diff --git a/frigate/comms/inter_process.py b/frigate/comms/inter_process.py
index ee1a78efc..f15b3feed 100644
--- a/frigate/comms/inter_process.py
+++ b/frigate/comms/inter_process.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Facilitates communication between processes."""
 
+import logging
 import multiprocessing as mp
 import threading
 from multiprocessing.synchronize import Event as MpEvent
@@ -9,6 +10,8 @@ import zmq
 
 from frigate.comms.base_communicator import Communicator
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 SOCKET_REP_REQ = "ipc:///tmp/cache/comms"
 
 
@@ -19,7 +22,7 @@ class InterProcessCommunicator(Communicator):
         self.socket.bind(SOCKET_REP_REQ)
         self.stop_event: MpEvent = mp.Event()
 
-    def publish(self, topic: str, payload: str, retain: bool) -> None:
+    def publish(self, topic: str, payload: Any, retain: bool = False) -> None:
         """There is no communication back to the processes."""
         pass
 
@@ -37,9 +40,16 @@ class InterProcessCommunicator(Communicator):
                     break
 
                 try:
-                    (topic, value) = self.socket.recv_json(flags=zmq.NOBLOCK)
+                    raw = self.socket.recv_json(flags=zmq.NOBLOCK)
 
-                    response = self._dispatcher(topic, value)
+                    if isinstance(raw, list):
+                        (topic, value) = raw
+                        response = self._dispatcher(topic, value)
+                    else:
+                        logging.warning(
+                            f"Received unexpected data type in ZMQ inter-process: {type(raw)}"
+                        )
+                        response = None
 
                     if response is not None:
                         self.socket.send_json(response)