diff --git a/commands/account/view.go b/commands/account/view.go
index b421666..d52ce5b 100644
--- a/commands/account/view.go
+++ b/commands/account/view.go
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ func (ViewMessage) Execute(aerc *widgets.Aerc, args []string) error {
 	if deleted {
 		return nil
 	}
+	if msg.Error != nil {
+		aerc.PushError(msg.Error.Error())
+		return nil
+	}
 	lib.NewMessageStoreView(msg, store, aerc.DecryptKeys,
 		func(view lib.MessageView, err error) {
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/models/models.go b/models/models.go
index b7d7e05..a93db72 100644
--- a/models/models.go
+++ b/models/models.go
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ type MessageInfo struct {
 	RFC822Headers *mail.Header
 	Size          uint32
 	Uid           uint32
+	Error         error
 }
 
 // A MessageBodyPart can be displayed in the message viewer
diff --git a/worker/lib/parse.go b/worker/lib/parse.go
index b003d96..edd3649 100644
--- a/worker/lib/parse.go
+++ b/worker/lib/parse.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func ParseEntityStructure(e *message.Entity) (*models.BodyStructure, error) {
 			}
 			ps, err := ParseEntityStructure(part)
 			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not parse child entity structure: %v", err)
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not parse child entity structure: %w", err)
 			}
 			body.Parts = append(body.Parts, ps)
 		}
@@ -224,6 +224,7 @@ type RawMessage interface {
 // MessageInfo populates a models.MessageInfo struct for the message.
 // based on the reader returned by NewReader
 func MessageInfo(raw RawMessage) (*models.MessageInfo, error) {
+	var parseErr error
 	r, err := raw.NewReader()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -233,7 +234,9 @@ func MessageInfo(raw RawMessage) (*models.MessageInfo, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not read message: %v", err)
 	}
 	bs, err := ParseEntityStructure(msg)
-	if err != nil {
+	if errors.As(err, new(message.UnknownEncodingError)) {
+		parseErr = err
+	} else if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("could not get structure: %v", err)
 	}
 	h := &mail.Header{msg.Header}
@@ -268,5 +271,6 @@ func MessageInfo(raw RawMessage) (*models.MessageInfo, error) {
 		RFC822Headers: &mail.Header{msg.Header},
 		Size:          0,
 		Uid:           raw.UID(),
+		Error:         parseErr,
 	}, nil
 }
diff --git a/worker/lib/parse_test.go b/worker/lib/parse_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a0b4ab2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/worker/lib/parse_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package lib
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"git.sr.ht/~sircmpwn/aerc/models"
+)
+
+func TestMessageInfoHandledError(t *testing.T) {
+	rootDir := "testdata/message/invalid"
+	msgFiles, err := ioutil.ReadDir(rootDir)
+	die(err)
+
+	for _, fi := range msgFiles {
+		if fi.IsDir() {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		p := fi.Name()
+		t.Run(p, func(t *testing.T) {
+			m := newMockRawMessageFromPath(filepath.Join(rootDir, p))
+			mi, err := MessageInfo(m)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			if perr := mi.Error; perr == nil {
+				t.Fatal("Expected MessageInfo.Error, got none")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+type mockRawMessage struct {
+	body []byte
+}
+
+func newMockRawMessage(body []byte) *mockRawMessage {
+	return &mockRawMessage{
+		body: body,
+	}
+}
+
+func newMockRawMessageFromPath(p string) *mockRawMessage {
+	b, err := ioutil.ReadFile(p)
+	die(err)
+	return newMockRawMessage(b)
+}
+
+func (m *mockRawMessage) NewReader() (io.Reader, error) {
+	return bytes.NewReader(m.body), nil
+}
+func (m *mockRawMessage) ModelFlags() ([]models.Flag, error) { return nil, nil }
+func (m *mockRawMessage) Labels() ([]string, error)          { return nil, nil }
+func (m *mockRawMessage) UID() uint32                        { return 0 }
+
+func die(err error) {
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/worker/lib/testdata/message/invalid/hexa b/worker/lib/testdata/message/invalid/hexa
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2967a19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/worker/lib/testdata/message/invalid/hexa
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+Subject: Confirmation Needed gUdVJQBhsd
+Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="Nextpart_1Q2YJhd197991794467076Pgfa"
+To:  <BORK@example.com>
+From: ""REGISTRAR"" <zdglopi-1Q2YJhd-noReply@example.com>
+
+--Nextpart_1Q2YJhd197991794467076Pgfa
+Content-Type: multipart/parallel; boundary="sg54sd54g54sdg54"
+
+--sg54sd54g54sdg54
+Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="54qgf54q546f46qsf46qsf"
+
+--54qgf54q546f46qsf46qsf
+Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
+Content-Transfer-Encoding: Hexa
+
+
+
+--54qgf54q546f46qsf46qsf
+Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8
+
+
+<CeNteR><a hRef="https://example.com-ap-southeast-example.com.com/example.com#qs=r-acacaeehdiebadgdhgghcaegckhabababaggacihaccajfbacccgaehhbkacb"><b><h2>Congratulations Netflix Customer!</h2></b></a><br>
+<HeaD>
+<ObJECT>
+
+--Nextpart_1Q2YJhd197991794467076Pgfa--
+
+