diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 613d5ec49..980549e95 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -4916,6 +4916,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "futures",
  "hotshot-types",
  "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "tagged-base64",
  "thiserror 1.0.69",
  "tide-disco",
@@ -5346,6 +5347,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "rand 0.8.5",
  "reqwest 0.12.12",
  "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "sha2 0.10.8",
  "surf-disco",
  "tagged-base64",
diff --git a/hotshot-builder-api/Cargo.toml b/hotshot-builder-api/Cargo.toml
index a948e2b27..b10f8d696 100644
--- a/hotshot-builder-api/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hotshot-builder-api/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ hotshot-types = { workspace = true }
 serde = { workspace = true }
 tagged-base64 = { workspace = true }
 thiserror = { workspace = true }
+serde_json = { workspace = true }
 tide-disco = { workspace = true }
 toml = { workspace = true }
 vbs = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/hotshot-task-impls/Cargo.toml b/hotshot-task-impls/Cargo.toml
index 9d594a1ac..6b6720cab 100644
--- a/hotshot-task-impls/Cargo.toml
+++ b/hotshot-task-impls/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ jf-vid = { workspace = true }
 lru = { workspace = true }
 rand = { workspace = true }
 serde = { workspace = true }
+serde_json = { workspace = true }
 sha2 = { workspace = true }
 surf-disco = { workspace = true }
 tagged-base64 = { workspace = true }
diff --git a/hotshot-task-impls/src/builder.rs b/hotshot-task-impls/src/builder.rs
index c0d7fad74..2f86493f5 100644
--- a/hotshot-task-impls/src/builder.rs
+++ b/hotshot-task-impls/src/builder.rs
@@ -163,14 +163,28 @@ pub mod v0_1 {
             );
 
             let ep = format!("{}{}", self.base_url, endpoint);
-            let response = reqwest::get(ep.clone()).await;
-            println!("requested from {}: {:?}", ep, response);
+            let response = reqwest::get(ep.clone()).await.map_err(|err| {
+                BuilderClientError::Api(format!("Failed to make request: {:#}", err))
+            })?;
 
-            println!("querying {}", endpoint);
-            self.client.get(endpoint).send().await.map_err(|err| {
-                println!("error: {:#}", err);
-                err.into()
-            })
+            // Try to deserialize the response
+            let response_text = response.text().await.map_err(|err| {
+                BuilderClientError::Api(format!("Failed to get response text: {:#}", err))
+            })?;
+            
+            let response_json: AvailableBlockHeaderInput<TYPES> =
+                serde_json::from_str(&response_text).map_err(|err| {
+                    BuilderClientError::Api(format!("Failed to deserialize response: {:#}", err))
+                })?;
+            Ok(response_json)
+            /*             println!("requested from {}: {:?}", ep, response);
+
+                       println!("querying {}", endpoint);
+                       self.client.get(endpoint).send().await.map_err(|err| {
+                           println!("error: {:#}", err);
+                           err.into()
+                       })
+            */
         }
 
         /// Claim block
diff --git a/sequencer-sqlite/Cargo.lock b/sequencer-sqlite/Cargo.lock
index 738e77caa..921f5f71e 100644
--- a/sequencer-sqlite/Cargo.lock
+++ b/sequencer-sqlite/Cargo.lock
@@ -4704,6 +4704,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "futures",
  "hotshot-types",
  "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "tagged-base64",
  "thiserror 1.0.69",
  "tide-disco",
@@ -5011,6 +5012,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "rand 0.8.5",
  "reqwest 0.12.12",
  "serde",
+ "serde_json",
  "sha2 0.10.8",
  "surf-disco",
  "tagged-base64",