diff --git a/src/routes/_actions/stream/processMessage.js b/src/routes/_actions/stream/processMessage.js
index 4a59e571..0368242b 100644
--- a/src/routes/_actions/stream/processMessage.js
+++ b/src/routes/_actions/stream/processMessage.js
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import { addStatusOrNotification } from '../addStatusOrNotification'
 const KNOWN_EVENTS = ['update', 'delete', 'notification', 'conversation']
 
 export function processMessage (instanceName, timelineName, message) {
-  let { event, payload } = message
+  let { event, payload } = (message || {})
   if (!KNOWN_EVENTS.includes(event)) {
-    console.error("don't know how to handle event", message)
+    console.warn('ignoring message from server', message)
     return
   }
   mark('processMessage')
diff --git a/src/routes/_api/stream/TimelineStream.js b/src/routes/_api/stream/TimelineStream.js
index a6cb158c..80d1f74d 100644
--- a/src/routes/_api/stream/TimelineStream.js
+++ b/src/routes/_api/stream/TimelineStream.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { lifecycle } from '../../_utils/lifecycle'
 import { getStreamUrl } from './getStreamUrl'
 import { EventEmitter } from 'events-light'
 import { eventBus } from '../../_utils/eventBus'
+import { safeParse } from '../../_utils/safeParse'
 
 export class TimelineStream extends EventEmitter {
   constructor (streamingApi, accessToken, timeline) {
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@ export class TimelineStream extends EventEmitter {
         this.emit('reconnect')
       }
     }
-    ws.onmessage = (e) => this.emit('message', JSON.parse(e.data))
+    ws.onmessage = (e) => this.emit('message', safeParse(e.data))
     ws.onclose = () => this.emit('close')
     // The ws "onreconnect" event seems unreliable. When the server goes down and comes back up,
     // it doesn't fire (but "open" does). When we freeze and unfreeze, it fires along with the
diff --git a/src/routes/_store/LocalStorageStore.js b/src/routes/_store/LocalStorageStore.js
index d5644b61..3eed3403 100644
--- a/src/routes/_store/LocalStorageStore.js
+++ b/src/routes/_store/LocalStorageStore.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { Store } from 'svelte/store'
 import { safeLocalStorage as LS } from '../_utils/safeLocalStorage'
 import { lifecycle } from '../_utils/lifecycle'
-import { safeParse } from './safeParse'
+import { safeParse } from '../_utils/safeParse'
 
 export class LocalStorageStore extends Store {
   constructor (state, keysToWatch) {
diff --git a/src/routes/_store/storeLite.js b/src/routes/_store/storeLite.js
index 3f9cee94..cb3c223c 100644
--- a/src/routes/_store/storeLite.js
+++ b/src/routes/_store/storeLite.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // "lite" version of the store used in the inline script.
 
-import { safeParse } from './safeParse'
+import { safeParse } from '../_utils/safeParse'
 import { testHasLocalStorage } from '../_utils/testStorage'
 
 const hasLocalStorage = testHasLocalStorage()
diff --git a/src/routes/_store/safeParse.js b/src/routes/_utils/safeParse.js
similarity index 100%
rename from src/routes/_store/safeParse.js
rename to src/routes/_utils/safeParse.js