diff --git a/backend/danswer/direct_qa/qa_utils.py b/backend/danswer/direct_qa/qa_utils.py
index cd754783e..838e3012c 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/direct_qa/qa_utils.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/direct_qa/qa_utils.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def separate_answer_quotes(
     answer_raw: str, is_json_prompt: bool = False
 ) -> Tuple[Optional[str], Optional[list[str]]]:
     try:
-        model_raw_json = json.loads(answer_raw)
+        model_raw_json = json.loads(answer_raw, strict=False)
         return extract_answer_quotes_json(model_raw_json)
     except ValueError:
         if is_json_prompt:
diff --git a/backend/danswer/utils/text_processing.py b/backend/danswer/utils/text_processing.py
index b1780826e..fd5556b73 100644
--- a/backend/danswer/utils/text_processing.py
+++ b/backend/danswer/utils/text_processing.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def extract_embedded_json(s: str) -> dict:
     if first_brace_index == -1 or last_brace_index == -1:
         raise ValueError("No valid json found")
 
-    return json.loads(s[first_brace_index : last_brace_index + 1])
+    return json.loads(s[first_brace_index : last_brace_index + 1], strict=False)
 
 
 def clean_up_code_blocks(model_out_raw: str) -> str: