diff --git a/crates/collab/src/rpc.rs b/crates/collab/src/rpc.rs
index 1bf02a6e37..b8beef5f25 100644
--- a/crates/collab/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/crates/collab/src/rpc.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,10 @@ impl Server {
                 let envelope = envelope.into_any().downcast::<TypedEnvelope<M>>().unwrap();
                 let span = info_span!(
                     "handle message",
-                    payload_type = envelope.payload_type_name()
+                    payload_type = envelope.payload_type_name(),
+                    payload = serde_json::to_string_pretty(&envelope.payload)
+                        .unwrap()
+                        .as_str(),
                 );
                 let future = (handler)(server, *envelope);
                 async move {
diff --git a/crates/rpc/build.rs b/crates/rpc/build.rs
index d453616095..66b289f1db 100644
--- a/crates/rpc/build.rs
+++ b/crates/rpc/build.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ fn main() {
     let mut build = prost_build::Config::new();
     // build.protoc_arg("--experimental_allow_proto3_optional");
     build
+        .type_attribute(".", "#[derive(serde::Serialize)]")
         .compile_protos(&["proto/zed.proto"], &["proto"])
         .unwrap();
 }
diff --git a/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs b/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs
index 2d3bf639f4..98fc493774 100644
--- a/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs
+++ b/crates/rpc/src/proto.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
 use async_tungstenite::tungstenite::Message as WebSocketMessage;
 use futures::{SinkExt as _, StreamExt as _};
 use prost::Message as _;
+use serde::Serialize;
 use std::any::{Any, TypeId};
 use std::{
     io,
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ use std::{
 
 include!(concat!(env!("OUT_DIR"), "/zed.messages.rs"));
 
-pub trait EnvelopedMessage: Clone + Sized + Send + Sync + 'static {
+pub trait EnvelopedMessage: Clone + Serialize + Sized + Send + Sync + 'static {
     const NAME: &'static str;
     const PRIORITY: MessagePriority;
     fn into_envelope(