diff --git a/swift-sdk.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/swift-sdk.xcscheme b/swift-sdk.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/swift-sdk.xcscheme
index a1714130..f990bb92 100644
--- a/swift-sdk.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/swift-sdk.xcscheme
+++ b/swift-sdk.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/swift-sdk.xcscheme
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@
    </BuildAction>
    <TestAction
       buildConfiguration = "Debug"
-      selectedDebuggerIdentifier = ""
-      selectedLauncherIdentifier = "Xcode.IDEFoundation.Launcher.PosixSpawn"
+      selectedDebuggerIdentifier = "Xcode.DebuggerFoundation.Debugger.LLDB"
+      selectedLauncherIdentifier = "Xcode.DebuggerFoundation.Launcher.LLDB"
       shouldUseLaunchSchemeArgsEnv = "YES"
       codeCoverageEnabled = "YES"
       onlyGenerateCoverageForSpecifiedTargets = "YES">
diff --git a/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppMessageParser.swift b/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppMessageParser.swift
index 220f2cff..3ae6194c 100644
--- a/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppMessageParser.swift
+++ b/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppMessageParser.swift
@@ -82,7 +82,11 @@ struct InAppMessageParser {
         }
         
         let jsonOnly = (json[JsonKey.InApp.jsonOnly] as? Int ?? 0) == 1
-        let customPayload = parseCustomPayload(fromPayload: json)
+        var customPayload = parseCustomPayload(fromPayload: json)
+        
+        if jsonOnly && customPayload == nil {
+            customPayload = [:]
+        }
         
         // For non-JSON-only messages, we require content
         if !jsonOnly {
diff --git a/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppPersistence.swift b/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppPersistence.swift
index 9d42e973..1222cfd7 100644
--- a/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppPersistence.swift
+++ b/swift-sdk/Internal/in-app/InAppPersistence.swift
@@ -255,16 +255,10 @@ extension IterableInAppMessage: Codable {
         
         let jsonOnly = (try? container.decode(Int.self, forKey: .jsonOnly)) ?? 0
         let customPayloadData = try? container.decode(Data.self, forKey: .customPayload)
-        let customPayload = IterableInAppMessage.deserializeCustomPayload(withData: customPayloadData)
+        var customPayload = IterableInAppMessage.deserializeCustomPayload(withData: customPayloadData)
         
-        // For JSON-only messages, require customPayload
         if jsonOnly == 1 && customPayload == nil {
-            ITBError("JSON-only message requires customPayload")
-            self.init(messageId: "",
-                     campaignId: 0,
-                     content: IterableInAppMessage.createDefaultContent(),
-                     jsonOnly: false)
-            return
+            customPayload = [:]
         }
         
         let saveToInbox = (try? container.decode(Bool.self, forKey: .saveToInbox)) ?? false
diff --git a/tests/unit-tests/InAppTests.swift b/tests/unit-tests/InAppTests.swift
index 318ea6a1..1bd2f310 100644
--- a/tests/unit-tests/InAppTests.swift
+++ b/tests/unit-tests/InAppTests.swift
@@ -1671,7 +1671,7 @@ class InAppTests: XCTestCase {
             XCTAssertEqual(messages.count, 1)
             
             let message = messages[0]
-            XCTAssertTrue(message.customPayload == nil)
+            XCTAssertTrue(message.customPayload?.isEmpty ?? false)
             expectation1.fulfill()
         }