diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/add-comments-button.tsx b/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/add-comments-button.tsx
index 7311b41..472fa31 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/add-comments-button.tsx
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/add-comments-button.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { OverleafComment } from "../../../../pkg/gen/apiclient/project/v1/projec
 import { useSocketStore } from "../../../../stores/socket-store";
 import { addClickedOverleafComment, hasClickedOverleafComment } from "../../../../libs/helpers";
 import { acceptComments } from "../../../../query/api";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { CommentsAcceptedRequestSchema } from "../../../../pkg/gen/apiclient/comment/v1/comment_pb";
 import { useConversationStore } from "../../../../stores/conversation/conversation-store";
 
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/index.tsx b/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/index.tsx
index 473ad0f..1df2f86 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/index.tsx
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score-comment/index.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { fromJson, JsonValue } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { JsonValue } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { OverleafCommentSchema } from "../../../../pkg/gen/apiclient/project/v1/project_pb";
 import { getProjectId } from "../../../../libs/helpers";
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score.tsx b/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score.tsx
index 0f113e5..34212b7 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score.tsx
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/components/message-entry-container/tools/paper-score.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { PaperScoreResultSchema } from "../../../pkg/gen/apiclient/project/v1/project_pb";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { LoadingIndicator } from "../../loading-indicator";
 import { logError } from "../../../libs/logger";
 import { cn } from "@heroui/react";
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/hooks/useSendMessageStream.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/hooks/useSendMessageStream.ts
index 0cbfcc9..fd43363 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/hooks/useSendMessageStream.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/hooks/useSendMessageStream.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import {
   StreamPartEnd,
 } from "../pkg/gen/apiclient/chat/v2/chat_pb";
 import { MessageEntry, MessageEntryStatus } from "../stores/conversation/types";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { useConversationStore } from "../stores/conversation/conversation-store";
 import { useListConversationsQuery } from "../query";
 import { useSocketStore } from "../stores/socket-store";
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/apiclient.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/apiclient.ts
index 0552f4c..05e305f 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/apiclient.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/apiclient.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import axios, { AxiosError, AxiosInstance, AxiosRequestConfig } from "axios";
-import { fromJson, JsonValue } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { JsonValue } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "./protobuf-utils";
 import { RefreshTokenResponseSchema } from "../pkg/gen/apiclient/auth/v1/auth_pb";
 import { GetUserResponseSchema } from "../pkg/gen/apiclient/user/v1/user_pb";
 import { EventEmitter } from "events";
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/protobuf-utils.test.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/protobuf-utils.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e5558e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/protobuf-utils.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/**
+ * Test file to demonstrate that the protobuf-utils wrapper handles unknown fields gracefully.
+ * 
+ * This test can be run manually to verify the fix. Since the project doesn't have
+ * a test runner configured, this serves as documentation of the expected behavior.
+ * 
+ * To test manually:
+ * 1. Add a new field to a protobuf schema on the backend
+ * 2. Deploy the backend
+ * 3. Use an older version of the webapp (without regenerating protobuf files)
+ * 4. Verify that the webapp doesn't crash when receiving the new field
+ */
+
+import { fromJson } from "./protobuf-utils";
+import { MessageSchema } from "../pkg/gen/apiclient/chat/v2/chat_pb";
+
+/**
+ * Example: Testing that fromJson ignores unknown fields
+ * 
+ * This would simulate a backend returning a message with a new field
+ * that doesn't exist in the current schema.
+ */
+function testIgnoreUnknownFields() {
+  // Simulate JSON response from backend with an extra field "newField"
+  const jsonWithUnknownField = {
+    messageId: "test-123",
+    payload: {
+      user: {
+        content: "Hello",
+        selectedText: "",
+        newFieldThatDoesntExistYet: "This is a new field from a newer backend version",
+      },
+    },
+    timestamp: "0",
+  };
+
+  try {
+    // This should NOT throw an error even though "newFieldThatDoesntExistYet" doesn't exist in the schema
+    const message = fromJson(MessageSchema, jsonWithUnknownField);
+    console.log("✓ Successfully parsed message with unknown field");
+    console.log("  Message ID:", message.messageId);
+    console.log("  User content:", message.payload.user?.content);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error("✗ Failed to parse message with unknown field:", error);
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Example: Testing that fromJson still validates required fields
+ */
+function testRequiredFieldsStillValidated() {
+  // Missing required messageId field
+  const invalidJson = {
+    payload: {
+      user: {
+        content: "Hello",
+      },
+    },
+  };
+
+  try {
+    const message = fromJson(MessageSchema, invalidJson);
+    console.log("✓ Parsed message (messageId will be empty string):", message.messageId);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error("✗ Failed to parse message:", error);
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+// Export test functions for manual testing
+export { testIgnoreUnknownFields, testRequiredFieldsStillValidated };
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/protobuf-utils.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/protobuf-utils.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f421af6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/libs/protobuf-utils.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { DescMessage, fromJson as bufFromJson, JsonValue } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+
+/**
+ * Wrapper around fromJson that ignores unknown fields to prevent crashes
+ * when new fields are added to the schema.
+ *
+ * This allows forward compatibility - older webapp versions can work with
+ * newer backend versions that introduce new fields.
+ */
+export function fromJson<Desc extends DescMessage>(
+  schema: Desc,
+  json: JsonValue,
+): InstanceType<Desc["message"]> {
+  return bufFromJson(schema, json, {
+    ignoreUnknownFields: true,
+  });
+}
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/query/api.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/query/api.ts
index 82760a6..437e8d4 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/query/api.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/query/api.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ import {
   GetUserInstructionsRequest,
 } from "../pkg/gen/apiclient/user/v1/user_pb";
 import { PlainMessage } from "./types";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { processStream } from "./utils";
 import { CommentsAcceptedRequest, CommentsAcceptedResponseSchema } from "../pkg/gen/apiclient/comment/v1/comment_pb";
 
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/query/utils.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/query/utils.ts
index 49780cf..8d77f67 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/query/utils.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/query/utils.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { DescMessage, fromJson, JsonValue, JsonWriteOptions, toJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { DescMessage, JsonValue, JsonWriteOptions, toJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { logError } from "../libs/logger";
 import { useDevtoolStore } from "../stores/devtool-store";
 
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/conversation-store.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/conversation-store.ts
index 99d6df7..42c6d27 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/conversation-store.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/conversation-store.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { create } from "zustand";
 import { persist, createJSONStorage } from "zustand/middleware";
 import { Conversation, ConversationSchema } from "../../pkg/gen/apiclient/chat/v2/chat_pb";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { useConversationUiStore } from "./conversation-ui-store";
 
 interface ConversationStore {
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/converter.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/converter.ts
index 1994c57..2c6bf2b 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/converter.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/converter.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { Conversation, Message, MessageSchema } from "../../../pkg/gen/apiclient/chat/v2/chat_pb";
 import { MessageEntry, MessageEntryStatus } from "../types";
 import { useStreamingMessageStore } from "../../streaming-message-store";
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/handleStreamError.ts b/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/handleStreamError.ts
index 6bc4bc3..12981a6 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/handleStreamError.ts
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/stores/conversation/handlers/handleStreamError.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { getProjectId } from "../../../libs/helpers";
 import { getCookies } from "../../../intermediate";
 import { StreamingMessage } from "../../streaming-message-store";
 import { MessageEntry, MessageEntryStatus } from "../types";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 
 export async function handleStreamError(
   streamError: StreamError,
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/views/devtools/index.tsx b/webapp/_webapp/src/views/devtools/index.tsx
index 75a6e59..f07f5f4 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/views/devtools/index.tsx
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/views/devtools/index.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { Button, Input } from "@heroui/react";
 import { useStreamingMessageStore } from "../../stores/streaming-message-store";
 import { MessageEntry, MessageEntryStatus } from "../../stores/conversation/types";
 import { useConversationStore } from "../../stores/conversation/conversation-store";
-import { fromJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { MessageSchema } from "../../pkg/gen/apiclient/chat/v2/chat_pb";
 import { isEmptyConversation } from "../chat/helper";
 import { useState } from "react";
diff --git a/webapp/_webapp/src/views/prompts/prompt-library-table.tsx b/webapp/_webapp/src/views/prompts/prompt-library-table.tsx
index 576c99a..91308ef 100644
--- a/webapp/_webapp/src/views/prompts/prompt-library-table.tsx
+++ b/webapp/_webapp/src/views/prompts/prompt-library-table.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import { cn, Spinner } from "@heroui/react";
 import { useCallback, useState } from "react";
 import { Prompt, PromptSchema } from "../../pkg/gen/apiclient/user/v1/user_pb";
 import { ChatButton } from "../chat/header/chat-button";
-import { fromJson, toJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { toJson } from "@bufbuild/protobuf";
+import { fromJson } from "../../libs/protobuf-utils";
 import { usePromptLibraryStore } from "../../stores/prompt-library-store";
 
 type PromptLibraryTableProps = {