diff --git a/examples/eth-dm/src/InitWaku.tsx b/examples/eth-dm/src/InitWaku.tsx
index a1c5b07708..3ef45e0c76 100644
--- a/examples/eth-dm/src/InitWaku.tsx
+++ b/examples/eth-dm/src/InitWaku.tsx
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ function handlePublicKeyMessage(
 ) {
   if (!msg.payload) return;
   const publicKeyMsg = PublicKeyMessage.decode(msg.payload);
+  if (!publicKeyMsg) return;
   const ethDmPublicKey = bytesToHexStr(publicKeyMsg.ethDmPublicKey);
   if (ethDmPublicKey === myPublicKey) return;
 
diff --git a/examples/eth-dm/src/messaging/wire.ts b/examples/eth-dm/src/messaging/wire.ts
index 803bc04b1c..da5dbe52a2 100644
--- a/examples/eth-dm/src/messaging/wire.ts
+++ b/examples/eth-dm/src/messaging/wire.ts
@@ -30,10 +30,16 @@ export class PublicKeyMessage {
     return PublicKeyMessage.Type.encode(message).finish();
   }
 
-  public static decode(bytes: Uint8Array | Buffer): PublicKeyMessage {
+  public static decode(
+    bytes: Uint8Array | Buffer
+  ): PublicKeyMessage | undefined {
     const payload = PublicKeyMessage.Type.decode(
       bytes
     ) as unknown as PublicKeyMessagePayload;
+    if (!payload.signature || !payload.ethDmPublicKey || !payload.ethAddress) {
+      console.log('Field missing on decoded Public Key Message', payload);
+      return;
+    }
     return new PublicKeyMessage(payload);
   }