diff --git a/src/ModelFactory.php b/src/ModelFactory.php
index 3894515..b17c508 100644
--- a/src/ModelFactory.php
+++ b/src/ModelFactory.php
@@ -369,14 +369,23 @@ readonly class ModelFactory
     /**
      * Creates a specific Update model based on the 'update_type' field.
      *
-     * @param array<string, mixed> $data Raw data for a single update.
+     * @param mixed $data Raw data for a single update. Anything that is not an array
+     *                    (e.g. a scalar produced by json_decode) is converted to LogicException,
+     *                    so a webhook or a long-polling loop can skip it instead of crashing.
      *
      * @return AbstractUpdate
      * @throws ReflectionException
      * @throws LogicException
      */
-    public function createUpdate(array $data): AbstractUpdate
+    public function createUpdate(mixed $data): AbstractUpdate
     {
+        if (!is_array($data)) {
+            $message = sprintf('Failed to parse update: expected JSON object, got %s', get_debug_type($data));
+            $this->logger->warning($message, ['payload' => $data]);
+
+            throw new LogicException($message);
+        }
+
         try {
             return match (UpdateType::tryFrom($data['update_type'] ?? '')) {
                 UpdateType::MessageCreated => MessageCreatedUpdate::fromArray($data),
diff --git a/tests/ModelFactoryTest.php b/tests/ModelFactoryTest.php
index dcfd2c9..5050a2a 100644
--- a/tests/ModelFactoryTest.php
+++ b/tests/ModelFactoryTest.php
@@ -840,6 +840,67 @@ final class ModelFactoryTest extends TestCase
         $this->assertSame(7, $updateList->marker);
     }
 
+    public static function nonArrayPayloadProvider(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'string' => ['123'],
+            'integer' => [42],
+            'null' => [null],
+            'float' => [3.14],
+            'boolean' => [true],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    #[DataProvider('nonArrayPayloadProvider')]
+    public function createUpdateTurnsNonArrayPayloadIntoLogicException(mixed $payload): void
+    {
+        $logger = $this->createMock(LoggerInterface::class);
+        $logger->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('warning')
+            ->with(
+                'Failed to parse update: expected JSON object, got ' . get_debug_type($payload),
+                ['payload' => $payload],
+            );
+        $factory = new ModelFactory($logger);
+
+        try {
+            $factory->createUpdate($payload);
+            $this->fail('LogicException expected');
+        } catch (LogicException $e) {
+            $this->assertNull($e->getPrevious());
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function createUpdateListSkipsNonArrayElements(): void
+    {
+        $logger = $this->createMock(LoggerInterface::class);
+        $logger->expects($this->exactly(2))->method('warning');
+        $factory = new ModelFactory($logger);
+
+        $updateList = $factory->createUpdateList([
+            'updates' => [
+                'junk',
+                41,
+                [
+                    'update_type' => 'message_created',
+                    'timestamp' => 3,
+                    'message' => [
+                        'timestamp' => 3,
+                        'body' => ['mid' => 'mid.2', 'seq' => 2],
+                        'recipient' => ['chat_type' => 'dialog'],
+                    ],
+                ],
+            ],
+            'marker' => 9,
+        ]);
+
+        $this->assertCount(1, $updateList->updates);
+        $this->assertInstanceOf(MessageCreatedUpdate::class, $updateList->updates[0]);
+        $this->assertSame(9, $updateList->marker);
+    }
+
     #[Test]
     public function createUpdateListCatchesAndLogsLogicException(): void
     {
diff --git a/tests/WebhookHandlerTest.php b/tests/WebhookHandlerTest.php
index 3f2b114..309315a 100644
--- a/tests/WebhookHandlerTest.php
+++ b/tests/WebhookHandlerTest.php
@@ -249,4 +249,40 @@ final class WebhookHandlerTest extends TestCase
 
         $this->assertFalse($handlerWasCalled);
     }
+
+    public static function nonJsonObjectBodyProvider(): array
+    {
+        return [
+            'number' => ['123'],
+            'null' => ['null'],
+            'string' => ['"abc"'],
+            'boolean' => ['true'],
+        ];
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    #[DataProvider('nonJsonObjectBodyProvider')]
+    public function handleSkipsBodyThatIsNotAJsonObject(string $payload): void
+    {
+        $request = $this->createMockRequest($payload, self::SECRET);
+
+        $this->loggerMock->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('warning')
+            ->with($this->stringContains('Failed to parse update: expected JSON object'));
+
+        $handlerWasCalled = false;
+        $this->dispatcher->addHandler(UpdateType::MessageCreated, function () use (&$handlerWasCalled) {
+            $handlerWasCalled = true;
+        });
+
+        $handler = new WebhookHandler(
+            $this->dispatcher,
+            new ModelFactory($this->loggerMock),
+            $this->loggerMock,
+            self::SECRET,
+        );
+        $handler->handle($request);
+
+        $this->assertFalse($handlerWasCalled);
+    }
 }