diff --git a/custompuppet.go b/custompuppet.go
index b7f4a3c..ac98ee9 100644
--- a/custompuppet.go
+++ b/custompuppet.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/Rhymen/go-whatsapp"
 	"maunium.net/go/mautrix"
-	"maunium.net/go/mautrix-appservice"
+	appservice "maunium.net/go/mautrix-appservice"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -117,7 +118,9 @@ func (puppet *Puppet) StartCustomMXID() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	urlPath := intent.BuildURL("account", "whoami")
-	var resp struct{ UserID string `json:"user_id"` }
+	var resp struct {
+		UserID string `json:"user_id"`
+	}
 	_, err = intent.MakeRequest("GET", urlPath, nil, &resp)
 	if err != nil {
 		puppet.clearCustomMXID()
@@ -155,6 +158,28 @@ func (puppet *Puppet) stopSyncing() {
 	puppet.customIntent.StopSync()
 }
 
+func parseEvent(roomID string, data json.RawMessage) *mautrix.Event {
+	event := &mautrix.Event{}
+	err := json.Unmarshal(data, event)
+	if err != nil {
+		// TODO add separate handler for these
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to unmarshal event: %v\n%s\n", err, string(data))
+		return nil
+	}
+	return event
+}
+
+func parsePresenceEvent(data json.RawMessage) *mautrix.Event {
+	event := &mautrix.Event{}
+	err := json.Unmarshal(data, event)
+	if err != nil {
+		// TODO add separate handler for these
+		_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Failed to unmarshal event: %v\n%s\n", err, string(data))
+		return nil
+	}
+	return event
+}
+
 func (puppet *Puppet) ProcessResponse(resp *mautrix.RespSync, since string) error {
 	if !puppet.customUser.IsConnected() {
 		puppet.log.Debugln("Skipping sync processing: custom user not connected to whatsapp")
@@ -165,20 +190,26 @@ func (puppet *Puppet) ProcessResponse(resp *mautrix.RespSync, since string) erro
 		if portal == nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		for _, event := range events.Ephemeral.Events {
-			switch event.Type {
-			case mautrix.EphemeralEventReceipt:
-				go puppet.handleReceiptEvent(portal, event)
-			case mautrix.EphemeralEventTyping:
-				go puppet.handleTypingEvent(portal, event)
+		for _, data := range events.Ephemeral.Events {
+			event := parseEvent(roomID, data)
+			if event != nil {
+				switch event.Type {
+				case mautrix.EphemeralEventReceipt:
+					go puppet.handleReceiptEvent(portal, event)
+				case mautrix.EphemeralEventTyping:
+					go puppet.handleTypingEvent(portal, event)
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	for _, event := range resp.Presence.Events {
-		if event.Sender != puppet.CustomMXID {
-			continue
+	for _, data := range resp.Presence.Events {
+		event := parsePresenceEvent(data)
+		if event != nil {
+			if event.Sender != puppet.CustomMXID {
+				continue
+			}
+			go puppet.handlePresenceEvent(event)
 		}
-		go puppet.handlePresenceEvent(event)
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 89e1142..4656de7 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -10,11 +10,12 @@ require (
 	github.com/lib/pq v1.1.1
 	github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3 v1.10.0
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.8.1
+	github.com/shurcooL/sanitized_anchor_name v1.0.0 // indirect
 	github.com/skip2/go-qrcode v0.0.0-20190110000554-dc11ecdae0a9
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.2.2
 	maunium.net/go/mauflag v1.0.0
 	maunium.net/go/maulogger/v2 v2.0.0
-	maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200209182939-9df6760d40d2
+	maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200221234248-8a868bce2854
 	maunium.net/go/mautrix-appservice v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200209183024-a3d12dc80898
 )
 
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index a95c3cb..35aa020 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACk
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20180906233101-161cd47e91fd/go.mod h1:mL1N/T3taQHkDXs73rZJwtUhF3w3ftmwwsq0BUmARs4=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190603091049-60506f45cf65 h1:+rhAzEzT3f4JtomfC371qB+0Ola2caSKcY69NUBZrRQ=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190603091049-60506f45cf65/go.mod h1:HSz+uSET+XFnRR8LxR5pz3Of3rY3CfYBVs4xY44aLks=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200202094626-16171245cfb2 h1:CCH4IOTTfewWjGOlSp+zGcjutRKlBEZQ6wTn8ozI/nI=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200202094626-16171245cfb2/go.mod h1:z5CRVTTTmAJ677TzLLGU+0bjPO0LkuOLi4/5GtJWs/s=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20180314180146-1d60e4601c6f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181221193216-37e7f081c4d4/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20190215142949-d0b11bdaac8a/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
@@ -84,6 +86,8 @@ maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20191230181907-055c3acd81cd h1:stoHlgxDA
 maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20191230181907-055c3acd81cd/go.mod h1:O+QWJP3H7BZEzIBSrECKpnpRnEKBwaoWVEu/yZwVwxg=
 maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200209182939-9df6760d40d2 h1:Ewvf0/4z0OQ7IyySxP5rjhzpL01Slxhup7ugHieAlrI=
 maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200209182939-9df6760d40d2/go.mod h1:O+QWJP3H7BZEzIBSrECKpnpRnEKBwaoWVEu/yZwVwxg=
+maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200221234248-8a868bce2854 h1:NKj52IqLkfscNMSbSVepaXHM6M/x3iNe/iWSAcmAilo=
+maunium.net/go/mautrix v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20200221234248-8a868bce2854/go.mod h1:g10T1fh2Q2HkJWycVs93eBXdWpqD67f1YVQhNxdIDr4=
 maunium.net/go/mautrix-appservice v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20190618052224-6e6c9bb47548 h1:ni1nqs+2AOO+g1ND6f2W0pMcb6sIDVqzerXosO+pI2g=
 maunium.net/go/mautrix-appservice v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20190618052224-6e6c9bb47548/go.mod h1:yVWU0gvIHIXClgyVnShiufiDksFbFrBqHG9lDAYcmGI=
 maunium.net/go/mautrix-appservice v0.1.0-alpha.3.0.20190822210104-3e49344e186b h1:/03X0PPgtk4pqXcdH86xMzOl891whG5A1hFXQ+xXons=