git a/src/Models/VerbEvent.php b/src/Models/VerbEvent.php
index 63e20e6d..dc97facc 100644
--- a/src/Models/VerbEvent.php
+++ b/src/Models/VerbEvent.php
@@ -40,8 +40,14 @@ public function getTable()
 
     public function event(): Event
     {
-        $this->event ??= app(Serializer::class)->deserialize($this->type, $this->data);
-        $this->event->id = $this->id;
+        if ($this->event !== null) {
+            return $this->event;
+        }
+
+        // When serialize_event_id is false (default), stored data lacks id but some event types
+        // require it for deserialization. Always use row id as source of truth.
+        $data = array_merge($this->data ?? [], ['id' => $this->id]);
+        $this->event = app(Serializer::class)->deserialize($this->type, $data);
 
         app(MetadataManager::class)->setEphemeral($this->event, 'created_at', $this->created_at);
 
diff --git a/src/Support/PendingEvent.php b/src/Support/PendingEvent.php
index 15bab288..d7ee5550 100644
--- a/src/Support/PendingEvent.php
+++ b/src/Support/PendingEvent.php
@@ -92,6 +92,14 @@ public function shouldFire(): static
 
     public function hydrate(array $data): static
     {
+        // When firing with args, we deserialize from the passed data. Events require an id,
+        // but we don't have one yet when creating fresh. Inject it before deserializing.
+        $target = $this->event;
+        $targetClass = is_string($target) ? $target : $target::class;
+        if (is_subclass_of($targetClass, Event::class) && ! array_key_exists('id', $data)) {
+            $data = array_merge($data, ['id' => snowflake_id()]);
+        }
+
         $this->event = app(Serializer::class)->deserialize($this->event, $data, call_constructor: true);
 
         app(MetadataManager::class)->initialize($this->event);
diff --git a/src/Support/Serializer.php b/src/Support/Serializer.php
index d8fa8709..661712ef 100644
--- a/src/Support/Serializer.php
+++ b/src/Support/Serializer.php
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ protected function serializationContext(object $target): array
         $context = [...$this->context];
 
         if ($target instanceof Event) {
-            $context[AbstractNormalizer::IGNORED_ATTRIBUTES] = ['id'];
+            $ignored = config('verbs.serialize_event_id', false) ? [] : ['id'];
+            $context[AbstractNormalizer::IGNORED_ATTRIBUTES] = $ignored;
         }
 
         if ($target instanceof State) {
diff --git a/tests/Unit/VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTest.php b/tests/Unit/VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7f54e670
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+<?php
+
+use Thunk\Verbs\Event;
+use Thunk\Verbs\Models\VerbEvent;
+use Thunk\Verbs\Support\Serializer;
+
+/**
+ * When serialize_event_id is false (default), the Serializer excludes id from stored data.
+ * VerbEvent::event() injects the row id so Events requiring id (e.g. SerializedByVerbs) deserialize correctly.
+ */
+it('deserializes event correctly when stored data lacks id by injecting row id', function () {
+    $rowId = snowflake_id();
+    $eventType = VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTestEvent::class;
+
+    VerbEvent::insert([
+        'id' => $rowId,
+        'type' => $eventType,
+        'data' => json_encode([]), // Simulates serialized payload without id (default)
+        'metadata' => '{}',
+        'created_at' => now(),
+    ]);
+
+    $verbEvent = VerbEvent::find($rowId);
+    expect($verbEvent)->not->toBeNull();
+
+    $event = $verbEvent->event();
+
+    expect($event)
+        ->toBeInstanceOf(Event::class)
+        ->and($event->id)->toBe($rowId);
+});
+
+it('overwrites id in data with row id so row remains source of truth', function () {
+    $rowId = snowflake_id();
+    $staleIdInData = snowflake_id() + 1;
+    $eventType = VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTestEvent::class;
+
+    VerbEvent::insert([
+        'id' => $rowId,
+        'type' => $eventType,
+        'data' => json_encode(['id' => $staleIdInData]),
+        'metadata' => '{}',
+        'created_at' => now(),
+    ]);
+
+    $verbEvent = VerbEvent::find($rowId);
+    $event = $verbEvent->event();
+
+    expect($event->id)->toBe($rowId);
+});
+
+it('excludes event id from serialization when serialize_event_id is false', function () {
+    config(['verbs.serialize_event_id' => false]);
+
+    $event = new VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTestEvent;
+    $event->id = snowflake_id();
+
+    $serialized = app(Serializer::class)->serialize($event);
+
+    expect($serialized)->not->toContain((string) $event->id);
+});
+
+it('includes event id in serialization when serialize_event_id is true', function () {
+    config(['verbs.serialize_event_id' => true]);
+
+    $event = new VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTestEvent;
+    $event->id = $id = snowflake_id();
+
+    $serialized = app(Serializer::class)->serialize($event);
+
+    expect($serialized)->toContain((string) $id);
+});
+
+class VerbEventDeserializesWithoutIdInDataTestEvent extends Event {}