diff --git a/core/connectors/sinks/iceberg_sink/src/router/dynamic_router.rs b/core/connectors/sinks/iceberg_sink/src/router/dynamic_router.rs
index 857a312e85..97df6786c4 100644
--- a/core/connectors/sinks/iceberg_sink/src/router/dynamic_router.rs
+++ b/core/connectors/sinks/iceberg_sink/src/router/dynamic_router.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use iceberg::Catalog;
 use iceberg::table::Table;
 use iggy_connector_sdk::{ConsumedMessage, Error, MessagesMetadata, Payload};
 use simd_json::base::ValueAsObject;
+use simd_json::prelude::ValueAsScalar;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use tracing::{info, warn};
 
@@ -86,10 +87,7 @@ impl DynamicRouter {
 
     fn extract_route_field(&self, message: &ConsumedMessage) -> Option<String> {
         match &message.payload {
-            Payload::Json(payload) => payload
-                .as_object()
-                .and_then(|obj| obj.get(&self.route_field))
-                .map(|val| val.to_string()),
+            Payload::Json(payload) => extract_route_field_value(payload, &self.route_field),
             _ => {
                 warn!("Unsupported format for iceberg connector");
                 None
@@ -98,6 +96,18 @@ impl DynamicRouter {
     }
 }
 
+fn extract_route_field_value(payload: &simd_json::OwnedValue, route_field: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    // Route fields are table identifiers, so only JSON string values are valid here.
+    // Calling `to_string()` on a JSON value serializes it, turning "tpch.lineitem"
+    // into a string containing literal quote characters. `as_str()` returns the
+    // underlying string instead, which can be validated and used as the lookup key.
+    payload
+        .as_object()
+        .and_then(|obj| obj.get(route_field))
+        .and_then(|val| val.as_str())
+        .map(ToString::to_string)
+}
+
 #[async_trait]
 impl Router for DynamicRouter {
     async fn route_data(
@@ -167,3 +177,43 @@ impl Router for DynamicRouter {
         Ok(())
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn extract_route_field_value(
+        payload: &simd_json::OwnedValue,
+        route_field: &str,
+    ) -> Option<String> {
+        // Route values must be JSON strings. Using `as_str()` returns the
+        // underlying value (for example, `tpch.lineitem`) while `to_string()`
+        // would serialize the JSON value and include quote characters.
+        payload
+            .as_object()
+            .and_then(|obj| obj.get(route_field))
+            .and_then(|val| val.as_str())
+            .map(ToString::to_string)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn extracts_string_route_field_without_json_quotes() {
+        let payload = simd_json::json!({
+            "table": "tpch.lineitem"
+        });
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            extract_route_field_value(&payload, "table"),
+            Some("tpch.lineitem".to_string())
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ignores_non_string_route_field() {
+        let payload = simd_json::json!({
+            "table": 42
+        });
+
+        assert_eq!(extract_route_field_value(&payload, "table"), None);
+    }
+}