diff --git a/lbrynet/core/LBRYcrdWallet.py b/lbrynet/core/LBRYcrdWallet.py
index 46279a2e4..09bc1e7bc 100644
--- a/lbrynet/core/LBRYcrdWallet.py
+++ b/lbrynet/core/LBRYcrdWallet.py
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ class LBRYWallet(object):
             value = result['value']
             try:
                 value_dict = json.loads(value)
-            except ValueError:
+            except (ValueError, TypeError):
                 return Failure(InvalidStreamInfoError(name))
             known_fields = ['stream_hash', 'name', 'description', 'key_fee', 'key_fee_address', 'thumbnail',
                             'content_license']
@@ -395,7 +395,7 @@ class LBRYWallet(object):
                     if 'name' in claim and str(claim['name']) == name and 'value' in claim:
                         try:
                             value_dict = json.loads(claim['value'])
-                        except ValueError:
+                        except (ValueError, TypeError):
                             return None
                         if 'stream_hash' in value_dict and str(value_dict['stream_hash']) == sd_hash:
                             if 'is controlling' in claim and claim['is controlling']:
diff --git a/lbrynet/dht/encoding.py b/lbrynet/dht/encoding.py
index a57747628..e0b42ee4f 100644
--- a/lbrynet/dht/encoding.py
+++ b/lbrynet/dht/encoding.py
@@ -99,7 +99,10 @@ class Bencode(Encoding):
         """
         if len(data) == 0:
             raise DecodeError, 'Cannot decode empty string'
-        return self._decodeRecursive(data)[0]
+        try:
+            return self._decodeRecursive(data)[0]
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise DecodeError, e.message
     
     @staticmethod
     def _decodeRecursive(data, startIndex=0):