diff --git a/internal/lsp/handlers.go b/internal/lsp/handlers.go
index 175ccf4266..a2425ea0df 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/handlers.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/handlers.go
@@ -198,9 +198,12 @@ func (s *Server) getCompiledContents(path lsp.DocumentURI, files *persistent.Map
 	}
 
 	justCompiled, derr, err := development.CompileSchema(file.contents)
-	if err != nil || derr != nil {
+	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if derr != nil {
+		return nil, &jsonrpc2.Error{Code: jsonrpc2.CodeInternalError, Message: derr.String()}
+	}
 
 	files.Set(path, trackedFile{file.contents, justCompiled}, nil)
 	return justCompiled, nil
diff --git a/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go b/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go
index c51b26703c..558d31b3f9 100644
--- a/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go
+++ b/internal/lsp/lsp_test.go
@@ -148,6 +148,14 @@ func TestDocumentFormat(t *testing.T) {
 		End:   lsp.Position{Line: 10000000, Character: 100000000},
 	}, resp[0].Range)
 	require.Equal(t, "definition user {}", resp[0].NewText)
+
+	// test formatting malformed content without panicing
+	tester.setFileContents("file:///test", "dfinition user{}")
+	err, _ := sendAndExpectError(tester, "textDocument/formatting",
+		lsp.DocumentFormattingParams{
+			TextDocument: lsp.TextDocumentIdentifier{URI: "file:///test"},
+		})
+	require.Error(t, err)
 }
 
 func TestDocumentOpenedClosed(t *testing.T) {
@@ -204,4 +212,27 @@ definition resource {
 
 	require.Equal(t, "definition user {}", resp.Contents.Value)
 	require.Equal(t, "spicedb", resp.Contents.Language)
+
+	// test hovering malformed content without panicing
+	sendAndReceive[any](tester, "textDocument/didOpen", lsp.DidOpenTextDocumentParams{
+		TextDocument: lsp.TextDocumentItem{
+			URI:        lsp.DocumentURI("file:///test"),
+			LanguageID: "test",
+			Version:    1,
+			Text: `definition user {}
+
+dfinition resource {
+	relation viewer: user
+}
+`,
+		},
+	})
+
+	err, _ := sendAndExpectError(tester, "textDocument/hover", lsp.TextDocumentPositionParams{
+		TextDocument: lsp.TextDocumentIdentifier{
+			URI: lsp.DocumentURI("file:///test"),
+		},
+		Position: lsp.Position{Line: 3, Character: 18},
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
 }