diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 96cb3b9b..13113123 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -60,11 +60,13 @@ and if you also require basic auth for your schema registry connection you shoul
 --schemaregistry.auth=username:password
 ```
 
-Finally, a default message format (e.g. to deserialize Avro messages) can optionally be configured as follows:
+Finally, a default message and key format (e.g. to deserialize Avro messages or keys) can optionally be configured as follows:
 ```
 --message.format=AVRO
+--message.keyFormat=DEFAULT
 ```
-Valid format values are `DEFAULT`, `AVRO`, `PROTOBUF`. This can also be configured at the topic level via dropdown when viewing messages.
+Valid format values are `DEFAULT`, `AVRO`, `PROTOBUF`. This can also be configured at the topic level via dropdown when viewing messages. 
+If key format is unspecified, message format will be used for key too.
 
 ## Configure Protobuf message type
 ### Option 1: Using Protobuf Descriptor 
diff --git a/src/main/java/kafdrop/config/MessageFormatConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/kafdrop/config/MessageFormatConfiguration.java
index e43e90cf..45bdc19e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/kafdrop/config/MessageFormatConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/kafdrop/config/MessageFormatConfiguration.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ public class MessageFormatConfiguration {
   @ConfigurationProperties(prefix = "message")
   public static final class MessageFormatProperties {
     private MessageFormat format;
+    private MessageFormat keyFormat;
 
     @PostConstruct
     public void init() {
@@ -21,6 +22,9 @@ public void init() {
       if (format == null) {
         format = MessageFormat.DEFAULT;
       }
+      if (keyFormat == null) {
+        keyFormat = format; //fallback
+      }
     }
 
     public MessageFormat getFormat() {
@@ -30,5 +34,13 @@ public MessageFormat getFormat() {
     public void setFormat(MessageFormat format) {
       this.format = format;
     }
+
+    public MessageFormat getKeyFormat() {
+      return keyFormat;
+    }
+
+    public void setKeyFormat(MessageFormat keyFormat) {
+      this.keyFormat = keyFormat;
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/MessageController.java b/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/MessageController.java
index 340fc8bf..b25a7b12 100644
--- a/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/MessageController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/MessageController.java
@@ -62,17 +62,15 @@ public final class MessageController {
   private final MessageInspector messageInspector;
 
   private final MessageFormatProperties messageFormatProperties;
-  private final MessageFormatProperties keyFormatProperties;
 
   private final SchemaRegistryProperties schemaRegistryProperties;
 
   private final ProtobufDescriptorProperties protobufProperties;
 
-  public MessageController(KafkaMonitor kafkaMonitor, MessageInspector messageInspector, MessageFormatProperties messageFormatProperties, MessageFormatProperties keyFormatProperties, SchemaRegistryProperties schemaRegistryProperties, ProtobufDescriptorProperties protobufProperties) {
+  public MessageController(KafkaMonitor kafkaMonitor, MessageInspector messageInspector, MessageFormatProperties messageFormatProperties, SchemaRegistryProperties schemaRegistryProperties, ProtobufDescriptorProperties protobufProperties) {
     this.kafkaMonitor = kafkaMonitor;
     this.messageInspector = messageInspector;
     this.messageFormatProperties = messageFormatProperties;
-    this.keyFormatProperties = keyFormatProperties;
     this.schemaRegistryProperties = schemaRegistryProperties;
     this.protobufProperties = protobufProperties; 
   }
@@ -88,12 +86,13 @@ public String viewAllMessages(@PathVariable("name") String topicName,
                                 Model model, @RequestParam(name = "count", required = false) Integer count) {
     final int size = (count != null? count : 100);
     final MessageFormat defaultFormat = messageFormatProperties.getFormat();
-    final MessageFormat defaultKeyFormat = keyFormatProperties.getFormat();
+    final MessageFormat defaultKeyFormat = messageFormatProperties.getKeyFormat();
     final TopicVO topic = kafkaMonitor.getTopic(topicName)
         .orElseThrow(() -> new TopicNotFoundException(topicName));
 
     model.addAttribute("topic", topic);
     model.addAttribute("defaultFormat", defaultFormat);
+    model.addAttribute("defaultKeyFormat", defaultKeyFormat);
     model.addAttribute("messageFormats", MessageFormat.values());
     model.addAttribute("keyFormats", KeyFormat.values());
     model.addAttribute("descFiles", protobufProperties.getDescFilesList());
@@ -132,7 +131,7 @@ public String viewMessageForm(@PathVariable("name") String topicName,
                                 BindingResult errors,
                                 Model model) {
     final MessageFormat defaultFormat = messageFormatProperties.getFormat();
-    final MessageFormat defaultKeyFormat = keyFormatProperties.getFormat();
+    final MessageFormat defaultKeyFormat = messageFormatProperties.getKeyFormat();
 
     if (messageForm.isEmpty()) {
       final PartitionOffsetInfo defaultForm = new PartitionOffsetInfo();
@@ -157,7 +156,7 @@ public String viewMessageForm(@PathVariable("name") String topicName,
     model.addAttribute("defaultFormat", defaultFormat);
     model.addAttribute("messageFormats", MessageFormat.values());
     model.addAttribute("defaultKeyFormat", defaultKeyFormat);
-    model.addAttribute("keyFormats",KeyFormat.values());
+    model.addAttribute("keyFormats", KeyFormat.values());
     model.addAttribute("descFiles", protobufProperties.getDescFilesList());
     model.addAttribute("isAnyProtoOpts", List.of(true, false));
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/TopicController.java b/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/TopicController.java
index 09a946c0..785f5929 100644
--- a/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/TopicController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/kafdrop/controller/TopicController.java
@@ -41,21 +41,19 @@ public final class TopicController {
   private final boolean topicDeleteEnabled;
   private final boolean topicCreateEnabled;
   private final MessageFormatConfiguration.MessageFormatProperties messageFormatProperties;
-  private final MessageFormatConfiguration.MessageFormatProperties keyFormatProperties;
 
   public TopicController(KafkaMonitor kafkaMonitor,
-                         @Value("${topic.deleteEnabled:true}") Boolean topicDeleteEnabled, @Value("${topic.createEnabled:true}") Boolean topicCreateEnabled, MessageFormatConfiguration.MessageFormatProperties messageFormatProperties, MessageFormatConfiguration.MessageFormatProperties keyFormatProperties) {
+                         @Value("${topic.deleteEnabled:true}") Boolean topicDeleteEnabled, @Value("${topic.createEnabled:true}") Boolean topicCreateEnabled, MessageFormatConfiguration.MessageFormatProperties messageFormatProperties) {
     this.kafkaMonitor = kafkaMonitor;
     this.topicDeleteEnabled = topicDeleteEnabled;
     this.topicCreateEnabled = topicCreateEnabled;
     this.messageFormatProperties = messageFormatProperties;
-    this.keyFormatProperties = keyFormatProperties;
   }
 
   @RequestMapping("/{name:.+}")
   public String topicDetails(@PathVariable("name") String topicName, Model model) {
     final MessageFormat defaultFormat = messageFormatProperties.getFormat();
-    final MessageFormat defaultKeyFormat = keyFormatProperties.getFormat();
+    final MessageFormat defaultKeyFormat = messageFormatProperties.getKeyFormat();
 
     final var topic = kafkaMonitor.getTopic(topicName)
         .orElseThrow(() -> new TopicNotFoundException(topicName));
diff --git a/src/main/resources/templates/message-inspector.ftlh b/src/main/resources/templates/message-inspector.ftlh
index 0b64821e..f06fe19f 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/templates/message-inspector.ftlh
+++ b/src/main/resources/templates/message-inspector.ftlh
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
 
 <#assign selectedPartition=messageForm.partition!0?number>
 <#assign selectedFormat=messageForm.format!defaultFormat>
-<#assign selectedKeyFormat=messageForm.keyFormat!defaultFormat>
+<#assign selectedKeyFormat=messageForm.keyFormat!defaultKeyFormat>
 <#assign selectedIsAnyProtoOpt=messageForm.isAnyProto>
 
 <div id="partitionSizes">