diff --git a/features/steps/server_lifecycle_steps.py b/features/steps/server_lifecycle_steps.py
index 2332051c5..6418f129d 100644
--- a/features/steps/server_lifecycle_steps.py
+++ b/features/steps/server_lifecycle_steps.py
@@ -132,8 +132,11 @@ def step_post_a2a(context: Any, operation: str) -> None:
 
 @when("I POST a malformed JSON body to /a2a")
 def step_post_a2a_malformed(context: Any) -> None:
-    # Send a body that cannot be parsed into A2aRequest (missing operation)
-    context.response = context.test_client.post("/a2a", json={"bad": "data"})
+    context.response = context.test_client.post(
+        "/a2a",
+        content=b"not-valid-json",
+        headers={"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+    )
 
 
 @then("the response status code should be {code:d}")
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/infrastructure/server/asgi_app.py b/src/cleveragents/infrastructure/server/asgi_app.py
index 3471c868d..3d0718367 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/infrastructure/server/asgi_app.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/infrastructure/server/asgi_app.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ at ``/.well-known/agent.json`` per the A2A specification.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import json
 from typing import Any
 
 import structlog
@@ -120,7 +121,20 @@ def create_asgi_app(
         schema, dispatches it through the facade, and returns the
         :class:`A2aResponse` envelope.
         """
-        body: dict[str, Any] = await request.json()
+        try:
+            body: dict[str, Any] = await request.json()
+        except json.JSONDecodeError as exc:
+            logger.warning("a2a.server.parse_error", error=str(exc))
+            return JSONResponse(
+                status_code=400,
+                content={
+                    "jsonrpc": "2.0",
+                    "error": {
+                        "code": -32700,
+                        "message": "Parse error: request body is not valid JSON",
+                    },
+                },
+            )
 
         # Accept "operation" as an alias for "method" (proprietary wire format).
         if "method" not in body and "operation" in body: