diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/ServerWebSocket.tsx b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/ServerWebSocket.tsx
index 49b4a0b55..6960191eb 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/ServerWebSocket.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/ServerWebSocket.tsx
@@ -170,15 +170,17 @@ class ServerWebSocket extends ServerAdapter {
     this.handleConnectionAttempt(ctx);
 
     ws.on('message', async (message: WebSocket.RawData) => {
+      const messageString = message.toString();
       try {
-        const messageString = message.toString();
         const parsedMessage = this.handleMessageDeserialization(messageString);
         // Successful deserialization is a proof that the message is a string
         this.handleMessage(ctx, parsedMessage, messageString);
       } catch (error) {
-        // See the reasoning in the error handler for a `connection` event
-        ws.emit('error', error);
-        ws.close(WSCloseCode.InternalError);
+        // If handling an individual message failes, we don't necessarily kill the connection,
+        // all other plugins might still be working correctly. So let's just report it.
+        // This avoids ping-ponging connections if an individual plugin sends garbage (e.g. T129428800)
+        // or throws an error when handling messages
+        console.error('Failed to handle message', messageString, error);
       }
     });
   }
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/__tests__/ServerWebSocket.node.tsx b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/__tests__/ServerWebSocket.node.tsx
index 2a244bd75..8b2c57a6e 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/__tests__/ServerWebSocket.node.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/comms/__tests__/ServerWebSocket.node.tsx
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ describe('ServerWebSocket', () => {
     expect(mockSEListener.onError).toBeCalledTimes(0); // no onError triggered, as start throws already
   });
 
-  test('calls listener onError if a message handling fails', async () => {
+  test('does NOT call listener onError if individual message handling fails', async () => {
     const mockSEListener = createMockSEListener();
 
     server = new ServerWebSocket(mockSEListener);
@@ -117,9 +117,8 @@ describe('ServerWebSocket', () => {
     // Sending invalid JSON to cause a parsing error
     wsClient.send(`{{{{`);
     // Server must close the connection on error
-    await new Promise((resolve) => {
-      wsClient!.onclose = resolve;
-    });
-    expect(mockSEListener.onError).toBeCalledTimes(1);
+
+    expect(mockSEListener.onError).toBeCalledTimes(0);
+    expect(mockSEListener.onListening).toBeCalledTimes(1);
   });
 });