diff --git a/datafusion/substrait/src/logical_plan/producer/expr/literal.rs b/datafusion/substrait/src/logical_plan/producer/expr/literal.rs
index 8882c992dca1c..1a0f12c7b32a9 100644
--- a/datafusion/substrait/src/logical_plan/producer/expr/literal.rs
+++ b/datafusion/substrait/src/logical_plan/producer/expr/literal.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ pub(crate) fn to_substrait_literal(
     producer: &mut impl SubstraitProducer,
     value: &ScalarValue,
 ) -> datafusion::common::Result<Literal> {
+    if let ScalarValue::Dictionary(_, value) = value {
+        return to_substrait_literal(producer, value.as_ref());
+    }
+
     if value.is_null() {
         return Ok(Literal {
             nullable: true,
@@ -558,4 +562,32 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(scalar, roundtrip_scalar);
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn dictionary_literals_are_serialized_as_inner_values() -> Result<()> {
+        let state = SessionContext::default().state();
+        let mut producer = DefaultSubstraitProducer::new(&state);
+        let scalar = ScalarValue::Dictionary(
+            Box::new(DataType::Int32),
+            Box::new(ScalarValue::Utf8(Some("req.latency".to_string()))),
+        );
+
+        let substrait_literal = to_substrait_literal(&mut producer, &scalar)?;
+        assert!(matches!(
+            substrait_literal.literal_type.as_ref(),
+            Some(LiteralType::String(value)) if value == "req.latency"
+        ));
+        assert_eq!(
+            substrait_literal.type_variation_reference,
+            DEFAULT_CONTAINER_TYPE_VARIATION_REF
+        );
+
+        let roundtrip_scalar =
+            from_substrait_literal_without_names(&test_consumer(), &substrait_literal)?;
+        assert_eq!(
+            ScalarValue::Utf8(Some("req.latency".to_string())),
+            roundtrip_scalar
+        );
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }