diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 54aa3f5..3216225 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ pub enum Error {
     #[cfg(feature = "async")]
     InvalidHeaderValue(InvalidHeaderValue),
     EmptyResponse,
+    UnknownPriority,
 }
 
 impl std::error::Error for Error {}
@@ -39,7 +40,8 @@ impl fmt::Display for Error {
             Self::Url(e) => write!(f, "{}", e),
             #[cfg(feature = "async")]
             Self::InvalidHeaderValue(e) => write!(f, "{}", e),
-            Self::EmptyResponse => write!(f, "Empty Response"),
+            Self::EmptyResponse => write!(f, "Empty response"),
+            Self::UnknownPriority => write!(f, "Unknown priority"),
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/payload/priority.rs b/src/payload/priority.rs
index d3af204..e9f6884 100644
--- a/src/payload/priority.rs
+++ b/src/payload/priority.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 // Copyright (c) 2022 Yuki Kishimoto
 // Distributed under the MIT software license
 
-use serde::de::Error;
-use serde::{Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
+use std::fmt;
+use std::str::FromStr;
+
+use serde::{de, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer};
+
+use crate::error::Error;
 
 #[repr(u8)]
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Default, PartialEq, Eq, PartialOrd, Ord, Hash)]
@@ -15,13 +19,72 @@ pub enum Priority {
     Min = 1,
 }
 
+impl fmt::Display for Priority {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        write!(f, "{}", self.as_str())
+    }
+}
+
+impl Priority {
+    pub fn from_u8(priority: u8) -> Result<Self, Error> {
+        match priority {
+            5 => Ok(Priority::Max),
+            4 => Ok(Priority::High),
+            3 => Ok(Priority::Default),
+            2 => Ok(Priority::Low),
+            1 => Ok(Priority::Min),
+            _ => Err(Error::UnknownPriority),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Convert to `u8`
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn as_u8(&self) -> u8 {
+        *self as u8
+    }
+
+    /// Convert to `&str`
+    pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
+        match self {
+            Self::Max => "max",
+            Self::High => "high",
+            Self::Default => "default",
+            Self::Low => "low",
+            Self::Min => "min",
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl FromStr for Priority {
+    type Err = Error;
+
+    fn from_str(priority: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        match priority {
+            "max" | "urgent" => Ok(Self::Max),
+            "high" => Ok(Self::High),
+            "default" => Ok(Self::Default),
+            "low" => Ok(Self::Low),
+            "min" => Ok(Self::Min),
+            _ => Err(Error::UnknownPriority),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Deserialize)]
+#[serde(untagged)]
+enum NumberOrString {
+    Number(u8),
+    String(String),
+}
+
 impl Serialize for Priority {
     fn serialize<S>(&self, serializer: S) -> Result<S::Ok, S::Error>
     where
         S: Serializer,
     {
-        let p: u8 = *self as u8;
-        p.serialize(serializer)
+        // According to ntfy docs, the priority in the JSON payload must be a number.
+        // https://docs.ntfy.sh/subscribe/api/#json-message-format
+        serializer.serialize_u8(self.as_u8())
     }
 }
 
@@ -30,13 +93,65 @@ impl<'de> Deserialize<'de> for Priority {
     where
         D: Deserializer<'de>,
     {
-        match u8::deserialize(deserializer)? {
-            5 => Ok(Priority::Max),
-            4 => Ok(Priority::High),
-            3 => Ok(Priority::Default),
-            2 => Ok(Priority::Low),
-            1 => Ok(Priority::Min),
-            o => Err(Error::custom(format_args!("Invalid value: {}", o))),
+        match NumberOrString::deserialize(deserializer)? {
+            NumberOrString::Number(priority) => {
+                Priority::from_u8(priority).map_err(de::Error::custom)
+            }
+            NumberOrString::String(priority) => {
+                Self::from_str(&priority).map_err(de::Error::custom)
+            }
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_deserialize() {
+        let json = serde_json::json!(5);
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Max);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!(4);
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::High);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!(3);
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Default);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!(2);
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Low);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!(1);
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Min);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!("urgent");
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Max);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!("max");
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Max);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!("high");
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::High);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!("default");
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Default);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!("low");
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Low);
+
+        let json = serde_json::json!("min");
+        let priority: Priority = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(priority, Priority::Min);
+    }
+}