diff --git a/database.py b/database.py
index cf9b222..87ad873 100644
--- a/database.py
+++ b/database.py
@@ -14,6 +14,26 @@
 class Database():
     """Memory database abstraction"""
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _extract_message_text(raw_content):
+        """
+        Parse raw message JSON and return text content.
+        Returns None for malformed or unsupported payloads.
+        """
+        try:
+            msg = ChatMessage.from_json(raw_content)
+        except (ValueError, KeyError, TypeError) as err:
+            logging.warning(f"Skipping malformed chat message payload: {err}")
+            return None
+
+        if msg.is_tool_message():
+            return None
+
+        try:
+            return msg.get_text_content()
+        except IndexError:
+            return None
+
     def get(self, conversation_id, user_id):
         """fetch a conversation by id and user"""
 
@@ -37,14 +57,10 @@ def get(self, conversation_id, user_id):
                         content = conv.get('content', {}).get('text', '')
 
                         # content is json encoded in memory
-                        msg = ChatMessage.from_json(content)
-
-                        # Skip tool related messages as they're intermediate
-                        if msg.is_tool_message():
+                        content_text = self._extract_message_text(content)
+                        if not content_text:
                             continue
 
-                        content_text = msg.get_text_content()
-
                         if role == 'USER':
                             # If we have a complete Q&A pair, save it
                             if current_question and current_answer:
@@ -88,7 +104,8 @@ def list_by_user(self, user_id, top):
                 memoryId=memory_id,
                 actorId=user_id,
             )
-        except:
+        except Exception as err:
+            logging.warning(f"list_sessions failed for user {user_id}: {err}")
             return []
 
         sessions_with_events = []
@@ -152,8 +169,10 @@ def parse_timestamp(event):
 
                         # memory stores the raw message json
                         # parse the text
-                        msg = ChatMessage.from_json(initial_question)
-                        initial_question = msg.get_text_content()
+                        parsed_question = self._extract_message_text(
+                            initial_question)
+                        if parsed_question:
+                            initial_question = parsed_question
 
             # Format timestamp as M/D/YY H:MM AM/PM
             created_dt = session_data['latest_timestamp']