diff --git a/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js b/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js
--- a/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js
+++ b/lib/tunnelbroker/tunnelbroker-context.js
@@ -261,7 +261,6 @@
               type: tunnelbrokerMessageTypes.MESSAGE_RECEIVE_CONFIRMATION,
               messageIDs: [message.messageID],
             };
-            socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(confirmation));
 
             let rawPeerToPeerMessage;
             try {
@@ -271,11 +270,13 @@
                 'error while parsing Tunnelbroker peer-to-peer message:',
                 e.message,
               );
+              socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(confirmation));
               return;
             }
 
             if (!peerToPeerMessageValidator.is(rawPeerToPeerMessage)) {
               console.log('invalid Tunnelbroker PeerToPeerMessage');
+              socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(confirmation));
               return;
             }
             const peerToPeerMessage: PeerToPeerMessage = rawPeerToPeerMessage;
@@ -286,6 +287,7 @@
                 identityClient,
                 message.messageID,
               );
+              socket.current?.send(JSON.stringify(confirmation));
             })();
           } else if (
             message.type ===