diff --git a/src/client/LocalServer.ts b/src/client/LocalServer.ts
index 3a9ab7a03..2adbdda3e 100644
--- a/src/client/LocalServer.ts
+++ b/src/client/LocalServer.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { EventBus } from "../core/EventBus";
 import {
   AllPlayersStats,
   ClientMessage,
-  ClientMessageSchema,
   ClientSendWinnerMessage,
   GameRecordSchema,
   Intent,
@@ -91,22 +90,7 @@ export class LocalServer {
     this.paused = false;
   }
 
-  onMessage(message: string) {
-    let parsed;
-    try {
-      parsed = JSON.parse(message);
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error("Failed to parse client message:", e);
-      return;
-    }
-    const result = ClientMessageSchema.safeParse(parsed);
-    if (!result.success) {
-      const error = z.prettifyError(result.error);
-      console.error("Error parsing client message", error);
-      return;
-    }
-
-    const clientMsg: ClientMessage = result.data;
+  onMessage(clientMsg: ClientMessage) {
     if (clientMsg.type === "intent") {
       if (this.lobbyConfig.gameRecord) {
         // If we are replaying a game, we don't want to process intents
diff --git a/src/client/Transport.ts b/src/client/Transport.ts
index 70150fe12..515fab7b7 100644
--- a/src/client/Transport.ts
+++ b/src/client/Transport.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   ClientHashMessage,
   ClientIntentMessage,
   ClientJoinMessage,
+  ClientMessage,
   ClientPingMessage,
   ClientSendWinnerMessage,
   Intent,
@@ -241,11 +242,9 @@ export class Transport {
     if (this.pingInterval === null) {
       this.pingInterval = window.setInterval(() => {
         if (this.socket !== null && this.socket.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
-          this.sendMsg(
-            JSON.stringify({
-              type: "ping",
-            } satisfies ClientPingMessage),
-          );
+          this.sendMsg({
+            type: "ping",
+          } satisfies ClientPingMessage);
         }
       }, 5 * 1000);
     }
@@ -299,6 +298,10 @@ export class Transport {
     this.onmessage = onmessage;
     this.socket.onopen = () => {
       console.log("Connected to game server!");
+      if (this.socket === null) {
+        console.error("socket is null");
+        return;
+      }
       while (this.buffer.length > 0) {
         console.log("sending dropped message");
         const msg = this.buffer.pop();
@@ -306,25 +309,24 @@ export class Transport {
           console.warn("msg is undefined");
           continue;
         }
-        this.sendMsg(msg);
+        this.socket.send(msg);
       }
       onconnect();
     };
     this.socket.onmessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
-      let parsed;
       try {
-        parsed = JSON.parse(event.data);
+        const parsed = JSON.parse(event.data);
+        const result = ServerMessageSchema.safeParse(parsed);
+        if (!result.success) {
+          const error = z.prettifyError(result.error);
+          console.error("Error parsing server message", error);
+          return;
+        }
+        this.onmessage(result.data);
       } catch (e) {
-        console.error("Failed to parse server message:", e, event.data);
+        console.error("Error in onmessage handler:", e, event.data);
         return;
       }
-      const result = ServerMessageSchema.safeParse(parsed);
-      if (!result.success) {
-        const error = z.prettifyError(result.error);
-        console.error("Error parsing server message", error);
-        return;
-      }
-      this.onmessage(result.data);
     };
     this.socket.onerror = (err) => {
       console.error("Socket encountered error: ", err, "Closing socket");
@@ -353,17 +355,15 @@ export class Transport {
   }
 
   joinGame(numTurns: number) {
-    this.sendMsg(
-      JSON.stringify({
-        type: "join",
-        gameID: this.lobbyConfig.gameID,
-        clientID: this.lobbyConfig.clientID,
-        lastTurn: numTurns,
-        token: this.lobbyConfig.token,
-        username: this.lobbyConfig.playerName,
-        flag: this.lobbyConfig.flag,
-      } satisfies ClientJoinMessage),
-    );
+    this.sendMsg({
+      type: "join",
+      gameID: this.lobbyConfig.gameID,
+      clientID: this.lobbyConfig.clientID,
+      lastTurn: numTurns,
+      token: this.lobbyConfig.token,
+      username: this.lobbyConfig.playerName,
+      flag: this.lobbyConfig.flag,
+    } satisfies ClientJoinMessage);
   }
 
   leaveGame(saveFullGame: boolean = false) {
@@ -539,12 +539,11 @@ export class Transport {
 
   private onSendWinnerEvent(event: SendWinnerEvent) {
     if (this.isLocal || this.socket?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
-      const msg = {
+      this.sendMsg({
         type: "winner",
         winner: event.winner,
         allPlayersStats: event.allPlayersStats,
-      } satisfies ClientSendWinnerMessage;
-      this.sendMsg(JSON.stringify(msg, replacer));
+      } satisfies ClientSendWinnerMessage);
     } else {
       console.log(
         "WebSocket is not open. Current state:",
@@ -556,13 +555,11 @@ export class Transport {
 
   private onSendHashEvent(event: SendHashEvent) {
     if (this.isLocal || this.socket?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
-      this.sendMsg(
-        JSON.stringify({
-          type: "hash",
-          turnNumber: event.tick,
-          hash: event.hash,
-        } satisfies ClientHashMessage),
-      );
+      this.sendMsg({
+        type: "hash",
+        turnNumber: event.tick,
+        hash: event.hash,
+      } satisfies ClientHashMessage);
     } else {
       console.log(
         "WebSocket is not open. Current state:",
@@ -603,7 +600,7 @@ export class Transport {
         type: "intent",
         intent: intent,
       } satisfies ClientIntentMessage;
-      this.sendMsg(JSON.stringify(msg));
+      this.sendMsg(msg);
     } else {
       console.log(
         "WebSocket is not open. Current state:",
@@ -613,23 +610,26 @@ export class Transport {
     }
   }
 
-  private sendMsg(msg: string) {
+  private sendMsg(msg: ClientMessage) {
     if (this.isLocal) {
+      // Forward message to local server
       this.localServer.onMessage(msg);
+      return;
+    } else if (this.socket === null) {
+      // Socket missing, do nothing
+      return;
+    }
+    const str = JSON.stringify(msg, replacer);
+    if (this.socket.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSED) {
+      // Buffer message
+      console.warn("socket not ready, closing and trying later");
+      this.socket.close();
+      this.socket = null;
+      this.connectRemote(this.onconnect, this.onmessage);
+      this.buffer.push(str);
     } else {
-      if (this.socket === null) return;
-      if (
-        this.socket.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSED ||
-        this.socket.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSED
-      ) {
-        console.warn("socket not ready, closing and trying later");
-        this.socket.close();
-        this.socket = null;
-        this.connectRemote(this.onconnect, this.onmessage);
-        this.buffer.push(msg);
-      } else {
-        this.socket.send(msg);
-      }
+      // Send the message directly
+      this.socket.send(str);
     }
   }