diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile b/docker/Dockerfile
index 53732e7..0c00870 100644
--- a/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -4,6 +4,19 @@ FROM php:8.2-cli-alpine
 COPY --from=composer /usr/bin/composer /usr/bin/composer
 RUN composer self-update
 
+# Install system dependencies
+RUN apk add --no-cache --update \
+    curl \
+    openssl \
+    libpng-dev \
+    libjpeg-turbo-dev \
+    freetype-dev \
+    libzip-dev \
+    unzip
+
+# Install the GD extension
+RUN docker-php-ext-configure gd --with-freetype --with-jpeg && docker-php-ext-install gd
+
 WORKDIR /usr/src/app
 COPY . .
 
diff --git a/src/SimpleDTO.php b/src/SimpleDTO.php
index 4f39567..515b29b 100644
--- a/src/SimpleDTO.php
+++ b/src/SimpleDTO.php
@@ -95,6 +95,19 @@ public function __get(string $name): mixed
         return $this->{$name} ?? null;
     }
 
+    public function __serialize(): array
+    {
+        return $this->jsonSerialize();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @throws ValidationException|MissingCastTypeException|CastTargetException
+     */
+    public function __unserialize(array $data): void
+    {
+        $this->__construct($data);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Defines the default values for the properties of the DTO.
      */
diff --git a/tests/Unit/SimpleDTOTest.php b/tests/Unit/SimpleDTOTest.php
index 7266c4d..8a19462 100644
--- a/tests/Unit/SimpleDTOTest.php
+++ b/tests/Unit/SimpleDTOTest.php
@@ -102,6 +102,22 @@
         ->toBe(['name' => $this->subject_name]);
 });
 
+it('validates that a SimpleDTO can be instantiated from an Eloquent Model and also get serialized', function () {
+    $model = new class() extends Model
+    {
+        protected $fillable = ['name'];
+    };
+
+    $model->fill(['name' => $this->subject_name]);
+
+    $simpleDTO = SimpleDTOInstance::fromModel($model);
+
+    $serialized = unserialize(serialize($simpleDTO));
+
+    expect($serialized->validatedData)
+        ->toBe(['name' => $this->subject_name]);
+});
+
 it('validates that a SimpleDTO can be instantiated from Command arguments', function () {
     $command = new class() extends Command
     {