diff --git a/src/client/index.html b/src/client/index.html
index 1d8438468..e8672e485 100644
--- a/src/client/index.html
+++ b/src/client/index.html
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@
         </g>
       </svg>
       <div class="flex justify-center text-sm font-bold mt-[-5px] logo-version">
-        v0.16.0
+        v0.16.5
       </div>
     </div>
 
diff --git a/src/server/Archive.ts b/src/server/Archive.ts
index 1c08b33d2..ad4fd3656 100644
--- a/src/server/Archive.ts
+++ b/src/server/Archive.ts
@@ -121,9 +121,13 @@ async function archiveToGCS(gameRecord: GameRecord) {
   });
 
   const file = bucket.file(recordCopy.id);
-  await file.save(JSON.stringify(GameRecordSchema.parse(recordCopy)), {
-    contentType: "application/json",
-  });
+  try {
+    await file.save(JSON.stringify(recordCopy), {
+      contentType: "application/json",
+    });
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.log(`error saving game ${gameRecord.id}`);
+  }
 
   console.log(`${gameRecord.id}: game record successfully written to GCS`);
 }
@@ -142,11 +146,7 @@ export async function readGameRecord(gameId: GameID): Promise<GameRecord> {
     const [content] = await file.download();
     const gameRecord = JSON.parse(content.toString());
 
-    // Validate the parsed content against the schema
-    const validatedRecord = GameRecordSchema.parse(gameRecord);
-
-    console.log(`${gameId}: Successfully read game record from GCS`);
-    return validatedRecord;
+    return gameRecord as GameRecord;
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(`${gameId}: Error reading game record from GCS: ${error}`, {
       message: error?.message || error,
diff --git a/src/server/GameServer.ts b/src/server/GameServer.ts
index 570a3c90c..46434563a 100644
--- a/src/server/GameServer.ts
+++ b/src/server/GameServer.ts
@@ -130,9 +130,12 @@ export class GameServer {
         return;
       }
       try {
-        const clientMsg: ClientMessage = ClientMessageSchema.parse(
-          JSON.parse(message),
-        );
+        let clientMsg: ClientMessage = null;
+        try {
+          clientMsg = ClientMessageSchema.parse(JSON.parse(message));
+        } catch (error) {
+          throw Error(`error parsing schema for ${client.ip}`);
+        }
         if (this.allClients.has(clientMsg.clientID)) {
           const client = this.allClients.get(clientMsg.clientID);
           if (client.persistentID != clientMsg.persistentID) {
@@ -221,15 +224,19 @@ export class GameServer {
   }
 
   private sendStartGameMsg(ws: WebSocket, lastTurn: number) {
-    ws.send(
-      JSON.stringify(
-        ServerStartGameMessageSchema.parse({
-          type: "start",
-          turns: this.turns.slice(lastTurn),
-          config: this.gameConfig,
-        }),
-      ),
-    );
+    try {
+      ws.send(
+        JSON.stringify(
+          ServerStartGameMessageSchema.parse({
+            type: "start",
+            turns: this.turns.slice(lastTurn),
+            config: this.gameConfig,
+          }),
+        ),
+      );
+    } catch (error) {
+      throw new Error(`error sending start message for game ${this.id}`);
+    }
   }
 
   private endTurn() {
@@ -241,12 +248,18 @@ export class GameServer {
     this.turns.push(pastTurn);
     this.intents = [];
 
-    const msg = JSON.stringify(
-      ServerTurnMessageSchema.parse({
-        type: "turn",
-        turn: pastTurn,
-      }),
-    );
+    let msg = "";
+    try {
+      msg = JSON.stringify(
+        ServerTurnMessageSchema.parse({
+          type: "turn",
+          turn: pastTurn,
+        }),
+      );
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log(`error sending message for game ${this.id}`);
+      return;
+    }
     this.activeClients.forEach((c) => {
       c.ws.send(msg);
     });
diff --git a/src/server/Server.ts b/src/server/Server.ts
index a8a46cf14..08c722d3e 100644
--- a/src/server/Server.ts
+++ b/src/server/Server.ts
@@ -200,7 +200,6 @@ app.post(
       return;
     }
     gameRecord.players.forEach((p) => (p.ip = clientIP));
-    GameRecordSchema.parse(gameRecord);
     archive(gameRecord);
     res.json({
       success: true,
@@ -305,9 +304,12 @@ wss.on("connection", (ws, req) => {
       return;
     }
     try {
-      const clientMsg: ClientMessage = ClientMessageSchema.parse(
-        JSON.parse(message.toString()),
-      );
+      let clientMsg: ClientMessage = null;
+      try {
+        clientMsg = ClientMessageSchema.parse(JSON.parse(message.toString()));
+      } catch (error) {
+        throw new Error(`error parsing zod schema for ip: ${ip}`);
+      }
       if (clientMsg.type == "join") {
         const forwarded = req.headers["x-forwarded-for"];
         let ip = Array.isArray(forwarded)
@@ -338,15 +340,18 @@ wss.on("connection", (ws, req) => {
         if (!wasFound) {
           console.log(`game ${clientMsg.gameID} not found, loading from gcs`);
           const record = await readGameRecord(clientMsg.gameID);
-          ws.send(
-            JSON.stringify(
-              ServerStartGameMessageSchema.parse({
-                type: "start",
-                turns: record.turns,
-                config: record.gameConfig,
-              }),
-            ),
-          );
+
+          let startGame = null;
+          try {
+            startGame = ServerStartGameMessageSchema.parse({
+              type: "start",
+              turns: record.turns,
+              config: record.gameConfig,
+            });
+          } catch (error) {
+            console.log(`error validating schema for ip ${ip}`);
+          }
+          ws.send(JSON.stringify(startGame));
         }
       }
       if (clientMsg.type == "log") {
@@ -360,7 +365,12 @@ wss.on("connection", (ws, req) => {
         });
       }
     } catch (error) {
-      console.warn(`errror handling websocket message for ${ip}: ${error}`);
+      console.warn(
+        `error handling websocket message for ${ip}: ${error}`.substring(
+          0,
+          250,
+        ),
+      );
     }
   });
   ws.on("error", (error: Error) => {