diff --git a/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/DirectEventParser.kt b/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/DirectEventParser.kt
index 2e019c6ce56..7da3cb8b43f 100644
--- a/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/DirectEventParser.kt
+++ b/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/DirectEventParser.kt
@@ -106,12 +106,17 @@ internal class DirectEventParser(
 
     /**
      * Attempts to parse [raw] JSON into a [ChatEvent] using a direct adapter.
-     * Returns `null` if the event type is not supported by any direct adapter.
+     * Returns `null` if the event type is not supported by any direct adapter,
+     * or if the matching adapter throws — allowing the caller to fall back to the DTO path.
      */
     fun parse(raw: String): ChatEvent? {
         val type = extractType(raw) ?: return null
         val adapter = adapterMap[type] ?: return null
-        return adapter.fromJson(raw)
+        return runCatching { adapter.fromJson(raw) }
+            .onFailure { e ->
+                logger.v { "Direct parse failed for '$type'; falling back to DTO path: ${e.message}" }
+            }
+            .getOrNull()
     }
 
     companion object {
diff --git a/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/direct/NewMessageEventAdapter.kt b/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/direct/NewMessageEventAdapter.kt
index deaecf8cab6..5898682e80a 100644
--- a/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/direct/NewMessageEventAdapter.kt
+++ b/stream-chat-android-client/src/main/java/io/getstream/chat/android/client/parser2/direct/NewMessageEventAdapter.kt
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ internal class NewMessageEventAdapter(
 
         return NewMessageEvent(
             type = type,
-            createdAt = createdAt ?: Date(0),
+            createdAt = createdAt,
             rawCreatedAt = rawCreatedAt,
             user = user,
             cid = cid,