diff --git a/src/mind_reader/network/controller.py b/src/mind_reader/network/controller.py
index e2e33dc..fbbc716 100644
--- a/src/mind_reader/network/controller.py
+++ b/src/mind_reader/network/controller.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+import logging
+from typing import Optional
+
 import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
 from paho.mqtt.enums import CallbackAPIVersion
 
@@ -5,6 +8,8 @@ from ..state_machines.session.events import SessionEvent
 from ..state_machines.session.machine import SessionStateMachine
 from .message import EventMapper, NetworkMessage, SessionMessageKind
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 
 class NetworkController:
     def __init__(
@@ -26,10 +31,6 @@ class NetworkController:
 
         self._client = mqtt.Client(CallbackAPIVersion.VERSION2)
         self._client.username_pw_set(username, password)
-        self._client.connect(host, port)
-
-        self._client.subscribe(self._lobby_topic)
-        self._client.subscribe(self._session_topic)
 
         self._client.message_callback_add(
             self._lobby_topic, self._on_lobby_message
@@ -38,6 +39,11 @@ class NetworkController:
             self._session_topic, self._on_session_message
         )
 
+        self._client.connect(host, port)
+
+        self._client.subscribe(self._lobby_topic)
+        self._client.subscribe(self._session_topic)
+
     def start(self) -> None:
         self._client.loop_start()
 
@@ -47,12 +53,12 @@ class NetworkController:
 
     def send(self, network_message: NetworkMessage) -> None:
         match network_message.kind:
-            case SessionMessageKind:
+            case SessionMessageKind():
                 self._client.publish(
                     self._session_topic, network_message.to_json()
                 )
 
-    def send_with_looback(
+    def send_with_loopback(
         self,
         local_message: NetworkMessage,
         network_message: NetworkMessage,
@@ -60,39 +66,45 @@ class NetworkController:
         if local_message.id != network_message.id:
             raise ValueError(
                 f"Mismatched message IDs in send_with_loopback: "
-                f"local_message.id='{local_message.id}' vs network_message.id='{network_message.id}'"
+                f"local_message.id='{local_message.id}'"
+                f"vs network_message.id='{network_message.id}'"
             )
 
         self._pending_loopbacks[local_message.id] = local_message
         self.send(network_message)
 
-    def _check_loopbacks(self, id: str) -> NetworkMessage | None:
-        if id in self._pending_loopbacks:
-            return self._pending_loopbacks.pop(id)
-        return None
+    def _pop_loopback(self, message_id: str) -> Optional[NetworkMessage]:
+        return self._pending_loopbacks.pop(message_id, None)
+
+    def _parse_incoming_message(
+        self, message: mqtt.MQTTMessage
+    ) -> Optional[NetworkMessage]:
+        try:
+            json_str = message.payload.decode()
+            network_message = NetworkMessage.from_json(json_str)
+        except Exception as err:
+            logger.error("Failed to parse incoming MQTT message: %s", err)
+            return None
+
+        loopback_message = self._pop_loopback(network_message.id)
+        return loopback_message or network_message
 
     def _on_lobby_message(
         self, client: mqtt.Client, userdata: None, message: mqtt.MQTTMessage
     ) -> None:
-        json_str = message.payload.decode()
-        network_message = NetworkMessage.from_json(json_str)
-
-        loopback_message = self._check_loopbacks(network_message.id)
-        if loopback_message:
-            network_message = loopback_message
-
+        network_message = self._parse_incoming_message(message)
+        if network_message is None:
+            return
         event = EventMapper.from_message(network_message)
+        # if isinstance(event, LobbyEvent):
+        #     self._lobby.process(event)
 
     def _on_session_message(
         self, client: mqtt.Client, userdata: None, message: mqtt.MQTTMessage
     ) -> None:
-        json_str = message.payload.decode()
-        network_message = NetworkMessage.from_json(json_str)
-
-        loopback_message = self._check_loopbacks(network_message.id)
-        if loopback_message:
-            network_message = loopback_message
-
+        network_message = self._parse_incoming_message(message)
+        if network_message is None:
+            return
         event = EventMapper.from_message(network_message)
         if isinstance(event, SessionEvent):
             self._session.process(event)