diff --git a/lib/datadog/di/serializer.rb b/lib/datadog/di/serializer.rb
index 8a6a0165c22..7958302dc86 100644
--- a/lib/datadog/di/serializer.rb
+++ b/lib/datadog/di/serializer.rb
@@ -60,21 +60,23 @@ def serialize_args(args, kwargs)
       # of executed code.
       def serialize_vars(vars)
         vars.each_with_object({}) do |(k, v), agg|
-          agg[k] = serialize_value(k, v)
+          agg[k] = serialize_value(v, name: k)
         end
       end
 
-      private
-
       # Serializes a single named value.
       #
-      # The name is necessary to perform sensitive data redaction.
+      # The name is needed to perform sensitive data redaction.
+      #
+      # In some cases, the value being serialized does not have a name
+      # (for example, it is the return value of a method).
+      # In this case +name+ can be nil.
       #
       # Returns a data structure comprised of only values of basic types
       # (integers, strings, arrays, hashes).
       #
       # Respects string length, collection size and traversal depth limits.
-      def serialize_value(name, value, depth: settings.dynamic_instrumentation.max_capture_depth)
+      def serialize_value(value, name: nil, depth: settings.dynamic_instrumentation.max_capture_depth)
         if redactor.redact_type?(value)
           return {type: class_name(value.class), notCapturedReason: "redactedType"}
         end
@@ -109,7 +111,7 @@ def serialize_value(name, value, depth: settings.dynamic_instrumentation.max_cap
               value = value[0...max] || []
             end
             entries = value.map do |elt|
-              serialize_value(nil, elt, depth: depth - 1)
+              serialize_value(elt, depth: depth - 1)
             end
             serialized.update(elements: entries)
           end
@@ -126,7 +128,7 @@ def serialize_value(name, value, depth: settings.dynamic_instrumentation.max_cap
                 break
               end
               cur += 1
-              entries << [serialize_value(nil, k, depth: depth - 1), serialize_value(k, v, depth: depth - 1)]
+              entries << [serialize_value(k, depth: depth - 1), serialize_value(v, name: k, depth: depth - 1)]
             end
             serialized.update(entries: entries)
           end
@@ -166,7 +168,7 @@ def serialize_value(name, value, depth: settings.dynamic_instrumentation.max_cap
                 break
               end
               cur += 1
-              fields[ivar] = serialize_value(ivar, value.instance_variable_get(ivar), depth: depth - 1)
+              fields[ivar] = serialize_value(value.instance_variable_get(ivar), name: ivar, depth: depth - 1)
             end
             serialized.update(fields: fields)
           end
@@ -174,6 +176,8 @@ def serialize_value(name, value, depth: settings.dynamic_instrumentation.max_cap
         serialized
       end
 
+      private
+
       # Returns the name for the specified class object.
       #
       # Ruby can have nameless classes, e.g. Class.new is a class object
diff --git a/sig/datadog/di/serializer.rbs b/sig/datadog/di/serializer.rbs
index e3060f5e959..c609a093e2c 100644
--- a/sig/datadog/di/serializer.rbs
+++ b/sig/datadog/di/serializer.rbs
@@ -9,12 +9,13 @@ module Datadog
 
       attr_reader settings: untyped
 
-      attr_reader redactor: untyped
+      attr_reader redactor: Datadog::DI::Redactor
+      
       def serialize_args: (untyped args, untyped kwargs) -> untyped
       def serialize_vars: (untyped vars) -> untyped
 
       private
-      def serialize_value: (untyped name, untyped value, ?depth: untyped) -> ({ type: untyped, notCapturedReason: "redactedType" } | { type: untyped, notCapturedReason: "redactedIdent" } | untyped)
+      def serialize_value: (untyped value, ?name: String, ?depth: untyped) -> ({ type: untyped, notCapturedReason: "redactedType" } | { type: untyped, notCapturedReason: "redactedIdent" } | untyped)
       def class_name: (untyped cls) -> untyped
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/datadog/di/serializer_spec.rb b/spec/datadog/di/serializer_spec.rb
index c32974c478c..a19d02b79e7 100644
--- a/spec/datadog/di/serializer_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/datadog/di/serializer_spec.rb
@@ -62,6 +62,49 @@ class DISerializerSpecTestClass; end
     described_class.new(settings, redactor)
   end
 
+  describe "#serialize_value" do
+    let(:serialized) do
+      serializer.serialize_value(value, **options)
+    end
+
+    def self.define_cases(cases)
+      cases.each do |c|
+        value = c.fetch(:input)
+        expected = c.fetch(:expected)
+        var_name = c[:var_name]
+
+        context c.fetch(:name) do
+          let(:value) { value }
+
+          let(:options) do
+            {name: var_name}
+          end
+
+          it "serializes as expected" do
+            expect(serialized).to eq(expected)
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    cases = [
+      {name: "nil value", input: nil, expected: {type: "NilClass", isNull: true}},
+      {name: "true value", input: true, expected: {type: "TrueClass", value: "true"}},
+      {name: "false value", input: false, expected: {type: "FalseClass", value: "false"}},
+      {name: "int value", input: 42, expected: {type: "Integer", value: "42"}},
+      {name: "bigint value", input: 420000000000000000000042, expected: {type: "Integer", value: "420000000000000000000042"}},
+      {name: "float value", input: 42.02, expected: {type: "Float", value: "42.02"}},
+      {name: "string value", input: "x", expected: {type: "String", value: "x"}},
+      {name: "symbol value", input: :x, expected: {type: "Symbol", value: "x"}},
+      {name: "redacted identifier in predefined list", input: "123", var_name: "password",
+       expected: {type: "String", notCapturedReason: "redactedIdent"}},
+      {name: "variable name given and is not a redacted identifier", input: "123", var_name: "normal",
+       expected: {type: "String", value: "123"}},
+    ]
+
+    define_cases(cases)
+  end
+
   describe "#serialize_vars" do
     let(:serialized) do
       serializer.serialize_vars(vars)
@@ -83,14 +126,6 @@ def self.define_cases(cases)
     end
 
     cases = [
-      {name: "nil value", input: {a: nil}, expected: {a: {type: "NilClass", isNull: true}}},
-      {name: "true value", input: {a: true}, expected: {a: {type: "TrueClass", value: "true"}}},
-      {name: "false value", input: {a: false}, expected: {a: {type: "FalseClass", value: "false"}}},
-      {name: "int value", input: {a: 42}, expected: {a: {type: "Integer", value: "42"}}},
-      {name: "bigint value", input: {a: 420000000000000000000042}, expected: {a: {type: "Integer", value: "420000000000000000000042"}}},
-      {name: "float value", input: {a: 42.02}, expected: {a: {type: "Float", value: "42.02"}}},
-      {name: "string value", input: {a: "x"}, expected: {a: {type: "String", value: "x"}}},
-      {name: "symbol value", input: {a: :x}, expected: {a: {type: "Symbol", value: "x"}}},
       {name: "redacted value in predefined list", input: {password: "123"},
        expected: {password: {type: "String", notCapturedReason: "redactedIdent"}}},
       {name: "redacted type", input: {value: DISerializerSpecSensitiveType.new},