diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8b4c71c..acb91f3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Write Pino transports easily.
 
 ## Install
 
-```
+```sh
 npm i pino-abstract-transport
 ```
 
@@ -43,9 +43,12 @@ module.exports = function (opts) {
 ```
 
 ## Typescript usage
+
 Install the type definitions for node. Make sure the major version of the type definitions matches the node version you are using.
+
 #### Node 16
-```
+
+```sh
 npm i -D @types/node@16
 ```
 
@@ -78,6 +81,8 @@ stream, it emits the following events:
 
 * `parseLine(line)` a function that is used to parse line received from `pino`.
 
+* `expectPinoConfig` a boolean that indicates if the transport expects Pino to add some of its configuration to the stream. Default: `false`.
+
 ## Example
 
 ### custom parseLine
@@ -142,6 +147,26 @@ pipeline(process.stdin, buildTransform(), buildDestination(), function (err) {
 })
 ```
 
+### Using pino config
+
+Setting `expectPinoConfig` to `true` will make the transport wait for pino to send its configuration before starting to process logs. It will add `levels`, `messageKey` and `errorKey` to the stream.
+
+When used with an incompatible version of pino, the stream will immediately error.
+
+```js
+import build from 'pino-abstract-transport'
+
+export default function (opts) {
+  return build(async function (source) {
+    for await (const obj of source) {
+      console.log(`[${source.levels.labels[obj.level]}]: ${obj[source.messageKey]}`)
+    }
+  }, {
+    expectPinoConfig: true
+  })
+}
+```
+
 ## License
 
 MIT
diff --git a/index.d.ts b/index.d.ts
index 74b58a8..1ac49a5 100644
--- a/index.d.ts
+++ b/index.d.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ type BuildOptions = {
    * `metadata` If set to false, do not add metadata properties to the returned stream
    */
   metadata?: false;
+
+  /**
+   * `expectPinoConfig` If set to true, the transport will wait for pino to send its
+   * configuration before starting to process logs.
+   */
+  expectPinoConfig?: boolean;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -50,6 +56,17 @@ type EnablePipelining = BuildOptions & {
   enablePipelining: true;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Create a split2 instance and returns it. This same instance is also passed
+ * to the given function, which is called after pino has sent its configuration.
+ *
+ * @returns {Promise<Transform>} the split2 instance
+ */
+declare function build(
+  fn: (transform: Transform & build.OnUnknown) => void | Promise<void>,
+  opts: BuildOptions & { expectPinoConfig: true }
+): Promise<Transform & build.OnUnknown>;
+
 /**
  * Create a split2 instance and returns it. This same instance is also passed
  * to the given function, which is called synchronously.
@@ -61,6 +78,19 @@ declare function build(
   opts?: BuildOptions
 ): Transform & build.OnUnknown;
 
+/**
+ * Creates a split2 instance and passes it to the given function, which is called
+ * after pino has sent its configuration. Then wraps the split2 instance and
+ * the returned stream into a Duplex, so they can be concatenated into multiple
+ * transports.
+ *
+ * @returns {Promise<Transform>} the wrapped split2 instance
+ */
+declare function build(
+  fn: (transform: Transform & build.OnUnknown) => Transform & build.OnUnknown,
+  opts: EnablePipelining & { expectPinoConfig: true }
+): Promise<Transform>;
+
 /**
  * Creates a split2 instance and passes it to the given function, which is called
  * synchronously. Then wraps the split2 instance and the returned stream into a
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 2f6167f..c05564a 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -3,8 +3,22 @@
 const metadata = Symbol.for('pino.metadata')
 const split = require('split2')
 const { Duplex } = require('readable-stream')
+const { parentPort, workerData } = require('worker_threads')
+
+function createDeferred () {
+  let resolve
+  let reject
+  const promise = new Promise((_resolve, _reject) => {
+    resolve = _resolve
+    reject = _reject
+  })
+  promise.resolve = resolve
+  promise.reject = reject
+  return promise
+}
 
 module.exports = function build (fn, opts = {}) {
+  const waitForConfig = opts.expectPinoConfig === true && workerData?.workerData?.pinoWillSendConfig === true
   const parseLines = opts.parse === 'lines'
   const parseLine = typeof opts.parseLine === 'function' ? opts.parseLine : JSON.parse
   const close = opts.close || defaultClose
@@ -50,6 +64,12 @@ module.exports = function build (fn, opts = {}) {
     }
   }
 
+  if (opts.expectPinoConfig === true && workerData?.workerData?.pinoWillSendConfig !== true) {
+    setImmediate(() => {
+      stream.emit('error', new Error('This transport is not compatible with the current version of pino. Please upgrade pino to the latest version.'))
+    })
+  }
+
   if (opts.metadata !== false) {
     stream[metadata] = true
     stream.lastTime = 0
@@ -57,20 +77,50 @@ module.exports = function build (fn, opts = {}) {
     stream.lastObj = null
   }
 
-  let res = fn(stream)
+  if (waitForConfig) {
+    let pinoConfig = {}
+    const configReceived = createDeferred()
+    parentPort.on('message', function handleMessage (message) {
+      if (message.code === 'PINO_CONFIG') {
+        pinoConfig = message.config
+        configReceived.resolve()
+        parentPort.off('message', handleMessage)
+      }
+    })
 
-  if (res && typeof res.catch === 'function') {
-    res.catch((err) => {
-      stream.destroy(err)
+    Object.defineProperties(stream, {
+      levels: {
+        get () { return pinoConfig.levels }
+      },
+      messageKey: {
+        get () { return pinoConfig.messageKey }
+      },
+      errorKey: {
+        get () { return pinoConfig.errorKey }
+      }
     })
 
-    // set it to null to not retain a reference to the promise
-    res = null
-  } else if (opts.enablePipelining && res) {
-    return Duplex.from({ writable: stream, readable: res })
+    return configReceived.then(finish)
   }
 
-  return stream
+  return finish()
+
+  function finish () {
+    let res = fn(stream)
+
+    if (res && typeof res.catch === 'function') {
+      res.catch((err) => {
+        stream.destroy(err)
+      })
+
+      // set it to null to not retain a reference to the promise
+      res = null
+    } else if (opts.enablePipelining && res) {
+      return Duplex.from({ writable: stream, readable: res })
+    }
+
+    return stream
+  }
 }
 
 function defaultClose (err, cb) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 47f4269..56754f8 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     "snazzy": "^9.0.0",
     "standard": "^17.0.0",
     "tap": "^16.0.0",
+    "thread-stream": "^2.4.1",
     "tsd": "^0.31.0"
   },
   "tsd": {
diff --git a/test/base.test.js b/test/base.test.js
index e025525..e804135 100644
--- a/test/base.test.js
+++ b/test/base.test.js
@@ -139,6 +139,13 @@ test('rejecting errors the stream', async ({ same, plan }) => {
   same(err.message, 'kaboom')
 })
 
+test('emits an error if the transport expects pino to send the config, but pino is not going to', async function ({ plan, same }) {
+  plan(1)
+  const stream = build(() => {}, { expectPinoConfig: true })
+  const [err] = await once(stream, 'error')
+  same(err.message, 'This transport is not compatible with the current version of pino. Please upgrade pino to the latest version.')
+})
+
 test('set metadata', ({ same, plan, equal }) => {
   plan(9)
 
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transport-async-iteration.js b/test/fixtures/transport-async-iteration.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ddcdaf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/transport-async-iteration.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const build = require('../..')
+
+module.exports = async function (threadStreamOpts) {
+  const { port, opts = {} } = threadStreamOpts
+  return build(
+    async function (source) {
+      for await (const obj of source) {
+        port.postMessage({
+          data: obj,
+          pinoConfig: {
+            levels: source.levels,
+            messageKey: source.messageKey,
+            errorKey: source.errorKey
+          }
+        })
+      }
+    },
+    opts
+  )
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transport-on-data.js b/test/fixtures/transport-on-data.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58143fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/transport-on-data.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const build = require('../..')
+
+module.exports = async function (threadStreamOpts) {
+  const { port, opts = {} } = threadStreamOpts
+  return build(
+    function (source) {
+      source.on('data', function (line) {
+        port.postMessage({
+          data: line,
+          pinoConfig: {
+            levels: source.levels,
+            messageKey: source.messageKey,
+            errorKey: source.errorKey
+          }
+        })
+      })
+    },
+    opts
+  )
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/transport-transform.js b/test/fixtures/transport-transform.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..66c84dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/transport-transform.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const { Transform, pipeline } = require('stream')
+const build = require('../..')
+
+module.exports = function (threadStreamOpts) {
+  const { opts = {} } = threadStreamOpts
+  return build(function (source) {
+    const transform = new Transform({
+      objectMode: true,
+      autoDestroy: true,
+      transform (chunk, enc, cb) {
+        chunk.service = 'from transform'
+        chunk.level = `${source.levels.labels[chunk.level]}(${chunk.level})`
+        chunk[source.messageKey] = chunk[source.messageKey].toUpperCase()
+        cb(null, JSON.stringify(chunk) + '\n')
+      }
+    })
+
+    pipeline(source, transform, () => {})
+
+    return transform
+  }, { ...opts, enablePipelining: true })
+}
diff --git a/test/fixtures/worker-pipeline.js b/test/fixtures/worker-pipeline.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38af252
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/worker-pipeline.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const { pipeline, PassThrough } = require('stream')
+
+module.exports = async function ({ targets }) {
+  const streams = await Promise.all(targets.map(async (t) => {
+    const fn = require(t.target)
+    const stream = await fn(t.options)
+    return stream
+  }))
+
+  const stream = new PassThrough()
+  pipeline(stream, ...streams, () => {})
+  return stream
+}
diff --git a/test/types/index.test-d.ts b/test/types/index.test-d.ts
index 3fa9169..b5f6a85 100644
--- a/test/types/index.test-d.ts
+++ b/test/types/index.test-d.ts
@@ -9,12 +9,22 @@ import { Transform } from "stream";
  */
 expectType<Transform>(build((source) => source, { enablePipelining: true }));
 
+/**
+ * If expectPinoConfig is set with enablePipelining, build returns a promise
+ */
+expectType<(Promise<Transform>)>(build((source) => source, { enablePipelining: true, expectPinoConfig: true }));
+
 /**
  * If enablePipelining is not set the unknown event can be listened to on
  * the returned stream.
  */
 expectType<Transform & OnUnknown>(build((source) => {}));
 
+/**
+ * If expectPinoConfig is set, build returns a promise
+ */
+expectType<(Promise<Transform & OnUnknown>)>(build((source) => {}, { expectPinoConfig: true }));
+
 /**
  * build also accepts an async function
  */
diff --git a/test/worker.test.js b/test/worker.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e49976e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/worker.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,364 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const { once } = require('events')
+const { join } = require('path')
+const ThreadStream = require('thread-stream')
+const { MessageChannel } = require('worker_threads')
+const { test } = require('tap')
+
+workerTest('transport-on-data.js')
+workerTest('transport-async-iteration.js', ' when using async iteration')
+
+function workerTest (filename, description = '') {
+  test(`does not wait for pino to send config by default${description}`, function ({ same, plan }) {
+    plan(4)
+    const { port1, port2 } = new MessageChannel()
+    const stream = new ThreadStream({
+      filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', filename),
+      workerData: { port: port1 },
+      workerOpts: {
+        transferList: [port1]
+      }
+    })
+
+    const expected = [{
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'hello world'
+    }, {
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'another message',
+      prop: 42
+    }]
+
+    const emptyPinoConfig = {
+      levels: undefined,
+      messageKey: undefined,
+      errorKey: undefined
+    }
+
+    port2.on('message', function (message) {
+      same(expected.shift(), message.data)
+      same(emptyPinoConfig, message.pinoConfig)
+    })
+
+    const lines = expected.map(JSON.stringify).join('\n')
+    stream.write(lines)
+    stream.end()
+  })
+
+  test(`does not wait for pino to send config if transport is not expecting it${description}`, function ({ same, plan }) {
+    plan(4)
+    const { port1, port2 } = new MessageChannel()
+    const stream = new ThreadStream({
+      filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', filename),
+      workerData: {
+        port: port1,
+        pinoWillSendConfig: true
+      },
+      workerOpts: {
+        transferList: [port1]
+      }
+    })
+
+    const expected = [{
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'hello world'
+    }, {
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'another message',
+      prop: 42
+    }]
+
+    const emptyPinoConfig = {
+      levels: undefined,
+      messageKey: undefined,
+      errorKey: undefined
+    }
+
+    const pinoConfig = {
+      levels: {
+        labels: { 30: 'info' },
+        values: { info: 30 }
+      },
+      messageKey: 'msg',
+      errorKey: 'err'
+    }
+
+    stream.worker.postMessage({ code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    // stream.emit('message', { code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+
+    port2.on('message', function (message) {
+      same(expected.shift(), message.data)
+      same(emptyPinoConfig, message.pinoConfig)
+    })
+
+    const lines = expected.map(JSON.stringify).join('\n')
+    stream.write(lines)
+    stream.end()
+  })
+
+  test(`waits for the pino config when pino intends to send it and the transport requests it${description}`, function ({ same, plan }) {
+    plan(4)
+    const { port1, port2 } = new MessageChannel()
+    const stream = new ThreadStream({
+      filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', filename),
+      workerData: {
+        port: port1,
+        pinoWillSendConfig: true,
+        opts: {
+          expectPinoConfig: true
+        }
+      },
+      workerOpts: {
+        transferList: [port1]
+      }
+    })
+
+    const expected = [{
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'hello world'
+    }, {
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'another message',
+      prop: 42
+    }]
+
+    const pinoConfig = {
+      levels: {
+        labels: { 30: 'info' },
+        values: { info: 30 }
+      },
+      messageKey: 'msg',
+      errorKey: 'err'
+    }
+
+    port2.on('message', function (message) {
+      same(expected.shift(), message.data)
+      same(pinoConfig, message.pinoConfig)
+    })
+
+    const lines = expected.map(JSON.stringify).join('\n')
+    stream.worker.postMessage({ code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    // stream.emit('message', { code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    stream.write(lines)
+    stream.end()
+  })
+
+  test(`continues to listen if it receives a message that is not PINO_CONFIG${description}`, function ({ same, plan }) {
+    plan(4)
+    const { port1, port2 } = new MessageChannel()
+    const stream = new ThreadStream({
+      filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'transport-on-data.js'),
+      workerData: {
+        port: port1,
+        pinoWillSendConfig: true,
+        opts: {
+          expectPinoConfig: true
+        }
+      },
+      workerOpts: {
+        transferList: [port1]
+      }
+    })
+
+    const expected = [{
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'hello world'
+    }, {
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'another message',
+      prop: 42
+    }]
+
+    const pinoConfig = {
+      levels: {
+        labels: { 30: 'info' },
+        values: { info: 30 }
+      },
+      messageKey: 'msg',
+      errorKey: 'err'
+    }
+
+    port2.on('message', function (message) {
+      same(expected.shift(), message.data)
+      same(pinoConfig, message.pinoConfig)
+    })
+
+    const lines = expected.map(JSON.stringify).join('\n')
+    stream.worker.postMessage('not a PINO_CONFIG')
+    // stream.emit('message', 'not a PINO_CONFIG')
+    stream.worker.postMessage({ code: 'NOT_PINO_CONFIG', config: { levels: 'foo', messageKey: 'bar', errorKey: 'baz' } })
+    // stream.emit('message', { code: 'NOT_PINO_CONFIG', config: { levels: 'foo', messageKey: 'bar', errorKey: 'baz' } })
+    stream.worker.postMessage({ code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    // stream.emit('message', { code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    stream.write(lines)
+    stream.end()
+  })
+
+  test(`waits for the pino config even if it is sent after write${description}`, function ({ same, plan }) {
+    plan(4)
+    const { port1, port2 } = new MessageChannel()
+    const stream = new ThreadStream({
+      filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', filename),
+      workerData: {
+        port: port1,
+        pinoWillSendConfig: true,
+        opts: {
+          expectPinoConfig: true
+        }
+      },
+      workerOpts: {
+        transferList: [port1]
+      }
+    })
+
+    const expected = [{
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'hello world'
+    }, {
+      level: 30,
+      time: 1617955768092,
+      pid: 2942,
+      hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+      msg: 'another message',
+      prop: 42
+    }]
+
+    const pinoConfig = {
+      levels: {
+        labels: { 30: 'info' },
+        values: { info: 30 }
+      },
+      messageKey: 'msg',
+      errorKey: 'err'
+    }
+
+    port2.on('message', function (message) {
+      same(expected.shift(), message.data)
+      same(pinoConfig, message.pinoConfig)
+    })
+
+    const lines = expected.map(JSON.stringify).join('\n')
+    stream.write(lines)
+    stream.worker.postMessage({ code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    // stream.emit('message', { code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+    stream.end()
+  })
+
+  test(`emits an error if the transport expects pino to send the config, but pino is not going to${description}`, async function ({ plan, same, ok }) {
+    plan(2)
+    const stream = new ThreadStream({
+      filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', filename),
+      workerData: {
+        opts: {
+          expectPinoConfig: true
+        }
+      }
+    })
+    const [err] = await once(stream, 'error')
+    same(err.message, 'This transport is not compatible with the current version of pino. Please upgrade pino to the latest version.')
+    ok(stream.destroyed)
+  })
+}
+
+test('waits for the pino config when pipelining', function ({ same, plan }) {
+  plan(2)
+  const { port1, port2 } = new MessageChannel()
+  const stream = new ThreadStream({
+    filename: join(__dirname, 'fixtures', 'worker-pipeline.js'),
+    workerData: {
+      pinoWillSendConfig: true,
+      targets: [{
+        target: './transport-transform.js',
+        options: {
+          opts: { expectPinoConfig: true }
+        }
+      }, {
+        target: './transport-on-data.js',
+        options: {
+          port: port1
+        }
+      }]
+    },
+    workerOpts: {
+      transferList: [port1]
+    }
+  })
+
+  const expected = [{
+    level: 'info(30)',
+    time: 1617955768092,
+    pid: 2942,
+    hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+    msg: 'HELLO WORLD',
+    service: 'from transform'
+  }, {
+    level: 'info(30)',
+    time: 1617955768092,
+    pid: 2942,
+    hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+    msg: 'ANOTHER MESSAGE',
+    prop: 42,
+    service: 'from transform'
+  }]
+
+  const lines = [{
+    level: 30,
+    time: 1617955768092,
+    pid: 2942,
+    hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+    msg: 'hello world'
+  }, {
+    level: 30,
+    time: 1617955768092,
+    pid: 2942,
+    hostname: 'MacBook-Pro.local',
+    msg: 'another message',
+    prop: 42
+  }].map(JSON.stringify).join('\n')
+
+  const pinoConfig = {
+    levels: {
+      labels: { 30: 'info' },
+      values: { info: 30 }
+    },
+    messageKey: 'msg',
+    errorKey: 'err'
+  }
+
+  port2.on('message', function (message) {
+    same(expected.shift(), message.data)
+  })
+
+  stream.worker.postMessage({ code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+  // stream.emit('message', { code: 'PINO_CONFIG', config: pinoConfig })
+  stream.write(lines)
+  stream.end()
+})