diff --git a/sdk/java-sdk-protobuf/src/main/scala/kalix/javasdk/impl/workflow/WorkflowRouter.scala b/sdk/java-sdk-protobuf/src/main/scala/kalix/javasdk/impl/workflow/WorkflowRouter.scala
index eda47295a3..4c1acf1b99 100644
--- a/sdk/java-sdk-protobuf/src/main/scala/kalix/javasdk/impl/workflow/WorkflowRouter.scala
+++ b/sdk/java-sdk-protobuf/src/main/scala/kalix/javasdk/impl/workflow/WorkflowRouter.scala
@@ -8,11 +8,14 @@ import java.nio.ByteBuffer
 import java.util.Optional
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionStage
 import java.util.function.{ Function => JFunc }
+
 import scala.concurrent.ExecutionContext
 import scala.concurrent.Future
 import scala.jdk.CollectionConverters._
 import scala.jdk.OptionConverters.RichOptional
 import scala.jdk.FutureConverters._
+import scala.util.Try
+
 import com.google.api.HttpBody
 import com.google.protobuf.any.{ Any => ScalaPbAny }
 import kalix.javasdk.DeferredCall
@@ -176,31 +179,38 @@ abstract class WorkflowRouter[S, W <: AbstractWorkflow[S]](protected val workflo
           case None             => null // to meet a signature of supplier expressed as a function
         }
 
-        val defCall = call.callFunc
-          .asInstanceOf[JFunc[Any, DeferredCall[Any, Any]]]
-          .apply(decodedInput)
-
-        val (commandName, serviceName) =
-          defCall match {
-            case grpcDefCall: GrpcDeferredCall[_, _] =>
-              (grpcDefCall.methodName, grpcDefCall.fullServiceName)
-            case restDefCall: RestDeferredCall[_, _] =>
-              (restDefCall.methodName, restDefCall.fullServiceName)
-            case _ =>
-              // should never happen, but needs to make compiler happy
-              throw new IllegalStateException("Unknown DeferredCall implementation")
+        Future
+          .fromTry(Try {
+            call.callFunc
+              .asInstanceOf[JFunc[Any, DeferredCall[Any, Any]]]
+              .apply(decodedInput)
+          })
+          .map { defCall =>
+
+            val (commandName, serviceName) =
+              defCall match {
+                case grpcDefCall: GrpcDeferredCall[_, _] =>
+                  (grpcDefCall.methodName, grpcDefCall.fullServiceName)
+                case restDefCall: RestDeferredCall[_, _] =>
+                  (restDefCall.methodName, restDefCall.fullServiceName)
+                case _ =>
+                  // should never happen, but needs to make compiler happy
+                  throw new IllegalStateException("Unknown DeferredCall implementation")
+              }
+
+            val stepDefCall =
+              StepDeferredCall(
+                serviceName,
+                commandName,
+                payload = Some(messageCodec.encodeScala(defCall.message())),
+                metadata = MetadataImpl.toProtocol(defCall.metadata()))
+
+            StepResponse(commandId, stepName, StepResponse.Response.DeferredCall(stepDefCall))
+          }
+          .recover { case t: Throwable =>
+            log.error("Workflow call failed.", t)
+            StepResponse(commandId, stepName, StepResponse.Response.ExecutionFailed(StepExecutionFailed(t.getMessage)))
           }
-
-        val stepDefCall =
-          StepDeferredCall(
-            serviceName,
-            commandName,
-            payload = Some(messageCodec.encodeScala(defCall.message())),
-            metadata = MetadataImpl.toProtocol(defCall.metadata()))
-
-        Future.successful {
-          StepResponse(commandId, stepName, StepResponse.Response.DeferredCall(stepDefCall))
-        }
 
       case Some(call: AsyncCallStep[_, _, _]) =>
         val decodedInput = input match {
@@ -208,12 +218,12 @@ abstract class WorkflowRouter[S, W <: AbstractWorkflow[S]](protected val workflo
           case None             => null // to meet a signature of supplier expressed as a function
         }
 
-        val future = call.callFunc
-          .asInstanceOf[JFunc[Any, CompletionStage[Any]]]
-          .apply(decodedInput)
-          .asScala
-
-        future
+        Future {
+          call.callFunc
+            .asInstanceOf[JFunc[Any, CompletionStage[Any]]]
+            .apply(decodedInput)
+            .asScala
+        }.flatten
           .map { res =>
             val encoded = messageCodec.encodeScala(res)
             val executedRes = StepExecuted(Some(encoded))