diff --git a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/account_message.rb b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/account_message.rb
index 90891c5..0b98c5a 100644
--- a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/account_message.rb
+++ b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/account_message.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module Skyfall
     # @raise [DecodeError] if the message doesn't include required data
     #
     def initialize(json)
-      raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (account)") if json['account'].nil? || json['account']['active'].nil?
+      raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (account)") if !json['account'].is_a?(Hash) || json['account']['active'].nil?
       super
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/commit_message.rb b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/commit_message.rb
index d7e6e3c..42a9b3e 100644
--- a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/commit_message.rb
+++ b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/commit_message.rb
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ module Skyfall
     # @raise [DecodeError] if the message doesn't include required data
     #
     def initialize(json)
-      raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (commit)") if json['commit'].nil?
+      raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (commit)") unless json['commit'].is_a?(Hash)
 
       %w(collection rkey operation rev).each { |f| raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (#{f})") if json['commit'][f].nil? }
 
diff --git a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/identity_message.rb b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/identity_message.rb
index 8417e5c..6768482 100644
--- a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/identity_message.rb
+++ b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/identity_message.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ module Skyfall
     # @raise [DecodeError] if the message doesn't include required data
     #
     def initialize(json)
-      raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (identity)") if json['identity'].nil?
+      raise DecodeError.new("Missing event details (identity)") unless json['identity'].is_a?(Hash)
       super
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/message.rb b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/message.rb
index 7b6b094..e601126 100644
--- a/lib/skyfall/jetstream/message.rb
+++ b/lib/skyfall/jetstream/message.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 require_relative '../errors'
 require_relative '../jetstream'
 
+require 'json'
 require 'time'
 
 module Skyfall
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ module Skyfall
     #
     def self.new(data)
       json = JSON.parse(data)
+      raise DecodeError, "Expected a JSON object" unless json.is_a?(Hash)
 
       message_class = case json['kind']
         when 'account'  then Jetstream::AccountMessage
@@ -92,6 +94,8 @@ module Skyfall
       message = message_class.allocate
       message.send(:initialize, json)
       message
+    rescue JSON::ParserError => e
+      raise DecodeError, "Invalid JSON message: #{e.message}"
     end
 
     #