diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/all_webhooks.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/all_webhooks.rb
index 1a6ca1478..59cfd15ad 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/all_webhooks.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/all_webhooks.rb
@@ -30,10 +30,7 @@ def post_is_create?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            return invalid_json? || validation_errors?(webhook)
-          end
-          false
+          super || (request.post? && validation_errors?(webhook))
         end
 
         def to_json
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource.rb
index 332932c86..769e8366e 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ module PactBroker
   module Api
     module Resources
       class InvalidJsonError < PactBroker::Error ; end
+      class NonUTF8CharacterFound < PactBroker::Error ; end
 
       class BaseResource < Webmachine::Resource
         include PactBroker::Services
@@ -39,6 +40,10 @@ def known_methods
           super + ["PATCH"]
         end
 
+        def malformed_request?
+          content_type_is_json_but_invalid_json_provided?
+        end
+
         def finish_request
           application_context.after_resource&.call(self)
           PactBroker.configuration.after_resource.call(self)
@@ -125,17 +130,32 @@ def params(options = {})
           else
             @params_with_string_keys ||= JSON.parse(request_body, { symbolize_names: false }.merge(PACT_PARSING_OPTIONS)) #Not load! Otherwise it will try to load Ruby classes.
           end
-        rescue JSON::JSONError => e
-          raise InvalidJsonError.new("Error parsing JSON - #{e.message}")
+        rescue StandardError => e
+          fragment = fragment_before_invalid_utf_8_char
+
+          if fragment
+            raise NonUTF8CharacterFound.new(message("errors.non_utf_8_char_in_request_body", char_number: fragment.length + 1, fragment: fragment))
+          else
+            raise InvalidJsonError.new(e.message)
+          end
         end
         # rubocop: enable Metrics/CyclomaticComplexity
 
+        def fragment_before_invalid_utf_8_char
+          request_body.each_char.with_index do | char, index |
+            if !char.valid_encoding?
+              return index < 100 ? request_body[0...index] : request_body[index-100...index]
+            end
+          end
+          nil
+        end
+
         def params_with_string_keys
           params(symbolize_names: false)
         end
 
         def pact_params
-          @pact_params ||= PactBroker::Pacts::PactParams.from_request request, identifier_from_path
+          @pact_params ||= PactBroker::Pacts::PactParams.from_request(request, identifier_from_path)
         end
 
         def set_json_error_message message
@@ -192,9 +212,12 @@ def invalid_json?
           begin
             params
             false
+          rescue NonUTF8CharacterFound => e
+            set_json_error_message(e.message)
+            response.headers["Content-Type"] = "application/hal+json;charset=utf-8"
+            true
           rescue StandardError => e
-            logger.info "Error parsing JSON #{e} - #{request_body}"
-            set_json_error_message "Error parsing JSON - #{e.message}"
+            set_json_error_message("#{e.cause ? e.cause.class.name : e.class.name} - #{e.message}")
             response.headers["Content-Type"] = "application/hal+json;charset=utf-8"
             true
           end
@@ -279,6 +302,10 @@ def validation_errors_for_schema?(schema_to_use = schema, params_to_validate = p
         def malformed_request_for_json_with_schema?(schema_to_use = schema, params_to_validate = params)
           invalid_json? || validation_errors_for_schema?(schema_to_use, params_to_validate)
         end
+
+        def content_type_is_json_but_invalid_json_provided?
+          request.content_type&.include?("json") && any_request_body? && invalid_json?
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_deployed_versions_for_environment.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_deployed_versions_for_environment.rb
index 45a1f48a3..b51013c7a 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_deployed_versions_for_environment.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_deployed_versions_for_environment.rb
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ module Resources
       class CurrentlyDeployedVersionsForEnvironment < BaseResource
         using PactBroker::StringRefinements
 
-        def content_types_accepted
-          [["application/json", :from_json]]
-        end
-
         def content_types_provided
           [["application/hal+json", :to_json]]
         end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_supported_versions_for_environment.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_supported_versions_for_environment.rb
index 1e93b639f..c6a65a8f3 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_supported_versions_for_environment.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/currently_supported_versions_for_environment.rb
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ module Resources
       class CurrentlySupportedVersionsForEnvironment < BaseResource
         using PactBroker::StringRefinements
 
-        def content_types_accepted
-          [["application/json", :from_json]]
-        end
-
         def content_types_provided
           [["application/hal+json", :to_json]]
         end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/deployed_version.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/deployed_version.rb
index 94c09eeeb..e1071c808 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/deployed_version.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/deployed_version.rb
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ module Resources
       class DeployedVersion < BaseResource
         include PactBroker::Messages
 
-        def initialize
-          super
-          @currently_deployed_param = params(default: {})[:currentlyDeployed]
-        end
-
         def content_types_provided
           [
             ["application/hal+json", :to_json]
@@ -33,14 +28,6 @@ def resource_exists?
           !!deployed_version
         end
 
-        def malformed_request?
-          if request.patch?
-            return invalid_json?
-          else
-            false
-          end
-        end
-
         def to_json
           decorator_class(:deployed_version_decorator).new(deployed_version).to_json(decorator_options)
         end
@@ -73,7 +60,14 @@ def policy_record
 
         private
 
-        attr_reader :currently_deployed_param
+        # can't use ||= with a potentially nil value
+        def currently_deployed_param
+          if defined?(@currently_deployed_param)
+            @currently_deployed_param
+          else
+            @currently_deployed_param = params(default: {})[:currentlyDeployed]
+          end
+        end
 
         def process_currently_deployed_param
           if currently_deployed_param == false
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environment.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environment.rb
index 8eb62ca24..3cfbf3c95 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environment.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environment.rb
@@ -22,11 +22,7 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.put? && environment
-            invalid_json? || validation_errors_for_schema?(schema, params.merge(uuid: uuid))
-          else
-            false
-          end
+          super || (request.put? && environment && validation_errors_for_schema?(schema, params.merge(uuid: uuid)))
         end
 
         def from_json
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environments.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environments.rb
index 6fe2646ce..ff20ef38d 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environments.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/environments.rb
@@ -27,11 +27,7 @@ def post_is_create?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            invalid_json? || validation_errors_for_schema?(schema, params.merge(uuid: uuid))
-          else
-            false
-          end
+          super || (request.post? && validation_errors_for_schema?(schema, params.merge(uuid: uuid)))
         end
 
         def create_path
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact.rb
index 3e4257466..212068156 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact.rb
@@ -42,12 +42,9 @@ def is_conflict?
           potential_duplicate_pacticipants?(pact_params.pacticipant_names) || merge_conflict || disallowed_modification?
         end
 
+
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.patch? || request.put?
-            invalid_json? || contract_validation_errors?(Contracts::PutPactParamsContract.new(pact_params), pact_params)
-          else
-            false
-          end
+          super || ((request.patch? || request.really_put?) && contract_validation_errors?(Contracts::PutPactParamsContract.new(pact_params), pact_params))
         end
 
         def resource_exists?
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_webhooks.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_webhooks.rb
index 26c23e7d6..cb44abcbb 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_webhooks.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_webhooks.rb
@@ -25,10 +25,7 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            return invalid_json? || validation_errors?(webhook)
-          end
-          false
+          super || (request.post? && validation_errors?(webhook))
         end
 
         def validation_errors? webhook
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb
index 0958af03b..4045a4d28 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant.rb
@@ -26,11 +26,7 @@ def known_methods
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.patch? || request.put?
-            invalid_json? || validation_errors_for_schema?
-          else
-            false
-          end
+          super || ((request.patch? || request.really_put?) && validation_errors_for_schema?)
         end
 
         def from_json
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant_webhooks.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant_webhooks.rb
index df40aedde..9610d171d 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant_webhooks.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipant_webhooks.rb
@@ -27,10 +27,7 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            return invalid_json? || webhook_validation_errors?(webhook)
-          end
-          false
+          super || (request.post? && webhook_validation_errors?(webhook))
         end
 
         def create_path
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipants.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipants.rb
index f8b4bf387..80e6a4a94 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipants.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pacticipants.rb
@@ -23,10 +23,7 @@ def allowed_methods
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            return invalid_json? || validation_errors_for_schema?
-          end
-          false
+          super || (request.post? && validation_errors_for_schema?)
         end
 
         def post_is_create?
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/provider_pacts_for_verification.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/provider_pacts_for_verification.rb
index f474984f3..9de99b124 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/provider_pacts_for_verification.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/provider_pacts_for_verification.rb
@@ -20,12 +20,7 @@ def content_types_accepted
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if (errors = query_schema.call(query)).any?
-            set_json_validation_error_messages(errors)
-            true
-          else
-            false
-          end
+          super || ((request.get? || request.post?) && schema_validation_errors?)
         end
 
         def process_post
@@ -96,6 +91,15 @@ def log_request
         def nested_query
           @nested_query ||= Rack::Utils.parse_nested_query(request.uri.query)
         end
+
+        def schema_validation_errors?
+          if (errors = query_schema.call(query)).any?
+            set_json_validation_error_messages(errors)
+            true
+          else
+            false
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/publish_contracts.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/publish_contracts.rb
index 8bc125a5d..9fa063a6f 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/publish_contracts.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/publish_contracts.rb
@@ -23,11 +23,7 @@ def allowed_methods
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            invalid_json? || validation_errors_for_schema?
-          else
-            false
-          end
+          super || (request.post? && validation_errors_for_schema?)
         end
 
         def process_post
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/released_version.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/released_version.rb
index e14f611e6..df82f597f 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/released_version.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/released_version.rb
@@ -8,11 +8,6 @@ module Resources
       class ReleasedVersion < BaseResource
         include PactBroker::Messages
 
-        def initialize
-          super
-          @currently_supported_param = params(default: {})[:currentlySupported]
-        end
-
         def content_types_provided
           [["application/hal+json", :to_json]]
         end
@@ -63,7 +58,14 @@ def policy_record
 
         private
 
-        attr_reader :currently_supported_param
+        # can't use ||= with a potentially nil value
+        def currently_supported_param
+          if defined?(@currently_deployed_param)
+            @currently_supported_param
+          else
+            @currently_supported_param = params(default: {})[:currentlySupported]
+          end
+        end
 
         def process_currently_supported_param
           if currently_supported_param == false
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/verifications.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/verifications.rb
index bc1fa0275..6d323d537 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/verifications.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/verifications.rb
@@ -34,15 +34,7 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
-            return true if invalid_json?
-            errors = verification_service.errors(params)
-            if !errors.empty?
-              set_json_validation_error_messages(errors.messages)
-              return true
-            end
-          end
-          false
+          super || (request.post? && any_validation_errors?)
         end
 
         def create_path
@@ -91,6 +83,12 @@ def event_context
         def verification_params
           params(symbolize_names: false).merge("wip" => wip?, "pending" => pending?)
         end
+
+        def any_validation_errors?
+          errors = verification_service.errors(params)
+          set_json_validation_error_messages(errors.messages) if !errors.empty?
+          !errors.empty?
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/version.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/version.rb
index 99e540bbf..cf23c8069 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/version.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/version.rb
@@ -25,14 +25,6 @@ def resource_exists?
           !!version
         end
 
-        def malformed_request?
-          if request.put? && any_request_body?
-            invalid_json?
-          else
-            false
-          end
-        end
-
         def from_json
           if request.really_put?
             handle_request do
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook.rb
index 417e6a79c..2b717df2a 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook.rb
@@ -27,10 +27,7 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.put?
-            return invalid_json? || webhook_validation_errors?(parsed_webhook, uuid)
-          end
-          false
+          super || (request.put? && webhook_validation_errors?(parsed_webhook, uuid))
         end
 
         def from_json
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook_execution.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook_execution.rb
index 8fd631950..656e2519a 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook_execution.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/webhook_execution.rb
@@ -37,14 +37,16 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def malformed_request?
-          if request.post?
+          if super
+            true
+          elsif request.post?
             if uuid
               false
             else
               webhook_validation_errors?(webhook)
             end
           else
-            super
+            false
           end
         end
 
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/locale/en.yml b/lib/pact_broker/locale/en.yml
index a44b852d1..3b34628b5 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/locale/en.yml
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/locale/en.yml
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ en:
         To disable this check, set `check_for_potential_duplicate_pacticipant_names` to false in the configuration.
       new_line_in_url_path: URL path cannot contain a new line character.
       tab_in_url_path: URL path cannot contain a tab character.
+      non_utf_8_char_in_request_body: "Request body has a non UTF-8 character at char %{char_number} and cannot be parsed as JSON. Fragment preceding invalid character is: '%{fragment}'"
 
       "400":
         title: 400 Malformed Request
diff --git a/spec/integration/endpoints/non_utf_8_spec.rb b/spec/integration/endpoints/non_utf_8_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3534f0dfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/integration/endpoints/non_utf_8_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+RSpec.describe "a request to publish a pact with non-utf-8 chars" do
+
+  subject { put("/pacts/provider/Bar/consumer/Foo/version/2", pact_content, { "CONTENT_TYPE" => "application/json"}) }
+
+  context "with less than 100 chars preceding the invalid char" do
+    let(:pact_content) do
+      "ABCDEFG\x8FDEF"
+    end
+
+    its(:status) { is_expected.to eq 400 }
+
+    it "returns an error indicating where the non UTF-8 character is" do
+      expect(JSON.parse(subject.body)).to eq("error" => "Request body has a non UTF-8 character at char 8 and cannot be parsed as JSON. Fragment preceding invalid character is: 'ABCDEFG'")
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "with more than 100 chars preceding the invalid char" do
+    let(:pact_content) do
+      "12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890\x8FDEF"
+    end
+
+    it "truncates the fragement included in the error message" do
+      expect(JSON.parse(subject.body)).to eq("error" => "Request body has a non UTF-8 character at char 101 and cannot be parsed as JSON. Fragment preceding invalid character is: '1234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890'")
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+RSpec.describe "a request to publish a pact with invalid JSON" do
+  let(:pact_content) do
+    "{"
+  end
+
+  subject { put("/pacts/provider/Bar/consumer/Foo/version/2", pact_content, { "CONTENT_TYPE" => "application/json"}) }
+
+  its(:status) { is_expected.to eq 400 }
+
+  it "returns an error message" do
+    expect(JSON.parse(subject.body)).to eq("error" => "JSON::ParserError - 859: unexpected token at '{'")
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource_spec.rb b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource_spec.rb
index 20822f111..f2991b74e 100644
--- a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource_spec.rb
@@ -191,7 +191,8 @@ module Resources
             allow(path_info).to receive(:[]).with(:application_context).and_return(application_context)
           end
           let(:application_context) { PactBroker::ApplicationContext.default_application_context(before_resource: before_resource, after_resource: after_resource) }
-          let(:request) { double("request", uri: URI("http://example.org"), path_info: path_info, body: "{}").as_null_object }
+          let(:request) { double("request", uri: URI("http://example.org"), path_info: path_info, body: body).as_null_object }
+          let(:body) { "{}" }
           let(:path_info) { { pacticipant_name: "foo", pacticipant_version_number: "1" } }
           let(:response) { double("response").as_null_object }
           let(:resource) { resource_class.new(request, response) }
@@ -217,6 +218,25 @@ module Resources
           it "has a policy_name method" do
             expect(resource).to respond_to(:policy_name)
           end
+
+          describe "malformed_request?" do
+            context "an invalid UTF-8 character is used in the request body" do
+              before do
+                allow(request).to receive(:put?).and_return(true)
+                allow(request).to receive(:really_put?).and_return(true)
+                allow(request).to receive(:post?).and_return(true)
+                allow(request).to receive(:patch?).and_return(true)
+              end
+
+              let(:body) { "ABCDEFG\x8FDEF" }
+
+              it "returns true when it accepts a content type that includes json" do
+                if resource.content_types_accepted.collect(&:first).any?{ |ct| ct.include?("json") }
+                  expect(resource.malformed_request?).to eq true
+                end
+              end
+            end
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_spec.rb b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_spec.rb
index 3dd88d245..3ce94e304 100644
--- a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_spec.rb
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ module Resources
           end
 
           it "returns an error message" do
-            expect(JSON.parse(response.body)["error"]).to match(/Error parsing JSON/)
+            expect(JSON.parse(response.body)["error"]).to match(/JSON/)
           end
         end