diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/MainNotificationToast.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/MainNotificationToast.tsx
index d8dfd213..a67e841b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/MainNotificationToast.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/MainNotificationToast.tsx
@@ -69,11 +69,11 @@ export const MainNotificationToast = () => {
       payload: Uint8Array,
       participant?: RemoteParticipant
     ) => {
-      const { type, data } = decodeNotificationDataReceived(payload)
+      const notification = decodeNotificationDataReceived(payload)
 
-      if (!participant) return
+      if (!participant || !notification) return
 
-      switch (type) {
+      switch (notification.type) {
         case NotificationType.ParticipantMuted:
           toastQueue.add(
             {
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ export const MainNotificationToast = () => {
           )
           break
         case NotificationType.ReactionReceived:
-          if (data?.emoji) handleEmoji(data.emoji, participant)
+          if (notification.data?.emoji)
+            handleEmoji(notification.data.emoji, participant)
           break
         default:
           return
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/utils.ts b/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/utils.ts
index 2b756801..a99d6840 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/utils.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/notifications/utils.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,22 @@ export const closeLowerHandToasts = () => {
 
 export const decodeNotificationDataReceived = (
   payload: Uint8Array
-): NotificationPayload => {
-  const decoder = new TextDecoder()
-  return JSON.parse(decoder.decode(payload))
+): NotificationPayload | undefined => {
+  if (!payload || !(payload instanceof Uint8Array)) {
+    throw new Error('Invalid payload: expected Uint8Array')
+  }
+  try {
+    const decoder = new TextDecoder()
+    const jsonString = decoder.decode(payload)
+    if (!jsonString || typeof jsonString !== 'string') {
+      throw new Error('Invalid decoded content')
+    }
+    // Parse with additional validation if needed
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(jsonString)
+    return parsed as NotificationPayload
+  } catch (error) {
+    // Handle errors appropriately for your application
+    console.error('Failed to decode notification payload:', error)
+    return
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/hooks/useWaitingParticipants.ts b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/hooks/useWaitingParticipants.ts
index 7b83f55a..e583256b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/hooks/useWaitingParticipants.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/hooks/useWaitingParticipants.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ export const useWaitingParticipants = () => {
   const isAdminOrOwner = useIsAdminOrOwner()
 
   const handleDataReceived = useCallback((payload: Uint8Array) => {
-    const { type } = decodeNotificationDataReceived(payload)
-    if (type === NotificationType.ParticipantWaiting) {
+    const notification = decodeNotificationDataReceived(payload)
+    if (notification?.type === NotificationType.ParticipantWaiting) {
       setListEnabled(true)
     }
   }, [])