diff --git a/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/builds/BuildTools.scala b/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/builds/BuildTools.scala
index d4b887940c8..620d0b53173 100644
--- a/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/builds/BuildTools.scala
+++ b/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/builds/BuildTools.scala
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import scala.meta.internal.metals.MetalsEnrichments._
 import scala.meta.internal.metals.UserConfiguration
 import scala.meta.io.AbsolutePath
 
+import ujson.ParsingFailedException
+
 /**
  * Detects what build tool is used in this workspace.
  *
@@ -80,13 +82,17 @@ final class BuildTools(
   def scalaCliProject: Option[AbsolutePath] =
     searchForBuildTool(_.resolve("project.scala").isFile)
       .orElse {
-        ScalaCliBspScope.scalaCliBspRoot(workspace) match {
-          case Nil => None
-          case path :: Nil if path.isFile => Some(path.parent)
-          case path :: Nil =>
-            scribe.info(s"path: $path")
-            Some(path)
-          case _ => Some(workspace)
+        try {
+          ScalaCliBspScope.scalaCliBspRoot(workspace) match {
+            case Nil => None
+            case path :: Nil if path.isFile => Some(path.parent)
+            case path :: Nil => Some(path)
+            case _ => Some(workspace)
+          }
+        } catch {
+          case _: ParsingFailedException =>
+            scribe.warn(s"could not parse scala-cli build server configuration")
+            None
         }
       }
 
diff --git a/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/metals/MetalsLspService.scala b/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/metals/MetalsLspService.scala
index ef2c828080e..ab0db75a147 100644
--- a/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/metals/MetalsLspService.scala
+++ b/metals/src/main/scala/scala/meta/internal/metals/MetalsLspService.scala
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import scala.concurrent.TimeoutException
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import scala.util.Failure
 import scala.util.Success
+import scala.util.Try
 import scala.util.control.NonFatal
 
 import scala.meta.internal.bsp.BspConfigGenerationStatus._
@@ -1273,7 +1274,8 @@ class MetalsLspService(
 
     event.eventType match {
       case EventType.CreateOrModify
-          if path.isInBspDirectory(folder) && path.extension == "json" =>
+          if path.isInBspDirectory(folder) && path.extension == "json"
+            && isValidBspFile(path) =>
         scribe.info(s"Detected new build tool in $path")
         quickConnectToBuildServer()
       case _ =>
@@ -1311,6 +1313,9 @@ class MetalsLspService(
     }
   }
 
+  private def isValidBspFile(path: AbsolutePath): Boolean =
+    path.readTextOpt.exists(text => Try(ujson.read(text)).toOption.nonEmpty)
+
   private def onChange(paths: Seq[AbsolutePath]): Future[Unit] = {
     paths.foreach { path =>
       fingerprints.add(path, FileIO.slurp(path, charset))