diff --git a/git_hg_sync/application.py b/git_hg_sync/application.py
index 6a744e9..8125567 100644
--- a/git_hg_sync/application.py
+++ b/git_hg_sync/application.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ def _handle_push_event(self, push_event: Push) -> None:
 
     def _handle_event(self, event: Push | Tag) -> None:
         if event.repo_url not in self._repo_synchronizers:
-            logger.info("Ignoring event for untracked repository: %()s", event.repo_url)
+            logger.info(f"Ignoring event for untracked repository: {event.repo_url}")
             return
         match event:
             case Push():
diff --git a/git_hg_sync/pulse_worker.py b/git_hg_sync/pulse_worker.py
index 1297c6e..5f13958 100644
--- a/git_hg_sync/pulse_worker.py
+++ b/git_hg_sync/pulse_worker.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import json
 from typing import Any, Protocol
 
 import kombu
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.one_shot = one_shot
 
     @staticmethod
-    def parse_entity(raw_entity: Any) -> Push | Tag:
+    def parse_entity(raw_entity: dict) -> Push | Tag:
         logger.debug(f"parse_entity: {raw_entity}")
         message_type = raw_entity.pop("type")
         match message_type:
@@ -53,12 +54,46 @@ def get_consumers(
         consumer = consumer_class(
             self.task_queue, auto_declare=False, callbacks=[self.on_task]
         )
+        logger.info(f"{consumer=}")
         return [consumer]
 
     def on_task(self, body: Any, message: kombu.Message) -> None:
         logger.info(f"Received message: {body}")
-        raw_entity = body["payload"]
-        event = PulseWorker.parse_entity(raw_entity)
+
+        if isinstance(body, str):
+            logger.debug("Message is a string. Trying to parse as JSON ...")
+            try:
+                body = json.loads(body)
+            except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                pass  # We'll deal with the incorrect type next.
+        if not isinstance(body, dict):
+            logger.warning(f"Invalid message, rejecting ... `{body}`")
+            message.reject()
+            return
+
+        if not (raw_entity := body.get("payload")):
+            logger.warning(f"Missing or empty payload, rejecting ... `{body}`")
+            message.reject()
+            return
+
+        if not isinstance(raw_entity, dict):
+            logger.warning(f"Invalid payload, rejecting ... `{raw_entity}`")
+            message.reject()
+            return
+
+        try:
+            event = PulseWorker.parse_entity(raw_entity)
+        except KeyError as e:
+            logger.warning(
+                f"Invalid payload: missing {e}, rejecting ... `{raw_entity}`"
+            )
+            message.reject()
+            return
+        except (EntityTypeError, TypeError) as e:
+            logger.warning(f"Invalid payload: {e}, rejecting ... `{raw_entity}`")
+            message.reject()
+            return
+
         if self.event_handler:
             self.event_handler(event)
         message.ack()