diff --git a/tests/workspace/test_parsers.py b/tests/workspace/test_parsers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0c01a43182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/workspace/test_parsers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import pytest
+
+from workspace.constants import BINARY_SUFFIXES, CODE_SUFFIXES, MARKDOWN_SUFFIXES, PARSEABLE_SUFFIXES
+
+
+class TestParseableSuffixes:
+    def test_contains_expected_extensions(self):
+        assert PARSEABLE_SUFFIXES == frozenset({".pdf", ".docx", ".pptx"})
+
+    def test_is_subset_of_binary_suffixes(self):
+        assert PARSEABLE_SUFFIXES <= BINARY_SUFFIXES
+
+    def test_no_overlap_with_code_suffixes(self):
+        assert PARSEABLE_SUFFIXES & CODE_SUFFIXES == frozenset()
+
+    def test_no_overlap_with_markdown_suffixes(self):
+        assert PARSEABLE_SUFFIXES & MARKDOWN_SUFFIXES == frozenset()
+
+
+from workspace.config import KnowledgebaseConfig, ParsingConfig
+
+
+class TestParsingConfig:
+    def test_default_values(self):
+        cfg = ParsingConfig()
+        assert cfg.default == "markitdown"
+        assert cfg.overrides == {}
+
+    def test_custom_default(self):
+        cfg = ParsingConfig(default="pandoc")
+        assert cfg.default == "pandoc"
+
+    def test_per_extension_overrides(self):
+        cfg = ParsingConfig(overrides={".docx": "pandoc"})
+        assert cfg.overrides[".docx"] == "pandoc"
+
+    def test_frozen(self):
+        cfg = ParsingConfig()
+        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+            cfg.default = "pandoc"
+
+    def test_nested_in_knowledgebase_config(self):
+        kb = KnowledgebaseConfig()
+        assert isinstance(kb.parsing, ParsingConfig)
+        assert kb.parsing.default == "markitdown"
+
+    def test_knowledgebase_config_from_raw(self):
+        kb = KnowledgebaseConfig.model_validate(
+            {"parsing": {"default": "pandoc", "overrides": {".docx": "pandoc"}}}
+        )
+        assert kb.parsing.default == "pandoc"
+        assert kb.parsing.overrides == {".docx": "pandoc"}
+
+    def test_unknown_keys_ignored(self):
+        cfg = ParsingConfig.model_validate({"default": "markitdown", "future_key": True})
+        assert cfg.default == "markitdown"
+        assert not hasattr(cfg, "future_key")
diff --git a/workspace/config.py b/workspace/config.py
index d9ae7b8ddb..8bc0025daa 100644
--- a/workspace/config.py
+++ b/workspace/config.py
@@ -59,12 +59,19 @@ class SearchConfig(BaseModel):
         return v
 
 
+class ParsingConfig(BaseModel):
+    model_config = ConfigDict(frozen=True, extra="ignore")
+    default: str = "markitdown"
+    overrides: dict[str, str] = {}
+
+
 class KnowledgebaseConfig(BaseModel):
     model_config = ConfigDict(frozen=True)
     roots: list[WorkspaceRoot] = []
     chunking: ChunkingConfig = ChunkingConfig()
     indexing: IndexingConfig = IndexingConfig()
     search: SearchConfig = SearchConfig()
+    parsing: ParsingConfig = ParsingConfig()
 
 
 class WorkspaceConfig(BaseModel):
diff --git a/workspace/constants.py b/workspace/constants.py
index c584d60a9c..08972f3ffd 100644
--- a/workspace/constants.py
+++ b/workspace/constants.py
@@ -63,6 +63,14 @@ BINARY_SUFFIXES: frozenset[str] = frozenset(
     }
 )
 
+PARSEABLE_SUFFIXES: frozenset[str] = frozenset(
+    {
+        ".pdf",
+        ".docx",
+        ".pptx",
+    }
+)
+
 CODE_SUFFIXES: frozenset[str] = frozenset(
     {
         ".py",