diff --git a/plugins/processors/strings/README.md b/plugins/processors/strings/README.md
index a7aa0e2a5..e0fcec910 100644
--- a/plugins/processors/strings/README.md
+++ b/plugins/processors/strings/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ Implemented functions are:
 - replace
 - left
 - base64decode
+- valid_utf8
 
 Please note that in this implementation these are processed in the order that they appear above.
 
@@ -78,6 +79,12 @@ If you'd like to apply multiple processings to the same `tag_key` or `field_key`
   ## Decode a base64 encoded utf-8 string
   # [[processors.strings.base64decode]]
   #   field = "message"
+
+  ## Sanitize a string to ensure it is a valid utf-8 string
+  ## Each run of invalid UTF-8 byte sequences is replaced by the replacement string, which may be empty
+  # [[processors.strings.valid_utf8]]
+  #   field = "message"
+  #   replacement = ""
 ```
 
 #### Trim, TrimLeft, TrimRight
diff --git a/plugins/processors/strings/strings.go b/plugins/processors/strings/strings.go
index 92ce56098..7b2d3251e 100644
--- a/plugins/processors/strings/strings.go
+++ b/plugins/processors/strings/strings.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ type Strings struct {
 	Replace      []converter `toml:"replace"`
 	Left         []converter `toml:"left"`
 	Base64Decode []converter `toml:"base64decode"`
+	ValidUTF8    []converter `toml:"valid_utf8"`
 
 	converters []converter
 	init       bool
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ type converter struct {
 	Old         string
 	New         string
 	Width       int
+	Replacement string
 
 	fn ConvertFunc
 }
@@ -98,6 +100,12 @@ const sampleConfig = `
   ## Decode a base64 encoded utf-8 string
   # [[processors.strings.base64decode]]
   #   field = "message"
+
+  ## Sanitize a string to ensure it is a valid utf-8 string
+  ## Each run of invalid UTF-8 byte sequences is replaced by the replacement string, which may be empty
+  # [[processors.strings.valid_utf8]]
+  #   field = "message"
+  #   replacement = ""
 `
 
 func (s *Strings) SampleConfig() string {
@@ -318,6 +326,11 @@ func (s *Strings) initOnce() {
 		}
 		s.converters = append(s.converters, c)
 	}
+	for _, c := range s.ValidUTF8 {
+		c := c
+		c.fn = func(s string) string { return strings.ToValidUTF8(s, c.Replacement) }
+		s.converters = append(s.converters, c)
+	}
 
 	s.init = true
 }
diff --git a/plugins/processors/strings/strings_test.go b/plugins/processors/strings/strings_test.go
index 40d798a6d..c42011884 100644
--- a/plugins/processors/strings/strings_test.go
+++ b/plugins/processors/strings/strings_test.go
@@ -1047,3 +1047,113 @@ func TestBase64Decode(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestValidUTF8(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		plugin   *Strings
+		metric   []telegraf.Metric
+		expected []telegraf.Metric
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "valid utf-8 keeps original string",
+			plugin: &Strings{
+				ValidUTF8: []converter{
+					{
+						Field:       "message",
+						Replacement: "r",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			metric: []telegraf.Metric{
+				testutil.MustMetric(
+					"cpu",
+					map[string]string{},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"message": "howdy",
+					},
+					time.Unix(0, 0),
+				),
+			},
+			expected: []telegraf.Metric{
+				testutil.MustMetric(
+					"cpu",
+					map[string]string{},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"message": "howdy",
+					},
+					time.Unix(0, 0),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non-valid utf-8 modifies original string",
+			plugin: &Strings{
+				ValidUTF8: []converter{
+					{
+						Field:       "message",
+						Replacement: "r",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			metric: []telegraf.Metric{
+				testutil.MustMetric(
+					"cpu",
+					map[string]string{},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"message": "ho" + string([]byte{0xff}) + "wdy",
+					},
+					time.Unix(0, 0),
+				),
+			},
+			expected: []telegraf.Metric{
+				testutil.MustMetric(
+					"cpu",
+					map[string]string{},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"message": "horwdy",
+					},
+					time.Unix(0, 0),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "non-valid utf-8 and empty replacement removes invalid characters",
+			plugin: &Strings{
+				ValidUTF8: []converter{
+					{
+						Field:       "message",
+						Replacement: "",
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			metric: []telegraf.Metric{
+				testutil.MustMetric(
+					"cpu",
+					map[string]string{},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"message": "ho" + string([]byte{0xff}) + "wdy",
+					},
+					time.Unix(0, 0),
+				),
+			},
+			expected: []telegraf.Metric{
+				testutil.MustMetric(
+					"cpu",
+					map[string]string{},
+					map[string]interface{}{
+						"message": "howdy",
+					},
+					time.Unix(0, 0),
+				),
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			actual := tt.plugin.Apply(tt.metric...)
+			testutil.RequireMetricsEqual(t, tt.expected, actual)
+		})
+	}
+}