ATAK_PLUGIN payload ParseFromString error

[jjames-skyhook]

This error is reported to Meshtastic Gateway application but its getting thrown from python API. So opening a ticket here.

Env
MacOS/Meshtastic unit communicating over Serial port. meshtastic unit is communicating with another meshtastic unit part of Meshtastic APP<->Meshtastic Plugin <-> ATAK App on an Android device.

Whenever a chat message originates from ATAK and received via meshtastic unit, this error occurs

Command :
tak-meshtastic-gateway -s /dev/cu.usbserial-0001 -d

Error:
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_receive - 358 - DEBUG - Failed to decode ATAK_PLUGIN protobuf: Error parsing message with type 'meshtastic.protobuf.TAKPacket'

Copied from log
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_log_message - 375 - INFO - INFO | ??:??:?? 11768 Tell client we have new packets 441
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_log_message - 375 - INFO - DEBUG | ??:??:?? 11768 [SerialConsole] FromRadio=STATE_SEND_PACKETS
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_log_message - 375 - INFO - DEBUG | ??:??:?? 11768 [SerialConsole] phone downloaded packet (id=0x7b580d15 fr=0x7c5cb208 to=0xffffffff, transport = 1, WantAck=0, HopLim=7 Ch=0x0 Portnum=72 rxSNR=12.5 rxRSSI=-46 hopStart=7 rela
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_receive - 341 - DEBUG - {'from': 2086449672, 'to': 4294967295, 'decoded': {'portnum': 'ATAK_PLUGIN', 'payload': b'\x08\x01\x12>\n\n\x80us\xe6\xb3\xa0AA\xe04\x120\x80Nu\xba\xbe\x80\xb4Eg\x9b_s\xd5u\x81\xeeX\xfc\x91I\xedS\xd74Z"\x82y\x04\xb4E\x023Yh\x8a\t\xe1\xb2\xd1\x15\x1e\xb7\xc1)\x88\xce\xe52\x15\n\x06\xcc \xfa\x0e\x82\x8b\x12\x0b\x84\xf1\xc2\x0e{L \xddW\x9d\x17', 'bitfield': 0}, 'id': 2069368085, 'rxSnr': 12.5, 'hopLimit': 7, 'rxRssi': -46, 'hopStart': 7, 'relayNode': 8, 'transportMechanism': 'TRANSPORT_LORA', 'raw': from: 2086449672
to: 4294967295
decoded {
portnum: ATAK_PLUGIN
payload: "\010\001\022>\n\n\200us\346\263\240AA\3404\0220\200Nu\272\276\200\264Eg\233_s\325u\201\356X\374\221I\355S\3274Z"\202y\004\264E\0023Yh\212\t\341\262\321\025\036\267\301)\210\316\3452\025\n\006\314 \372\016\202\213\022\013\204\361\302\016{L \335W\235\027"
bitfield: 0
}
id: 2069368085
rx_snr: 12.5
hop_limit: 7
rx_rssi: -46
hop_start: 7
relay_node: 8
transport_mechanism: TRANSPORT_LORA
, 'fromId': '!7c5cb208', 'toId': '^all'}
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_receive - 345 - INFO - Got a message from !7c5cb208
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_receive - 358 - DEBUG - Failed to decode ATAK_PLUGIN protobuf: Error parsing message with type 'meshtastic.protobuf.TAKPacket'
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - dm_socket_thread - run - 42 - WARNING - timed out
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_log_message - 375 - INFO - DEBUG | ??:??:?? 11768 [RadioIf] Started Tx (id=0x7b580d15 fr=0x7c5cb208 to=0xffffffff, transport = 1, WantAck=0, HopLim=6 Ch=0x70 encrypted len=111 rxSNR=12.5 rxRSSI=-46 hopStart=7 relay=0x3
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_log_message - 375 - INFO - DEBUG | ??:??:?? 11768 [RadioIf] 0 packets remain in the TX queue
[2026-04-01 11:31:24] - TAK Meshtastic Gateway[97136] - tak_meshtastic_gateway - on_log_message - 375 - INFO - DEBUG | ??:??:?? 11768