diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 7e16a23d2..b196e115e 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -21462,7 +21462,16 @@ class PubServer(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
             except OSError:
                 print('EX: unable to read file ' + filename)
             if content:
-                content_json = json.loads(content)
+                try:
+                    content_json = json.loads(content)
+                except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as ex:
+                    self._400()
+                    print('EX: json decode error ' + str(ex) +
+                          ' from GET content_json ' +
+                          str(content))
+                    self.server.getreq_busy = False
+                    return
+
                 msg_str = json.dumps(content_json, ensure_ascii=False)
                 msg_str = self._convert_domains(calling_domain,
                                                 referer_domain,
diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index b2e94111e..7aeaa9bd0 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -4608,11 +4608,25 @@ def _inbox_after_initial(server, inbox_start_time,
         if onion_domain:
             if onion_domain in message_str:
                 message_str = message_str.replace(onion_domain, domain)
-                message_json = json.loads(message_str)
+                try:
+                    message_json = json.loads(message_str)
+                except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as ex:
+                    print('EX: json decode error ' + str(ex) +
+                          ' from _inbox_after_initial onion ' +
+                          str(message_str))
+                    inbox_start_time = time.time()
+                    return False
         if i2p_domain:
             if i2p_domain in message_str:
                 message_str = message_str.replace(i2p_domain, domain)
-                message_json = json.loads(message_str)
+                try:
+                    message_json = json.loads(message_str)
+                except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as ex:
+                    print('EX: json decode error ' + str(ex) +
+                          ' from _inbox_after_initial i2p ' +
+                          str(message_str))
+                    inbox_start_time = time.time()
+                    return False
 
     actor = key_id
     if '#' in actor:
diff --git a/languages.py b/languages.py
index 12ce8cc72..8cc4d3dca 100644
--- a/languages.py
+++ b/languages.py
@@ -168,7 +168,13 @@ def libretranslate_languages(url: str, api_key: str = None) -> []:
     with request.urlopen(req) as response:
         response_str = response.read().decode()
 
-    result = json.loads(response_str)
+    try:
+        result = json.loads(response_str)
+    except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as ex:
+        print('EX: json decode error ' + str(ex) +
+              ' from libretranslate_languages ' +
+              str(response_str))
+        return []
     if not result:
         return []
     if not isinstance(result, list):
@@ -283,8 +289,14 @@ def libretranslate(url: str, text: str,
     if not response_str:
         return original_text
 
-    translated_text = \
-        '<p>' + json.loads(response_str)['translatedText'] + '</p>'
+    try:
+        translated_text = \
+            '<p>' + json.loads(response_str)['translatedText'] + '</p>'
+    except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError as ex:
+        print('EX: json decode error ' + str(ex) +
+              ' from libretranslate ' +
+              str(response_str))
+        return original_text
 
     # append links form the original text
     if links: