diff --git a/protocol/chainlib/rest.go b/protocol/chainlib/rest.go
index c8d6513964..4d6b722cc4 100644
--- a/protocol/chainlib/rest.go
+++ b/protocol/chainlib/rest.go
@@ -578,10 +578,12 @@ func (rcp *RestChainProxy) SendNodeMsg(ctx context.Context, ch chan interface{},
 		},
 	}
 
-	// checking if rest reply data is in json format
-	err = rcp.HandleJSONFormatError(reply.RelayReply.Data)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, "", nil, utils.LavaFormatError("Rest reply is neither a JSON object nor a JSON array of objects", nil, utils.Attribute{Key: "reply.Data", Value: string(reply.RelayReply.Data)})
+	if strings.Split(nodeMessage.Path, "?")[0] != "/" {
+		// // checking if rest reply data is in json format
+		err = rcp.HandleJSONFormatError(reply.RelayReply.Data)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, "", nil, utils.LavaFormatError("Rest reply is neither a JSON object nor a JSON array of objects", nil, utils.Attribute{Key: "reply.Data", Value: string(reply.RelayReply.Data)})
+		}
 	}
 
 	return reply, "", nil, nil
diff --git a/scripts/pre_setups/init_lava_only_with_node.sh b/scripts/pre_setups/init_lava_only_with_node.sh
index 580e06df63..5c50b95452 100755
--- a/scripts/pre_setups/init_lava_only_with_node.sh
+++ b/scripts/pre_setups/init_lava_only_with_node.sh
@@ -52,13 +52,13 @@ screen -d -m -S provider1 bash -c "source ~/.bashrc; lavap rpcprovider \
 $PROVIDER1_LISTENER LAV1 rest '$LAVA_REST' \
 $PROVIDER1_LISTENER LAV1 tendermintrpc '$LAVA_RPC,$LAVA_RPC_WS' \
 $PROVIDER1_LISTENER LAV1 grpc '$LAVA_GRPC' \
-$EXTRA_PROVIDER_FLAGS --geolocation 1 --log_level trace --from servicer1 --chain-id lava --metrics-listen-address ":7776" 2>&1 | tee $LOGS_DIR/PROVIDER1.log" && sleep 0.25
+$EXTRA_PROVIDER_FLAGS --geolocation 1 --log_level debug --from servicer1 --chain-id lava --metrics-listen-address ":7776" 2>&1 | tee $LOGS_DIR/PROVIDER1.log" && sleep 0.25
 
 wait_next_block
 
 screen -d -m -S consumers bash -c "source ~/.bashrc; lavap rpcconsumer \
 127.0.0.1:3360 LAV1 rest 127.0.0.1:3361 LAV1 tendermintrpc 127.0.0.1:3362 LAV1 grpc \
-$EXTRA_PORTAL_FLAGS --geolocation 1 --optimizer-qos-listen --log_level trace --from user1 --chain-id lava --add-api-method-metrics --limit-parallel-websocket-connections-per-ip 1 --allow-insecure-provider-dialing --metrics-listen-address ":7779" 2>&1 | tee $LOGS_DIR/CONSUMERS.log" && sleep 0.25
+$EXTRA_PORTAL_FLAGS --geolocation 1 --optimizer-qos-listen --log_level debug --from user1 --chain-id lava --add-api-method-metrics --limit-parallel-websocket-connections-per-ip 1 --allow-insecure-provider-dialing --metrics-listen-address ":7779" 2>&1 | tee $LOGS_DIR/CONSUMERS.log" && sleep 0.25
 
 echo "--- setting up screens done ---"
 screen -ls
\ No newline at end of file