diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/RunIt.tsx b/packages/run-it/src/RunIt.tsx
index 93556c6ca..0125c82b2 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/RunIt.tsx
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/RunIt.tsx
@@ -168,8 +168,9 @@ export const RunIt: FC<RunItProps> = ({
     tabs.onSelectTab(1)
     if (sdk) {
       setLoading(true)
-      setResponseContent(
-        await runRequest(
+      let response: ResponseContent
+      try {
+        response = await runRequest(
           sdk,
           basePath,
           httpMethod,
@@ -178,7 +179,18 @@ export const RunIt: FC<RunItProps> = ({
           queryParams,
           body
         )
-      )
+      } catch (err) {
+        // This should not happen but it could. runRequest uses
+        // sdk.ok to login once. sdk.ok throws an error so fake
+        // out the response so that something can be rendered.
+        response = {
+          ok: false,
+          statusMessage: err.message ? err.message : 'Unknown error!',
+          statusCode: -1,
+          body: JSON.stringify(err),
+        } as ResponseContent
+      }
+      setResponseContent(response)
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.spec.tsx b/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.spec.tsx
index a7d6ed89a..af1c92082 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.spec.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
  */
 
-import { gridHeaders, gridRows, parseCsv, parseJson } from './gridUtils'
+import { gridHeaders, gridRows, parseCsv, json2Csv } from './gridUtils'
 
 const dataRowsLength = 2
 const allRowsLength = dataRowsLength + 1
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ describe('gridUtils', () => {
   })
 
   test('parses json data', () => {
-    const actual = parseJson(testJsonData)
+    const actual = json2Csv(testJsonData)
     expect(actual).toBeDefined()
     expect(actual.data).toBeDefined()
     expect(actual.data).toHaveLength(allRowsLength)
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ describe('gridUtils', () => {
   })
 
   test('creates grid rows from json', () => {
-    const data = parseJson(testJsonData)
+    const data = json2Csv(testJsonData)
     const actual = gridRows(data.data)
     expect(actual).toHaveLength(allRowsLength)
   })
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.tsx b/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.tsx
index 44e8447cc..983c4a115 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.tsx
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/gridUtils.tsx
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export const parseCsv = (content: string) => {
   return Papa.parse(content.trim())
 }
 
-export const parseJson = (content: any) => {
+export const json2Csv = (content: any) => {
   const csv = Papa.unparse(content)
   return parseCsv(csv)
 }
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/index.ts b/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/index.ts
index 5016ce5c8..4aee5a1ca 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/index.ts
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/components/DataGrid/index.ts
@@ -24,4 +24,4 @@
 
  */
 export { DataGrid } from './DataGrid'
-export { parseCsv, parseJson } from './gridUtils'
+export { parseCsv, json2Csv } from './gridUtils'
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.spec.tsx b/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.spec.tsx
index 41db4a743..4293f4fc8 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.spec.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {
   testJsonResponse,
   testTextResponse,
   testUnknownResponse,
+  testBogusJsonResponse,
 } from '../../test-data'
 import { ShowResponse } from './ShowResponse'
 
@@ -97,4 +98,15 @@ describe('ShowResponse', () => {
       screen.getByText(testErrorResponse.body.toString(), { exact: false })
     ).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
+
+  test('it renders bogus json responses', () => {
+    renderWithTheme(<ShowResponse response={testBogusJsonResponse} />)
+    expect(screen.getByText('200: application/json')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(
+      screen.getByText(
+        'The response body could not be parsed. Displaying raw data.'
+      )
+    ).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(screen.getByText('I AM A LYING JSON RESPONSE')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.tsx b/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.tsx
index 5b8e86706..8e694e7a8 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.tsx
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/ShowResponse.tsx
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import React, { FC } from 'react'
 import { Heading } from '@looker/components'
 import { IRawResponse } from '@looker/sdk-rtl'
 
-import { pickResponseHandler } from './responseUtils'
+import { pickResponseHandler, fallbackResponseHandler } from './responseUtils'
 
 interface ShowResponseProps {
   /** A basic HTTP response for "raw" HTTP requests */
@@ -47,7 +47,14 @@ export const ShowResponse: FC<ShowResponseProps> = ({
   verb,
   path,
 }) => {
-  const pickedHandler = pickResponseHandler(response)
+  // Bullet proof the rendered response. If for some reason we get a bad response or bad data in the
+  // response, render something
+  let renderedResponse
+  try {
+    renderedResponse = pickResponseHandler(response).component(response)
+  } catch (err) {
+    renderedResponse = fallbackResponseHandler().component(response)
+  }
 
   // TODO make a badge for the verb.
   // Once we are satisfied with the badge in the api-explorer package it should be moved here
@@ -56,7 +63,7 @@ export const ShowResponse: FC<ShowResponseProps> = ({
       <Heading as="h4">{`${verb || ''} ${path || ''} ${response.statusCode}: ${
         response.contentType
       }`}</Heading>
-      {pickedHandler && pickedHandler.component(response)}
+      {renderedResponse}
     </>
   )
 }
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/responseUtils.tsx b/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/responseUtils.tsx
index 69a668652..40d3bf9fb 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/responseUtils.tsx
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/components/ShowResponse/responseUtils.tsx
@@ -25,10 +25,10 @@
  */
 import React, { ReactElement } from 'react'
 import { IRawResponse, ResponseMode, responseMode } from '@looker/sdk-rtl'
-import { Paragraph, CodeBlock } from '@looker/components'
+import { Paragraph, CodeBlock, MessageBar } from '@looker/components'
 import { CodeDisplay } from '@looker/code-editor'
 
-import { DataGrid, parseCsv, parseJson } from '../DataGrid'
+import { DataGrid, parseCsv, json2Csv } from '../DataGrid'
 
 /**
  * Are all items this array "simple"
@@ -63,21 +63,17 @@ export const isColumnar = (data: any[]) => {
  *
  * Shows the JSON in a syntax-highlighted fashion
  * If the JSON is parseable as 2D row/column data it will also be shown in grid
+ * If JSON cannot be parsed it will be show as is
  * @param response
  */
 const ShowJSON = (response: IRawResponse) => {
   const content = response.body.toString()
-  const data = parseJson(content)
+  const data = json2Csv(content)
   const showGrid = isColumnar(data.data)
-  const raw = (
-    <CodeDisplay
-      code={JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(response.body), null, 2)}
-      lineNumbers={false}
-      transparent
-    />
-  )
-  if (!showGrid) return raw
-  return <DataGrid data={data.data} raw={raw} />
+  const json = JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(response.body), null, 2)
+  const raw = <CodeDisplay code={json} lineNumbers={false} transparent />
+  if (showGrid) return <DataGrid data={data.data} raw={raw} />
+  return raw
 }
 
 /** A handler for text type responses */
@@ -141,6 +137,21 @@ const ShowPDF = (response: IRawResponse) => {
   return ShowUnknown(response)
 }
 
+/** A handler for responses that cannot be parsed */
+const ShowRaw = (response: IRawResponse) => (
+  <>
+    {ShowUnknown(response)}
+    <MessageBar intent="warn" noActions>
+      The response body could not be parsed. Displaying raw data.
+    </MessageBar>
+    <CodeDisplay
+      language="unknown"
+      code={response.body.toString()}
+      transparent
+    />
+  </>
+)
+
 interface Responder {
   /** A label indicating the supported MIME type(s) */
   label: string
@@ -213,3 +224,9 @@ export const pickResponseHandler = (response: IRawResponse) => {
   }
   return result
 }
+
+export const fallbackResponseHandler = (): Responder => ({
+  label: 'unknown',
+  isRecognized: (contentType: string) => !!contentType,
+  component: (response) => ShowRaw(response),
+})
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/test-data/index.ts b/packages/run-it/src/test-data/index.ts
index 759a45006..402b1ff05 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/test-data/index.ts
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/test-data/index.ts
@@ -31,5 +31,6 @@ export {
   testHtmlResponse,
   testUnknownResponse,
   testErrorResponse,
+  testBogusJsonResponse,
 } from './responses'
 export { api } from './specs'
diff --git a/packages/run-it/src/test-data/responses.ts b/packages/run-it/src/test-data/responses.ts
index 2977e0eca..52aafd536 100644
--- a/packages/run-it/src/test-data/responses.ts
+++ b/packages/run-it/src/test-data/responses.ts
@@ -106,3 +106,13 @@ export const testErrorResponse: IRawResponse = {
   statusCode: 404,
   statusMessage: 'some status message',
 }
+
+export const testBogusJsonResponse: IRawResponse = {
+  url: 'https://some/json/data',
+  headers: {},
+  contentType: 'application/json',
+  ok: true,
+  statusCode: 200,
+  statusMessage: 'OK',
+  body: Buffer.from('<html><body>I AM A LYING JSON RESPONSE</body></html>'),
+}