diff --git a/run/O2PrimaryServerDevice.h b/run/O2PrimaryServerDevice.h
index 4eecf79cffdb6..0c09c2105f403 100644
--- a/run/O2PrimaryServerDevice.h
+++ b/run/O2PrimaryServerDevice.h
@@ -251,30 +251,42 @@ class O2PrimaryServerDevice final : public fair::mq::Device
   void launchInfoThread()
   {
     static std::vector<std::thread> threads;
+
+    auto sendErrorReply = [](fair::mq::Channel& channel) {
+      LOG(error) << "UNKNOWN REQUEST";
+      std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> reply(channel.NewSimpleMessage((int)(404)));
+      channel.Send(reply);
+    };
+
     LOG(info) << "LAUNCHING STATUS THREAD";
-    auto lambda = [this]() {
+    auto lambda = [this, sendErrorReply]() {
       while (mState != O2PrimaryServerState::Stopped) {
         auto& channel = GetChannels().at("o2sim-primserv-info").at(0);
         if (!channel.IsValid()) {
           LOG(error) << "channel primserv-info not valid";
         }
-        std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> request(channel.NewSimpleMessage(-1));
+        std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> request(channel.NewSimpleMessage((int)(-1)));
         int timeout = 100; // 100ms --> so as not to block and allow for proper termination of this thread
         if (channel.Receive(request, timeout) > 0) {
-          LOG(info) << "INFO REQUEST RECEIVED";
-          if (*(int*)(request->GetData()) == (int)O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Status) {
+          int request_payload; // we expect an (int) ~ to type O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest
+          if (request->GetSize() != sizeof(request_payload)) {
+            LOG(error) << "Obtained request with unexpected payload size";
+            sendErrorReply(channel); // ALWAYS reply
+          }
+
+          memcpy(&request_payload, request->GetData(), sizeof(request_payload));
+
+          if (request_payload == (int)O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Status) {
             LOG(info) << "Received status request";
             // request needs to be a simple enum of type O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest
             std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> reply(channel.NewSimpleMessage((int)mState.load()));
             if (channel.Send(reply) > 0) {
               LOG(info) << "Send status successful";
             }
-          } else if (*(int*)request->GetData() == (int)O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Config) {
+          } else if (request_payload == (int)O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Config) {
             HandleConfigRequest(channel);
           } else {
-            LOG(fatal) << "UNKNOWN REQUEST";
-            std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> reply(channel.NewSimpleMessage(404));
-            channel.Send(reply);
+            sendErrorReply(channel);
           }
         }
       }
@@ -450,6 +462,8 @@ class O2PrimaryServerDevice final : public fair::mq::Device
     if (channel.Send(message) > 0) {
       LOG(info) << "config reply send ";
       return true;
+    } else {
+      LOG(error) << "Failure sending config reply ";
     }
     return true;
   }
diff --git a/run/O2SimDevice.h b/run/O2SimDevice.h
index 07f7e9f82e249..35a0c31986702 100644
--- a/run/O2SimDevice.h
+++ b/run/O2SimDevice.h
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ class O2SimDevice final : public fair::mq::Device
     // auto text = new std::string("configrequest");
     // std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> request(channel.NewMessage(const_cast<char*>(text->c_str()),
     //                                                           text->length(), CustomCleanup, text));
-    std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> request(channel.NewSimpleMessage(O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Config));
+    std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> request(channel.NewSimpleMessage((int)O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Config));
     std::unique_ptr<fair::mq::Message> reply(channel.NewMessage());
 
     int timeoutinMS = 60000; // wait for 60s max --> should be fast reply
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class O2SimDevice final : public fair::mq::Device
     while (reprobe) {
       reprobe = false;
       int i = -1;
-      fair::mq::MessagePtr request(statuschannel.NewSimpleMessage(O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Status));
+      fair::mq::MessagePtr request(statuschannel.NewSimpleMessage((int)O2PrimaryServerInfoRequest::Status));
       fair::mq::MessagePtr reply(statuschannel.NewSimpleMessage(i));
       auto sendcode = statuschannel.Send(request, timeoutinMS);
       if (sendcode > 0) {