diff --git a/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/__init__.py b/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/__init__.py
index 6721393..1d451ba 100644
--- a/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/__init__.py
+++ b/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from batdetect2.data.conditions.common import (
     IdInListConfig,
     JsonList,
     ListFormatConfig,
+    TagInfo,
     TxtList,
 )
 from batdetect2.data.conditions.recordings import (
@@ -63,16 +64,17 @@ __all__ = [
     "NotConfig",
     "Operator",
     "PathInListConfig",
+    "RecordingAllOfConfig",
+    "RecordingAnyOfConfig",
     "RecordingCondition",
     "RecordingConditionConfig",
     "RecordingConditionImportConfig",
-    "RecordingAllOfConfig",
-    "RecordingAnyOfConfig",
     "RecordingNotConfig",
     "RecordingSatisfiesConfig",
     "SoundEventCondition",
     "SoundEventConditionConfig",
     "SoundEventConditionImportConfig",
+    "TagInfo",
     "TxtList",
     "build_clip_annotation_condition",
     "build_recording_condition",
diff --git a/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/common.py b/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/common.py
index f340ba2..b2fdf21 100644
--- a/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/common.py
+++ b/src/batdetect2/data/conditions/common.py
@@ -2,10 +2,23 @@ import csv
 import json
 from collections.abc import Callable, Sequence
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Annotated, Generic, Literal, ParamSpec, Protocol, TypeVar
+from typing import (
+    Annotated,
+    Any,
+    Generic,
+    Literal,
+    ParamSpec,
+    Protocol,
+    TypeVar,
+)
 from uuid import UUID
 
-from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, model_validator
+from pydantic import (
+    BaseModel,
+    Field,
+    PlainSerializer,
+    model_validator,
+)
 from soundevent import data
 
 from batdetect2.core.configs import BaseConfig
@@ -138,19 +151,26 @@ class IdInList(Generic[UUIDObject]):
         return obj.uuid in self.ids
 
 
+def dump_tag(tag: data.Tag) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    return {"key": tag.term.name, "value": tag.value}
+
+
+TagInfo = Annotated[data.Tag, PlainSerializer(dump_tag)]
+
+
 class HasTagConfig(BaseConfig):
     name: Literal["has_tag"] = "has_tag"
-    tag: data.Tag
+    tag: TagInfo
 
 
 class HasAllTagsConfig(BaseConfig):
     name: Literal["has_all_tags"] = "has_all_tags"
-    tags: list[data.Tag]
+    tags: list[TagInfo]
 
 
 class HasAnyTagConfig(BaseConfig):
     name: Literal["has_any_tag"] = "has_any_tag"
-    tags: list[data.Tag]
+    tags: list[TagInfo]
 
 
 class JsonList(BaseConfig):
diff --git a/src/batdetect2/targets/classes.py b/src/batdetect2/targets/classes.py
index 7639cf0..ee6e0a3 100644
--- a/src/batdetect2/targets/classes.py
+++ b/src/batdetect2/targets/classes.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from batdetect2.data.conditions import (
     NotConfig,
     SoundEventCondition,
     SoundEventConditionConfig,
+    TagInfo,
     build_sound_event_condition,
 )
 from batdetect2.targets.terms import call_type, generic_class
@@ -32,11 +33,12 @@ class TargetClassConfig(BaseConfig):
     condition_input: SoundEventConditionConfig | None = Field(
         alias="match_if",
         default=None,
+        exclude=True,
     )
 
     tags: List[data.Tag] | None = Field(default=None, exclude=True)
 
-    assign_tags: List[data.Tag] = Field(default_factory=list)
+    assign_tags: List[TagInfo] = Field(default_factory=list)
 
     _match_if: SoundEventConditionConfig = PrivateAttr()
 
diff --git a/src/batdetect2/targets/targets.py b/src/batdetect2/targets/targets.py
index 72e0262..9c8bb1e 100644
--- a/src/batdetect2/targets/targets.py
+++ b/src/batdetect2/targets/targets.py
@@ -50,21 +50,31 @@ class Targets(TargetProtocol):
         self.config = config
 
         self._filter_fn = build_sound_event_condition(
-            config.detection_target.match_if
+            self.config.detection_target.match_if
         )
         self._encode_fn = build_sound_event_encoder(
-            config.classification_targets
+            self.config.classification_targets
         )
         self._decode_fn = build_sound_event_decoder(
-            config.classification_targets
+            self.config.classification_targets
         )
 
         self.class_names = get_class_names_from_config(
-            config.classification_targets
+            self.config.classification_targets
         )
 
-        self.detection_class_name = config.detection_target.name
-        self.detection_class_tags = config.detection_target.assign_tags
+        self.detection_class_name = self.config.detection_target.name
+        self.detection_class_tags = self.config.detection_target.assign_tags
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_config(cls, config: dict) -> "Targets":
+        """Build a Targets object from a serialized config dictionary."""
+        validated_config = TargetConfig.model_validate(config)
+        return cls(config=validated_config)
+
+    def get_config(self) -> dict:
+        """Return the serialized target config used to build this object."""
+        return self.config.model_dump(mode="json")
 
     def filter(self, sound_event: data.SoundEventAnnotation) -> bool:
         """Apply the configured filter to a sound event annotation.
@@ -131,7 +141,7 @@ DEFAULT_TARGET_CONFIG: TargetConfig = TargetConfig(
 )
 
 
-def build_targets(config: TargetConfig | None = None) -> Targets:
+def build_targets(config: TargetConfig | dict | None = None) -> Targets:
     """Build a Targets object from a loaded TargetConfig.
 
     Parameters
@@ -153,6 +163,10 @@ def build_targets(config: TargetConfig | None = None) -> Targets:
         If dynamic import of a derivation function fails (when configured).
     """
     config = config or DEFAULT_TARGET_CONFIG
+
+    if not isinstance(config, TargetConfig):
+        config = TargetConfig.model_validate(config)
+
     logger.opt(lazy=True).debug(
         "Building targets with config: \n{}",
         lambda: config.to_yaml_string(),
diff --git a/src/batdetect2/targets/types.py b/src/batdetect2/targets/types.py
index 4f435ba..0558b3c 100644
--- a/src/batdetect2/targets/types.py
+++ b/src/batdetect2/targets/types.py
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ class TargetProtocol(Protocol):
     detection_class_tags: list[data.Tag]
     detection_class_name: str
 
+    @classmethod
+    def from_config(cls, config: dict) -> "TargetProtocol": ...
+
+    def get_config(self) -> dict: ...
+
     def filter(self, sound_event: data.SoundEventAnnotation) -> bool: ...
 
     def encode_class(
diff --git a/tests/test_targets/test_targets.py b/tests/test_targets/test_targets.py
index 72c9c7a..37d1f3a 100644
--- a/tests/test_targets/test_targets.py
+++ b/tests/test_targets/test_targets.py
@@ -1,9 +1,34 @@
+import json
 from collections.abc import Callable
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from soundevent import data, terms
 
-from batdetect2.targets import TargetConfig, build_roi_mapping, build_targets
+from batdetect2.targets import (
+    TargetConfig,
+    Targets,
+    build_roi_mapping,
+    build_targets,
+)
+
+
+def test_targets_get_config_returns_a_json_serializable_dict() -> None:
+    targets = build_targets(TargetConfig())
+
+    config_dict = targets.get_config()
+    assert isinstance(config_dict, dict)
+    assert json.dumps(config_dict)
+
+
+def test_targets_from_config_rebuilds_equivalent_targets() -> None:
+    original = build_targets(TargetConfig())
+
+    rebuilt = Targets.from_config(original.get_config())
+
+    assert rebuilt.class_names == original.class_names
+    assert rebuilt.detection_class_name == original.detection_class_name
+    assert rebuilt.detection_class_tags == original.detection_class_tags
+    assert rebuilt.get_config() == original.get_config()
 
 
 def test_can_override_default_roi_mapper_per_class(