diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 21a954d..5d4170b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         shell: bash -l {0}
-        run: conda install pytest locket numpy toolz pandas blosc pyzmq -c conda-forge
+        run: conda install pytest locket numpy toolz pandas blosc pyzmq pyarrow -c conda-forge
 
       - name: Install
         shell: bash -l {0}
diff --git a/partd/pandas.py b/partd/pandas.py
index c824c24..6c95351 100644
--- a/partd/pandas.py
+++ b/partd/pandas.py
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ def index_to_header_bytes(ind):
         cat = None
         values = ind.values
 
+    if is_extension_array_dtype(ind):
+        return None, dumps(ind)
+
     header = (type(ind), {k: getattr(ind, k, None) for k in ind._attributes}, values.dtype, cat)
     bytes = pnp.compress(pnp.serialize(values), values.dtype)
     return header, bytes
diff --git a/partd/tests/test_pandas.py b/partd/tests/test_pandas.py
index 5e14f89..72c37dc 100644
--- a/partd/tests/test_pandas.py
+++ b/partd/tests/test_pandas.py
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@
 import pandas.testing as tm
 import os
 
+try:
+    import pyarrow as pa
+except ImportError:
+    pa = None
+
 from partd.pandas import PandasColumns, PandasBlocks, serialize, deserialize
 
 
@@ -115,3 +120,29 @@ def test_other_extension_types():
     df = pd.DataFrame({"A": a})
     df2 = deserialize(serialize(df))
     tm.assert_frame_equal(df, df2)
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("dtype", ["Int64", "Int32", "Float64", "Float32"])
+def test_index_numeric_extension_types(dtype):
+    pytest.importorskip("pandas", minversion="1.4.0")
+
+    df = pd.DataFrame({"x": [1, 2, 3]}, index=[4, 5, 6])
+    df.index = df.index.astype(dtype)
+    df2 = deserialize(serialize(df))
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(df, df2)
+    
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "dtype",
+    [
+        "string[python]",
+        pytest.param(
+            "string[pyarrow]",
+            marks=pytest.mark.skipif(pa is None, reason="Requires pyarrow"),
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_index_non_numeric_extension_types(dtype):
+    pytest.importorskip("pandas", minversion="1.4.0")
+    df = pd.DataFrame({"x": [1, 2, 3]}, index=["a", "b", "c"])
+    df.index = df.index.astype(dtype)
+    df2 = deserialize(serialize(df))
+    tm.assert_frame_equal(df, df2)