diff --git a/src/server/GameServer.ts b/src/server/GameServer.ts
index 003542bd8..5754ad218 100644
--- a/src/server/GameServer.ts
+++ b/src/server/GameServer.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 import ipAnonymize from "ip-anonymize";
 import { Logger } from "winston";
 import WebSocket from "ws";
+import { z } from "zod/v4";
 import {
   ClientID,
-  ClientMessage,
   ClientMessageSchema,
   ClientSendWinnerMessage,
   GameConfig,
@@ -178,12 +178,16 @@ export class GameServer {
       "message",
       gatekeeper.wsHandler(client.ip, async (message: string) => {
         try {
-          let clientMsg: ClientMessage | null = null;
-          try {
-            clientMsg = ClientMessageSchema.parse(JSON.parse(message));
-          } catch (error) {
-            throw Error(`error parsing schema for ${ipAnonymize(client.ip)}`);
+          const parsed = ClientMessageSchema.safeParse(JSON.parse(message));
+          if (!parsed.success) {
+            const error = z.prettifyError(parsed.error);
+            this.log.error("Failed to parse client message", error, {
+              clientID: client.clientID,
+            });
+            client.ws.close();
+            return;
           }
+          const clientMsg = parsed.data;
           if (clientMsg.type === "intent") {
             if (clientMsg.intent.clientID !== client.clientID) {
               this.log.warn(
diff --git a/src/server/Worker.ts b/src/server/Worker.ts
index 068799fed..3f072ebdf 100644
--- a/src/server/Worker.ts
+++ b/src/server/Worker.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,8 @@ import { GameEnv } from "../core/configuration/Config";
 import { getServerConfigFromServer } from "../core/configuration/ConfigLoader";
 import { GameType } from "../core/game/Game";
 import {
-  ClientMessageSchema,
+  ClientJoinMessageSchema,
+  GameConfig,
   GameRecord,
   GameRecordSchema,
 } from "../core/Schemas";
@@ -293,11 +294,17 @@ export function startWorker() {
           : forwarded || req.socket.remoteAddress || "unknown";
 
         try {
-          // Process WebSocket messages as in your original code
           // Parse and handle client messages
-          const clientMsg = ClientMessageSchema.parse(
+          const parsed = ClientJoinMessageSchema.safeParse(
             JSON.parse(message.toString()),
           );
+          if (!parsed.success) {
+            const error = z.prettifyError(parsed.error);
+            log.warn("Error parsing join message client", error);
+            ws.close();
+            return;
+          }
+          const clientMsg = parsed.data;
 
           if (clientMsg.type === "join") {
             // Verify this worker should handle this game