diff --git a/server/recceiver/protocol/messages.py b/server/recceiver/protocol/messages.py
index 58566e02..82f2e394 100644
--- a/server/recceiver/protocol/messages.py
+++ b/server/recceiver/protocol/messages.py
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ class ProtocolError(ValueError):
     """Raised when a RecSync message violates the wire protocol."""
 
 
+class KeyValueDecodeError(ValueError):
+    """Raised when recsync message content cannot be decoded as a valid utf-8 string"""
+
+    def __init__(self, key: bytes, value: bytes):
+        self.key = key
+        self.value = value
+
+
 def _require_length(data, expected_length, message_name, exact=True):
     if exact and len(data) == expected_length:
         return
@@ -154,8 +162,11 @@ def decode(cls, body):
         text = body[cls.payload.size :]
         _validate_record_lengths(kind, record_type_length, record_name_length)
         _require_length(text, record_type_length + record_name_length, "add record text")
-        record_type = text[:record_type_length].decode()
-        record_name = text[record_type_length:].decode()
+        try:
+            record_type = text[:record_type_length].decode()
+            record_name = text[record_type_length:].decode()
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+            raise KeyValueDecodeError(text[:record_type_length], text[record_type_length:])
         return cls(record_id, kind, record_type, record_name)
 
 
@@ -230,8 +241,12 @@ def decode(cls, body):
         if key_length == 0:
             raise ProtocolError("add info key must not be empty")
         _require_length(text, key_length + value_length, "add info text")
-        key = text[:key_length].decode()
-        value = text[key_length:].decode()
+        key = value = None
+        try:
+            key = text[:key_length].decode()
+            value = text[key_length:].decode()
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+            raise KeyValueDecodeError(text[:key_length], text[key_length:])
         return cls(record_id, key, value)
 
 
diff --git a/server/recceiver/recast.py b/server/recceiver/recast.py
index e2790537..abc3cb39 100644
--- a/server/recceiver/recast.py
+++ b/server/recceiver/recast.py
@@ -140,6 +140,15 @@ def recvInfo(self, body):
         except messages.ProtocolError:
             log.error("Ignoring info update")
             return self.getInitialState()
+        except messages.KeyValueDecodeError as e:
+            log.exception(
+                "Error decoding key/value pair from {}:{}: '{}': '{}'",
+                self.sess.ep.host,
+                self.sess.ep.port,
+                e.key,
+                e.value,
+            )
+            return self.getInitialState()
         if info.record_id:
             self.sess.rec_info(info.record_id, info.key, info.value)
         else:
@@ -153,6 +162,15 @@ def recvAddRec(self, body):
         except messages.ProtocolError:
             log.error("Ignoring record update")
             return self.getInitialState()
+        except messages.KeyValueDecodeError as e:
+            log.exception(
+                "Error decoding record type/name pair from {}:{}: '{}': '{}'",
+                self.sess.ep.host,
+                self.sess.ep.port,
+                e.key,
+                e.value,
+            )
+            return self.getInitialState()
         if record.is_alias:
             self.sess.add_alias(record.record_id, record.record_name)
         else:
diff --git a/server/tests/unit/test_protocol.py b/server/tests/unit/test_protocol.py
index d15699a3..ba43fb38 100644
--- a/server/tests/unit/test_protocol.py
+++ b/server/tests/unit/test_protocol.py
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ def test_decode_add_info_for_ioc_property():
     assert info == messages.AddInfo(record_id=0, key="iocName", value="IOC-1")
 
 
+def test_decode_raises_KeyValudeDecodeError_for_invalid_utf8_key():
+    body = struct.pack(">IBxH", 0, 1, 3) + b"\xffval"
+    with pytest.raises(messages.KeyValueDecodeError):
+        messages.AddInfo.decode(body)
+
+
+def test_decode_raises_KeyValudeDecodeError_for_invalid_utf8_value():
+    body = struct.pack(">IBxH", 0, 3, 1) + b"key\xff"
+    with pytest.raises(messages.KeyValueDecodeError):
+        messages.AddInfo.decode(body)
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "body",
     [