diff --git a/capabilities.go b/capabilities.go
index e4386a45..491bd7a7 100644
--- a/capabilities.go
+++ b/capabilities.go
@@ -78,8 +78,8 @@ type CapabilitiesVersion struct {
 }
 
 type CapabilitiesResponse struct {
-	Version      CapabilitiesVersion               `json:"version"`
-	Capabilities map[string]map[string]interface{} `json:"capabilities"`
+	Version      CapabilitiesVersion         `json:"version"`
+	Capabilities map[string]*json.RawMessage `json:"capabilities"`
 }
 
 func (c *Capabilities) getCapabilities(key string) (map[string]interface{}, bool) {
@@ -174,12 +174,18 @@ func (c *Capabilities) loadCapabilities(ctx context.Context, u *url.URL) (map[st
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	capa, found := response.Capabilities[AppNameSpreed]
-	if !found {
+	capaObj, found := response.Capabilities[AppNameSpreed]
+	if !found || capaObj == nil {
 		log.Printf("No capabilities received for app spreed from %s: %+v", capUrl.String(), response)
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
+	var capa map[string]interface{}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(*capaObj, &capa); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Unsupported capabilities received for app spreed from %s: %+v", capUrl.String(), response)
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
 	log.Printf("Received capabilities %+v from %s", capa, capUrl.String())
 	c.setCapabilities(key, capa)
 	return capa, nil
diff --git a/capabilities_test.go b/capabilities_test.go
index 1bc1fb69..19eb0879 100644
--- a/capabilities_test.go
+++ b/capabilities_test.go
@@ -69,15 +69,18 @@ func NewCapabilitiesForTest(t *testing.T) (*url.URL, *Capabilities) {
 		config := map[string]interface{}{
 			"signaling": signaling,
 		}
+		spreedCapa, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]interface{}{
+			"features": features,
+			"config":   config,
+		})
+		emptyArray := []byte("[]")
 		response := &CapabilitiesResponse{
 			Version: CapabilitiesVersion{
 				Major: 20,
 			},
-			Capabilities: map[string]map[string]interface{}{
-				"spreed": {
-					"features": features,
-					"config":   config,
-				},
+			Capabilities: map[string]*json.RawMessage{
+				"anotherApp": (*json.RawMessage)(&emptyArray),
+				"spreed":     (*json.RawMessage)(&spreedCapa),
 			},
 		}
 
diff --git a/hub_test.go b/hub_test.go
index 24e47f79..c45ebe98 100644
--- a/hub_test.go
+++ b/hub_test.go
@@ -420,15 +420,16 @@ func registerBackendHandlerUrl(t *testing.T, router *mux.Router, url string) {
 		if strings.Contains(t.Name(), "MultiRoom") {
 			signaling[ConfigKeySessionPingLimit] = 2
 		}
+		spreedCapa, _ := json.Marshal(map[string]interface{}{
+			"features": features,
+			"config":   config,
+		})
 		response := &CapabilitiesResponse{
 			Version: CapabilitiesVersion{
 				Major: 20,
 			},
-			Capabilities: map[string]map[string]interface{}{
-				"spreed": {
-					"features": features,
-					"config":   config,
-				},
+			Capabilities: map[string]*json.RawMessage{
+				"spreed": (*json.RawMessage)(&spreedCapa),
 			},
 		}