diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c705695..3d73d36 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ## [1.0.0] - 2026-06-16
-- Incoming webhook management: token-protected ingress URLs with payload and header logging.
+- Incoming webhook management: token-protected ingress URLs with payload and header logging. The incoming address is registered by the package, unauthenticated, since the sender holds only the token in the URL.
+- Applications can use `RawPayload` to encode exact request bytes in JSON and decode them later. Incoming event payloads retain their existing parsed structure.
 - Signed, retried outbound webhook delivery: outgoing webhooks POST to a customer URL with an HMAC signature, delivered through a queued job with exponential-backoff retries.
 - Each delivery attempt is recorded with a stable delivery id for consumer-side deduplication; endpoints are auto-disabled after too many consecutive failures.
 - Webhooks are owned through a polymorphic `owner` relation so any model can own one, with `user_id` retained as the creator.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4187253..8609123 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ return [
     'register_routes' => env('WEBHOOKS_REGISTER_ROUTES', true),
     'route_prefix' => env('WEBHOOKS_ROUTE_PREFIX', ''),
     'route_middleware' => ['auth:sanctum'],
+    'ingress_middleware' => [],
 
     // Signed, retried outbound delivery.
     'signing' => [
@@ -87,12 +88,58 @@ echo $webhook->url; // https://your-app.com/webhooks/ingress/{token}
 
 ### Webhook Ingress
 
+`ingress_middleware` controls middleware on `POST /webhooks/ingress/{token}`.
+It defaults to `[]` and does not inherit `route_middleware`, which protects
+management routes. The receiving controller checks the URL token and requires an
+active webhook; callers do not need a Sanctum login.
+
+To add throttling, set this in your published `config/webhooks.php`:
+
+```php
+'ingress_middleware' => ['throttle:60,1'],
+```
+
+This applies Laravel's 60-request-per-minute throttle. Application middleware for
+provider signature checks can also go in this list. The package does not verify
+incoming signatures automatically. Application-wide middleware still applies.
+
+Both route groups use `route_prefix`; setting `register_routes` to `false` disables
+both. See [route configuration](docs/customization.md#route-configuration).
+
 Incoming webhooks are sent to a unique URL containing a secure token. When a webhook is triggered:
 1. The token is validated.
 2. The `trigger_count` and `last_triggered_at` fields are updated.
 3. A `WebhookEvent` is recorded containing the payload and headers.
 4. If `whilesmart/activities` is installed, an activity log is automatically created.
 
+Incoming events keep the parsed request fields in `payload`. The package does not reserve
+keys or choose an application-specific payload structure.
+
+### Keeping raw bodies in an application
+
+Applications with a custom incoming handler can use `RawPayload` to preserve exact
+request bytes inside a JSON value:
+
+```php
+use Whilesmart\Webhooks\Support\RawPayload;
+
+$envelope = RawPayload::encode($request->getContent());
+$event->payload = $envelope;
+$event->save();
+
+$originalBody = RawPayload::decode($event->payload);
+```
+
+The application chooses where to store this envelope and how its readers consume it.
+The default package ingress does not use it. Encoding produces:
+
+```json
+{"raw_body": "{\"event\": \"opened\"}", "encoding": "utf-8"}
+```
+
+Non-UTF-8 bodies use base64. Decoding returns the original bytes, or `null` for an
+unsupported envelope. It does not parse JSON or form data and does not verify signatures.
+
 ### Outbound Webhooks
 
 Outgoing webhooks deliver your application's events to a customer-supplied URL. Create one with `direction` set to `outgoing`, the destination `url`, and the `subscribed_events` it should receive (omit `subscribed_events` to receive all):
diff --git a/config/webhooks.php b/config/webhooks.php
index 4038d0e..1d9df1d 100644
--- a/config/webhooks.php
+++ b/config/webhooks.php
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
     'route_prefix' => env('WEBHOOKS_ROUTE_PREFIX', ''),
     'route_middleware' => ['auth:sanctum'],
 
+    'ingress_middleware' => [],
+
     /*
     |--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     | Outbound Delivery
diff --git a/database/migrations/2024_01_01_000012_create_webhooks_table.php b/database/migrations/2024_01_01_000012_create_webhooks_table.php
index f19651a..4a274c9 100644
--- a/database/migrations/2024_01_01_000012_create_webhooks_table.php
+++ b/database/migrations/2024_01_01_000012_create_webhooks_table.php
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ public function up(): void
             $table->timestamps();
             $table->softDeletes();
 
-            $table->index(['is_active']);
-            $table->index(['direction']);
+            $table->index(['owner_type', 'owner_id', 'direction', 'is_active'], 'webhooks_owner_dispatch');
+            $table->index(['direction', 'is_active']);
         });
     }
 
diff --git a/docs/customization.md b/docs/customization.md
index 201ba8d..f4a67d0 100644
--- a/docs/customization.md
+++ b/docs/customization.md
@@ -30,8 +30,32 @@ The package registers API routes automatically. You can customize the route pref
 'register_routes' => env('WEBHOOKS_REGISTER_ROUTES', true),
 'route_prefix' => env('WEBHOOKS_ROUTE_PREFIX', ''),
 'route_middleware' => ['auth:sanctum'],
+'ingress_middleware' => [],
 ```
 
+`route_middleware` applies to webhook management routes, including event listing.
+`ingress_middleware` applies only to `POST /webhooks/ingress/{token}` and does not
+inherit the management middleware. Its default is an empty list because webhook
+senders authenticate with the URL token rather than a Sanctum login. The ingress
+controller rejects unknown tokens and inactive webhooks. Global application
+middleware still runs.
+
+Add middleware aliases or classes to the published configuration. For example,
+Laravel's throttle middleware can limit incoming requests to 60 per minute:
+
+```php
+'ingress_middleware' => ['throttle:60,1'],
+```
+
+Applications can also add middleware that checks a provider's signature against the
+original request body. Incoming signature verification is not built into the package.
+Adding `auth:sanctum` here requires senders to supply credentials accepted by the
+application's Sanctum guard.
+
+`route_prefix` applies to both groups. For example, `api` makes the ingress path
+`/api/webhooks/ingress/{token}`. Setting `register_routes` to `false` disables both
+groups so the application can register its own routes.
+
 ### Feature Flags
 
 You can enable or disable built-in support for Workspace scoping, Project scoping, and event tracking based on your needs:
diff --git a/routes/ingress.php b/routes/ingress.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..317353b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/routes/ingress.php
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Route;
+use Whilesmart\Webhooks\Http\Controllers\WebhookController;
+
+Route::post('/webhooks/ingress/{token}', [WebhookController::class, 'ingress'])
+    ->name('webhooks.ingress');
diff --git a/src/Support/RawPayload.php b/src/Support/RawPayload.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5941c8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Support/RawPayload.php
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Whilesmart\Webhooks\Support;
+
+class RawPayload
+{
+    public static function encode(string $body): array
+    {
+        $isUtf8 = preg_match('//u', $body) === 1;
+
+        return [
+            'raw_body' => $isUtf8 ? $body : base64_encode($body),
+            'encoding' => $isUtf8 ? 'utf-8' : 'base64',
+        ];
+    }
+
+    public static function decode(array $payload): ?string
+    {
+        $body = $payload['raw_body'] ?? null;
+        $encoding = $payload['encoding'] ?? null;
+
+        if (! is_string($body)) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        if ($encoding === 'utf-8') {
+            return $body;
+        }
+
+        if ($encoding !== 'base64') {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $decoded = base64_decode($body, true);
+
+        return $decoded === false ? null : $decoded;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/WebhooksServiceProvider.php b/src/WebhooksServiceProvider.php
index 09280e7..96c7520 100644
--- a/src/WebhooksServiceProvider.php
+++ b/src/WebhooksServiceProvider.php
@@ -40,5 +40,12 @@ protected function registerRoutes(): void
         ], function () {
             $this->loadRoutesFrom(__DIR__ . '/../routes/webhooks.php');
         });
+
+        Route::group([
+            'prefix' => config('webhooks.route_prefix', 'api'),
+            'middleware' => config('webhooks.ingress_middleware', []),
+        ], function () {
+            $this->loadRoutesFrom(__DIR__ . '/../routes/ingress.php');
+        });
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Feature/IngressTest.php b/tests/Feature/IngressTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fd77ecd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/IngressTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Whilesmart\Webhooks\Tests\Feature;
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\Test;
+use Whilesmart\Webhooks\Models\Webhook;
+use Whilesmart\Webhooks\Models\WebhookEvent;
+use Whilesmart\Webhooks\Tests\TestCase;
+use Workbench\App\Models\User;
+
+class IngressTest extends TestCase
+{
+    #[Test]
+    public function incoming_json_keeps_application_fields_at_the_top_level(): void
+    {
+        $webhook = $this->incomingWebhook();
+        $payload = ['action' => 'opened', 'raw_body' => 'application value', 'encoding' => 'application encoding'];
+
+        $this->postJson("/webhooks/ingress/{$webhook->token}?source=customer", $payload)->assertStatus(202);
+
+        $event = WebhookEvent::firstOrFail();
+
+        $this->assertEquals($payload + ['source' => 'customer'], $event->payload);
+        $this->assertEquals($event->payload, $event->toArray()['payload']);
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function incoming_forms_keep_application_fields_at_the_top_level(): void
+    {
+        $webhook = $this->incomingWebhook();
+
+        $this->post("/webhooks/ingress/{$webhook->token}", ['action' => 'opened', 'number' => '7'])
+            ->assertStatus(202);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(['action' => 'opened', 'number' => '7'], WebhookEvent::firstOrFail()->payload);
+    }
+
+    private function incomingWebhook(): Webhook
+    {
+        $user = User::forceCreate([
+            'name' => 'Owner',
+            'email' => 'owner+'.uniqid().'@example.com',
+            'password' => bcrypt('secret'),
+        ]);
+
+        return Webhook::create([
+            'owner_type' => $user->getMorphClass(),
+            'owner_id' => $user->getKey(),
+            'name' => 'Inbound',
+            'direction' => Webhook::DIRECTION_INCOMING,
+            'is_active' => true,
+        ]);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/Unit/RawPayloadTest.php b/tests/Unit/RawPayloadTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..631732d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/RawPayloadTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Whilesmart\Webhooks\Tests\Unit;
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\Test;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+use Whilesmart\Webhooks\Support\RawPayload;
+
+class RawPayloadTest extends TestCase
+{
+    #[Test]
+    public function bodies_survive_json_storage_without_changing_their_signature(): void
+    {
+        $bodies = ['{"zeta":1,  "alpha":{"nested":true}}', "Text with café\n", "\xFF\x00\x80", ''];
+
+        foreach ($bodies as $body) {
+            $stored = json_encode(RawPayload::encode($body), JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR);
+            $restored = RawPayload::decode(json_decode($stored, true, 512, JSON_THROW_ON_ERROR));
+
+            $this->assertSame($body, $restored);
+            $this->assertSame(hash_hmac('sha256', $body, 'test-secret'), hash_hmac('sha256', $restored, 'test-secret'));
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function ordinary_payloads_and_invalid_envelopes_are_not_decoded(): void
+    {
+        foreach ([['action' => 'opened'], ['raw_body' => 'text'], ['raw_body' => [], 'encoding' => 'utf-8'],
+            ['raw_body' => 'text', 'encoding' => 'unknown'], ['raw_body' => '!!!', 'encoding' => 'base64']] as $payload) {
+            $this->assertNull(RawPayload::decode($payload));
+        }
+    }
+}