diff --git a/apisix/core/request_json.lua b/apisix/core/request_json.lua
index 90ec9a058fa8..d635681f6a8c 100644
--- a/apisix/core/request_json.lua
+++ b/apisix/core/request_json.lua
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ local config_local = require("apisix.core.config_local")
 local core_json = require("apisix.core.json")
 local qjson = require("qjson")
 local simdjson = require("resty.simdjson")
+local pcall = pcall
+local tostring = tostring
 
 
 local simdjson_parser, simdjson_err = simdjson.new()
@@ -28,6 +30,39 @@ local configured_name
 local _M = {}
 
 
+local function qjson_decode(str)
+    local ok, decoded, err = pcall(qjson.decode, str)
+    if not ok then
+        return nil, tostring(decoded)
+    end
+
+    if decoded == nil then
+        return nil, err
+    end
+
+    ok, decoded, err = pcall(qjson.materialize, decoded)
+    if not ok then
+        return nil, tostring(decoded)
+    end
+
+    if decoded == nil then
+        return nil, err
+    end
+
+    return decoded
+end
+
+
+local function qjson_encode(data)
+    local ok, encoded, err = pcall(qjson.encode, data)
+    if not ok then
+        return nil, tostring(encoded)
+    end
+
+    return encoded, err
+end
+
+
 function _M.decode(str)
     if not configured_name then
         configured_name = config_local.local_conf().apisix.request_body_json_lib
@@ -42,12 +77,7 @@ function _M.decode(str)
         return simdjson_parser:decode(str)
     end
 
-    local decoded, err = qjson.decode(str)
-    if not decoded then
-        return nil, err
-    end
-
-    return qjson.materialize(decoded)
+    return qjson_decode(str)
 end
 
 
@@ -57,7 +87,7 @@ function _M.encode(data)
     end
 
     if configured_name == "qjson" then
-        return qjson.encode(data)
+        return qjson_encode(data)
     end
 
     -- simdjson encode is slower than cjson, so simdjson mode only uses it for decode.
diff --git a/t/core/request.t b/t/core/request.t
index fb72d075e13f..d0d4c145f20e 100644
--- a/t/core/request.t
+++ b/t/core/request.t
@@ -629,7 +629,50 @@ cjson encode: {"lib":"body"}
 
 
 
-=== TEST 19: simdjson preserves empty arrays for cjson encoding
+=== TEST 19: qjson decode and encode errors are returned
+--- yaml_config
+apisix:
+  request_body_json_lib: qjson
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local core = require("apisix.core")
+            local request_json = require("apisix.core.request_json")
+
+            ngx.ctx.api_ctx = {}
+
+            local body, body_err = core.request.get_json_request_body_table()
+            ngx.say("body nil: ", body == nil)
+            ngx.say("body error: ", body_err and body_err.message and
+                    body_err.message:find("could not parse JSON request body:", 1, true) == 1)
+
+            local decoded, decode_err = request_json.decode("{")
+            ngx.say("decode nil: ", decoded == nil)
+            ngx.say("decode error: ", type(decode_err) == "string" and #decode_err > 0)
+
+            local encoded, encode_err = request_json.encode({bad = function() end})
+            ngx.say("encode nil: ", encoded == nil)
+            ngx.say("encode error: ", type(encode_err) == "string" and #encode_err > 0)
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+POST /t
+{
+--- more_headers
+Content-Type: application/json
+--- response_body
+body nil: true
+body error: true
+decode nil: true
+decode error: true
+encode nil: true
+encode error: true
+--- no_error_log
+[error]
+
+
+
+=== TEST 20: simdjson preserves empty arrays for cjson encoding
 --- yaml_config
 apisix:
   request_body_json_lib: simdjson
@@ -653,7 +696,7 @@ tags array: true
 
 
 
-=== TEST 20: ai transport encoders use request_json
+=== TEST 21: ai transport encoders use request_json
 --- config
     location /t {
         content_by_lua_block {