diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_runtime.erl b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_runtime.erl
index de853d7e2..906a219b2 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_runtime.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_runtime.erl
@@ -50,35 +50,8 @@ apply_rules([], _Input) ->
     ok;
 apply_rules([#{enable := false}|More], Input) ->
     apply_rules(More, Input);
-apply_rules([Rule = #{id := RuleID}|More], Input) ->
-    try apply_rule_discard_result(Rule, Input)
-    catch
-        %% ignore the errors if select or match failed
-        _:{select_and_transform_error, Error} ->
-            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
-            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "SELECT_clause_exception",
-                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error});
-        _:{match_conditions_error, Error} ->
-            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
-            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "WHERE_clause_exception",
-                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error});
-        _:{select_and_collect_error, Error} ->
-            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
-            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "FOREACH_clause_exception",
-                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error});
-        _:{match_incase_error, Error} ->
-            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
-            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "INCASE_clause_exception",
-                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error});
-        Class:Error:StkTrace ->
-            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
-            ?SLOG(error, #{msg => "apply_rule_failed",
-                           rule_id => RuleID,
-                           exception => Class,
-                           reason => Error,
-                           stacktrace => StkTrace
-                          })
-    end,
+apply_rules([Rule|More], Input) ->
+    apply_rule_discard_result(Rule, Input),
     apply_rules(More, Input).
 
 apply_rule_discard_result(Rule, Input) ->
@@ -88,7 +61,39 @@ apply_rule_discard_result(Rule, Input) ->
 apply_rule(Rule = #{id := RuleID}, Input) ->
     ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.matched'),
     clear_rule_payload(),
-    do_apply_rule(Rule, add_metadata(Input, #{rule_id => RuleID})).
+    try do_apply_rule(Rule, add_metadata(Input, #{rule_id => RuleID}))
+    catch
+        %% ignore the errors if select or match failed
+        _:Reason = {select_and_transform_error, Error} ->
+            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
+            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "SELECT_clause_exception",
+                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error}),
+            {error, Reason};
+        _:Reason = {match_conditions_error, Error} ->
+            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
+            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "WHERE_clause_exception",
+                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error}),
+            {error, Reason};
+        _:Reason = {select_and_collect_error, Error} ->
+            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
+            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "FOREACH_clause_exception",
+                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error}),
+            {error, Reason};
+        _:Reason = {match_incase_error, Error} ->
+            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
+            ?SLOG(warning, #{msg => "INCASE_clause_exception",
+                             rule_id => RuleID, reason => Error}),
+            {error, Reason};
+        Class:Error:StkTrace ->
+            ok = emqx_plugin_libs_metrics:inc(rule_metrics, RuleID, 'sql.failed.exception'),
+            ?SLOG(error, #{msg => "apply_rule_failed",
+                           rule_id => RuleID,
+                           exception => Class,
+                           reason => Error,
+                           stacktrace => StkTrace
+                          }),
+            {error, {Error, StkTrace}}
+    end.
 
 do_apply_rule(#{
             id := RuleId,
@@ -413,7 +418,7 @@ cache_payload(DecodedP) ->
 
 safe_decode_and_cache(MaybeJson) ->
     try cache_payload(emqx_json:decode(MaybeJson, [return_maps]))
-    catch _:_ -> #{}
+    catch _:_ -> error({decode_json_failed, MaybeJson})
     end.
 
 ensure_list(List) when is_list(List) -> List;
diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_sqltester.erl b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_sqltester.erl
index fc6c1a5ad..a791863f6 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_sqltester.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_sqltester.erl
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ test_rule(Sql, Select, Context, EventTopics) ->
         emqx_rule_runtime:apply_rule(Rule, FullContext)
     of
         {ok, Data} -> {ok, flatten(Data)};
-        {error, nomatch} -> {error, nomatch}
+        {error, Reason} -> {error, Reason}
     after
         ok = emqx_rule_engine:clear_metrics_for_rule(RuleId)
     end.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/test/emqx_rule_engine_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/test/emqx_rule_engine_SUITE.erl
index 7700e305d..ce67d3cf5 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/test/emqx_rule_engine_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/test/emqx_rule_engine_SUITE.erl
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ groups() ->
        t_sqlparse_array_range_2,
        t_sqlparse_true_false,
        t_sqlparse_undefined_variable,
-       t_sqlparse_new_map
+       t_sqlparse_new_map,
+       t_sqlparse_invalid_json
       ]},
      {events, [],
       [t_events
@@ -1182,7 +1183,7 @@ t_sqlparse_array_range_1(_Config) ->
     Sql02 = "select "
            "  payload.a[1..4] as c "
            "from \"t/#\" ",
-    ?assertThrow({select_and_transform_error, {error,{range_get,non_list_data},_}},
+    ?assertMatch({error, {select_and_transform_error, {error,{range_get,non_list_data},_}}},
         emqx_rule_sqltester:test(
             #{sql => Sql02,
                 context =>
@@ -1341,6 +1342,28 @@ t_sqlparse_nested_get(_Config) ->
               payload => <<"{\"a\": {\"b\": 0}}">>
           }})).
 
+t_sqlparse_invalid_json(_Config) ->
+    Sql02 = "select "
+        "  payload.a[1..4] as c "
+        "from \"t/#\" ",
+    ?assertMatch({error, {select_and_transform_error, {error,{decode_json_failed,_},_}}},
+                 emqx_rule_sqltester:test(
+                   #{sql => Sql02,
+                     context =>
+                         #{payload => <<"{\"x\":[0,1,2,3,}">>,
+                           topic => <<"t/a">>}})),
+
+
+    Sql2 = "foreach payload.sensors "
+        "do item.cmd as msg_type "
+        "from \"t/#\" ",
+    ?assertMatch({error, {select_and_collect_error, {error,{decode_json_failed,_},_}}},
+                 emqx_rule_sqltester:test(
+                   #{sql => Sql2,
+                     context =>
+                         #{payload =>
+                               <<"{\"sensors\": [{\"cmd\":\"1\"} {\"cmd\":}]}">>,
+                           topic => <<"t/a">>}})).
 %%------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Internal helpers
 %%------------------------------------------------------------------------------