diff --git a/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_definitions.erl b/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_definitions.erl
index ae1f30e4fa67..63f76e851b5c 100644
--- a/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_definitions.erl
+++ b/deps/rabbit/src/rabbit_definitions.erl
@@ -1077,9 +1077,22 @@ runtime_parameter_definition(Param) ->
         <<"vhost">> => pget(vhost, Param),
         <<"component">> => pget(component, Param),
         <<"name">> => pget(name, Param),
-        <<"value">> => maps:from_list(pget(value, Param))
+        <<"value">> => maybe_map(pget(value, Param))
     }.
 
+maybe_map(Value) when is_list(Value) ->
+    %% Not all definitions are maps. `federation-upstream-set` is
+    %% a list of maps, and it should be exported as it has been
+    %% imported
+    try
+        maps:from_list(Value)
+    catch
+        _:_ ->
+            Value
+    end;
+maybe_map(Value) ->
+    Value.
+
 list_global_runtime_parameters() ->
     [global_runtime_parameter_definition(P) || P <- rabbit_runtime_parameters:list_global(), not is_internal_parameter(P)].
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/export_definitions_command.ex b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/export_definitions_command.ex
index c5299b927d62..cc21e2a0a46d 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/export_definitions_command.ex
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_cli/lib/rabbitmq/cli/ctl/commands/export_definitions_command.ex
@@ -149,17 +149,9 @@ defmodule RabbitMQ.CLI.Ctl.Commands.ExportDefinitionsCommand do
   #
 
   defp serialise(raw_map, "json") do
-    # make sure all runtime parameter values are maps, otherwise
-    # they will end up being a list of pairs (a keyword list/proplist)
-    # in the resulting JSON document
-    map =
-      Map.update!(raw_map, :parameters, fn params ->
-        Enum.map(params, fn param ->
-          Map.update!(param, "value", &:rabbit_data_coercion.to_map/1)
-        end)
-      end)
-
-    {:ok, json} = JSON.encode(map)
+    # rabbit_definitions already takes care of transforming all
+    # proplists into maps
+    {:ok, json} = JSON.encode(raw_map)
     json
   end
 
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_federation/BUILD.bazel b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/BUILD.bazel
index 569146dd5d8a..2ae8e23837a3 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_federation/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/BUILD.bazel
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ eunit(
 
 broker_for_integration_suites()
 
+rabbitmq_integration_suite(
+    name = "definition_import_SUITE",
+    size = "small",
+)
+
 rabbitmq_integration_suite(
     name = "exchange_SUITE",
     size = "large",
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_federation/app.bzl b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/app.bzl
index 2f68ed025bc8..b183bea904a0 100644
--- a/deps/rabbitmq_federation/app.bzl
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/app.bzl
@@ -146,6 +146,15 @@ def all_srcs(name = "all_srcs"):
     )
 
 def test_suite_beam_files(name = "test_suite_beam_files"):
+    erlang_bytecode(
+        name = "definition_import_SUITE_beam_files",
+        testonly = True,
+        srcs = ["test/definition_import_SUITE.erl"],
+        outs = ["test/definition_import_SUITE.beam"],
+        app_name = "rabbitmq_federation",
+        erlc_opts = "//:test_erlc_opts",
+        deps = ["//deps/rabbitmq_ct_helpers:erlang_app"],
+    )
     erlang_bytecode(
         name = "exchange_SUITE_beam_files",
         testonly = True,
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_federation/test/definition_import_SUITE.erl b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/test/definition_import_SUITE.erl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..44f4afe3bb65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/test/definition_import_SUITE.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+%% This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+%% License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+%% file, You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+%%
+%% Copyright (c) 2007-2024 Broadcom. All Rights Reserved. The term “Broadcom” refers to Broadcom Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved.
+%%
+
+-module(definition_import_SUITE).
+
+-include_lib("rabbitmq_ct_helpers/include/rabbit_assert.hrl").
+-include_lib("common_test/include/ct.hrl").
+-include_lib("eunit/include/eunit.hrl").
+
+-compile(export_all).
+
+all() ->
+    [
+     {group, roundtrip}
+    ].
+
+groups() ->
+    [
+        {roundtrip, [], [
+            export_import_round_trip
+        ]}
+    ].
+
+%% -------------------------------------------------------------------
+%% Test suite setup/teardown.
+%% -------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+init_per_suite(Config) ->
+    rabbit_ct_helpers:log_environment(),
+    inets:start(),
+    Config.
+end_per_suite(Config) ->
+    Config.
+
+init_per_group(Group, Config) ->
+    Config1 = rabbit_ct_helpers:set_config(Config, [
+                                                    {rmq_nodename_suffix, Group}
+                                                   ]),
+    rabbit_ct_helpers:run_setup_steps(Config1, rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:setup_steps()).
+
+end_per_group(_, Config) ->
+    rabbit_ct_helpers:run_teardown_steps(Config, rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:teardown_steps()).
+
+init_per_testcase(Testcase, Config) ->
+    rabbit_ct_helpers:testcase_started(Config, Testcase).
+
+end_per_testcase(Testcase, Config) ->
+    rabbit_ct_helpers:testcase_finished(Config, Testcase).
+
+%%
+%% Tests
+%%
+
+export_import_round_trip(Config) ->
+    case rabbit_ct_helpers:is_mixed_versions() of
+      false ->
+        import_file_case(Config, "case1"),
+        Defs = export(Config),
+        import_raw(Config, rabbit_json:encode(Defs));
+      _ ->
+        %% skip the test in mixed version mode
+        {skip, "Should not run in mixed version environments"}
+    end.
+
+%%
+%% Implementation
+%%
+
+import_file_case(Config, CaseName) ->
+    CasePath = filename:join([
+        ?config(data_dir, Config),
+        CaseName ++ ".json"
+    ]),
+    rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, ?MODULE, run_import_case, [CasePath]),
+    ok.
+
+
+import_raw(Config, Body) ->
+    case rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, rabbit_definitions, import_raw, [Body]) of
+        ok -> ok;
+        {error, E} ->
+            ct:pal("Import of JSON definitions ~tp failed: ~tp~n", [Body, E]),
+            ct:fail({expected_failure, Body, E})
+    end.
+
+export(Config) ->
+    rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, ?MODULE, run_export, []).
+
+run_export() ->
+    rabbit_definitions:all_definitions().
+
+run_directory_import_case(Path, Expected) ->
+    ct:pal("Will load definitions from files under ~tp~n", [Path]),
+    Result = rabbit_definitions:maybe_load_definitions_from(true, Path),
+    case Expected of
+        ok ->
+            ok = Result;
+        error ->
+            ?assertMatch({error, {failed_to_import_definitions, _, _}}, Result)
+    end.
+
+run_import_case(Path) ->
+   {ok, Body} = file:read_file(Path),
+   ct:pal("Successfully loaded a definition to import from ~tp~n", [Path]),
+   case rabbit_definitions:import_raw(Body) of
+     ok -> ok;
+     {error, E} ->
+       ct:pal("Import case ~tp failed: ~tp~n", [Path, E]),
+       ct:fail({expected_failure, Path, E})
+   end.
+
+run_invalid_import_case(Path) ->
+   {ok, Body} = file:read_file(Path),
+   ct:pal("Successfully loaded a definition file at ~tp~n", [Path]),
+   case rabbit_definitions:import_raw(Body) of
+     ok ->
+       ct:pal("Expected import case ~tp to fail~n", [Path]),
+       ct:fail({expected_failure, Path});
+     {error, _E} -> ok
+   end.
+
+run_invalid_import_case_if_unchanged(Path) ->
+    Mod = rabbit_definitions_import_local_filesystem,
+    ct:pal("Successfully loaded a definition to import from ~tp~n", [Path]),
+    case rabbit_definitions:maybe_load_definitions_from_local_filesystem_if_unchanged(Mod, false, Path) of
+        ok ->
+            ct:pal("Expected import case ~tp to fail~n", [Path]),
+            ct:fail({expected_failure, Path});
+        {error, _E} -> ok
+    end.
+
+queue_lookup(Config, VHost, Name) ->
+    rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, rabbit_amqqueue, lookup, [rabbit_misc:r(VHost, queue, Name)]).
+
+vhost_lookup(Config, VHost) ->
+    rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, rabbit_vhost, lookup, [VHost]).
+
+user_lookup(Config, User) ->
+    rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, rabbit_auth_backend_internal, lookup_user, [User]).
+
+delete_vhost(Config, VHost) ->
+    rabbit_ct_broker_helpers:rpc(Config, 0, rabbit_vhost, delete, [VHost, <<"CT tests">>]).
diff --git a/deps/rabbitmq_federation/test/definition_import_SUITE_data/case1.json b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/test/definition_import_SUITE_data/case1.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e549e4fd6c1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps/rabbitmq_federation/test/definition_import_SUITE_data/case1.json
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+{
+    "permissions": [
+        {
+            "configure": ".*",
+            "read": ".*",
+            "user": "guest",
+            "vhost": "/",
+            "write": ".*"
+        }
+    ],
+    "bindings": [],
+    "queues": [],
+    "parameters": [
+        {
+            "component": "federation-upstream-set",
+            "name": "location-1",
+            "value": [
+                {
+                    "upstream":"up-1"
+                },
+                {
+                    "upstream":"up-2"
+                }
+            ],
+            "vhost":"/"}],
+    "policies": [],
+    "rabbitmq_version": "3.13.0+376.g1bc0d89.dirty",
+    "users": [
+        {
+            "hashing_algorithm": "rabbit_password_hashing_sha256",
+            "limits": {},
+            "name": "guest",
+            "password_hash": "jTcCKuOmGJeeRQ/K1LG5sdZLcdnEnqv8wcrP2n68R7nMuqy2",
+            "tags": ["administrator"]
+        }
+    ],
+    "rabbit_version": "3.13.0+376.g1bc0d89.dirty",
+    "exchanges": [],
+    "topic_permissions": [],
+    "vhosts": [
+        {
+            "limits": [],
+            "metadata":
+            {
+                "description": "Default virtual host",
+                "tags": []
+            },
+            "name":"/"
+        }
+    ],
+    "global_parameters": []
+}