diff --git a/packages/plugin-browser/src/index.ts b/packages/plugin-browser/src/index.ts
index ec197735f96..fea1a0f6c0c 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-browser/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-browser/src/index.ts
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export default Plugin.define({
           if (!browser)
             return yield* new Tool.Error({
               message:
-                "[browser.disconnected] No desktop browser is connected to this session. Open this session in the desktop app, enable Browser pane, and wait for it to connect. Then call browser.tabs.list({}). Repeating browser actions while disconnected will not help.",
+                "[browser.disconnected] No desktop browser is connected to this session. Open this session in the desktop app, enable the experimental browser setting, and wait for it to connect. Then call browser.tabs.list({}). Repeating browser actions while disconnected will not help.",
             })
           const tab = "tabID" in action ? browser.state.tabs.find((tab) => tab.id === action.tabID) : undefined
           if ("tabID" in action && !tab)
@@ -172,7 +172,16 @@ export default Plugin.define({
             )
           const value = result.files.length
             ? {
-                ...requireObject(result.value),
+                ...(yield* Schema.decodeUnknownEffect(Schema.JsonObject)(result.value).pipe(
+                  Effect.mapError(
+                    (error) =>
+                      new Tool.Error({
+                        message:
+                          "Browser returned malformed file output. Check desktop/server plugin compatibility and report the invalid response; do not repeat the capture to repair a protocol error.",
+                        error,
+                      }),
+                  ),
+                )),
                 files: result.files.map((file) => ({
                   id: file.id,
                   name: file.name,
@@ -245,15 +254,6 @@ export default Plugin.define({
     }),
 })
 
-function requireObject(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> {
-  if (!value || typeof value !== "object" || Array.isArray(value))
-    throw new Tool.Error({
-      message:
-        "Browser returned malformed file output. Check desktop/server plugin compatibility and report the invalid response; do not repeat the capture to repair a protocol error.",
-    })
-  return value as Record<string, unknown>
-}
-
 function normalizeAction(action: Browser.Action): Browser.Action {
   if (action.type !== "navigate" && action.type !== "tabs.open") return action
   if (action.type === "tabs.open" && action.url === undefined) return action
diff --git a/packages/sdk/test/browser-plugin.test.ts b/packages/sdk/test/browser-plugin.test.ts
index d38bb887921..20381b24a98 100644
--- a/packages/sdk/test/browser-plugin.test.ts
+++ b/packages/sdk/test/browser-plugin.test.ts
@@ -195,6 +195,30 @@ test(
         expect(yield* Fiber.join(invalid.pending).pipe(Effect.flip)).toMatchObject({
           message: expect.stringContaining("Check that the desktop and server plugin use compatible versions"),
         })
+        const malformed = yield* host.command({ type: "screenshot", tabID: tab.id })
+        yield* host.rpc.result(
+          {
+            ...malformed.input,
+            outcome: {
+              type: "success",
+              result: {
+                value: null,
+                files: [
+                  {
+                    id: Browser.FileID.make(`file_${crypto.randomUUID()}`),
+                    name: "screenshot.png",
+                    mime: "image/png",
+                    data: png,
+                  },
+                ],
+              },
+            },
+          },
+          { location: host.location },
+        )
+        expect((yield* Fiber.join(malformed.pending).pipe(Effect.flip)).message).toContain(
+          "Browser returned malformed file output",
+        )
         const missing = yield* run('return await tools.browser.click({ref:"e1"})')
         expect(missing.metadata).toMatchObject({ error: true })
         expect(missing.output).toMatchObject({ output: expect.stringContaining("tabID") })