diff --git a/mesht_device.py b/mesht_device.py
index 56aabdc..2ac1b66 100644
--- a/mesht_device.py
+++ b/mesht_device.py
@@ -265,11 +265,7 @@ class MeshtDevice:
 
     async def recv(self):
         data = await self.transport.recv()
-        try:
-            fr = pb.decode(data, FROMRADIO_SCHEMA)
-        except UnicodeDecodeError:
-            logger.error("Cannot decode msg with string")
-            fr = {}
+        fr = pb.decode(data, FROMRADIO_SCHEMA)
         logger.debug(f"FromRadio: {fr}")
         self._maybe_store_channel(fr)
         self._maybe_store_lora_config(fr)
diff --git a/pb.py b/pb.py
index 2dc4b63..501a350 100644
--- a/pb.py
+++ b/pb.py
@@ -447,7 +447,10 @@ def decode(buf, schema=None, _depth=0, _max_depth=_MAX_NESTING_DEPTH):
             elif spec and spec.get("kind") == "packed":
                 v = _decode_packed(chunk, t)
             elif t == "string":
-                v = chunk.decode("utf-8")
+                try:
+                    v = chunk.decode("utf-8")
+                except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                    v = None
             elif t == "bytes" or spec is None:
                 v = chunk
             else: