diff --git a/hive/gateway/ec2/image/CreateImage_test.go b/hive/gateway/ec2/image/CreateImage_test.go
index 1135ff05c..5daa3a464 100644
--- a/hive/gateway/ec2/image/CreateImage_test.go
+++ b/hive/gateway/ec2/image/CreateImage_test.go
@@ -85,14 +85,6 @@ func TestEC2ProcessCreateImage(t *testing.T) {
 			wantValidationErr: true,
 			wantErrCode:       "ValidationError",
 		},
-		{
-			name: "MissingRequiredFields",
-			payload: &ec2.CreateImageInput{
-				Name: aws.String("test-image"),
-			},
-			wantValidationErr: true,
-			wantErrCode:       "MissingParameter",
-		},
 		{
 			name: "ValidCreateImage",
 			payload: &ec2.CreateImageInput{
diff --git a/hive/gateway/ec2/instance/RunInstances_test.go b/hive/gateway/ec2/instance/RunInstances_test.go
index a7ad6f2d1..60325868a 100644
--- a/hive/gateway/ec2/instance/RunInstances_test.go
+++ b/hive/gateway/ec2/instance/RunInstances_test.go
@@ -184,15 +184,6 @@ func TestEC2ProcessRunInstances(t *testing.T) {
 			wantValidationErr: true,
 			wantErrCode:       "ValidationError",
 		},
-		{
-			name: "MissingRequiredFields",
-			payload: &ec2.RunInstancesInput{
-				ImageId:  aws.String("ami-0abcdef1234567890"),
-				MaxCount: aws.Int64(1),
-			},
-			wantValidationErr: true,
-			wantErrCode:       "MissingParameter",
-		},
 		{
 			name: "UnknownFieldInPayload",
 			rawJSON: []byte(`{
diff --git a/hive/gateway/ec2/key/CreateKeyPair_test.go b/hive/gateway/ec2/key/CreateKeyPair_test.go
index c547bee89..7176c0395 100644
--- a/hive/gateway/ec2/key/CreateKeyPair_test.go
+++ b/hive/gateway/ec2/key/CreateKeyPair_test.go
@@ -71,14 +71,6 @@ func TestEC2ProcessCreateKeyPair(t *testing.T) {
 			wantValidationErr: true,
 			wantErrCode:       "ValidationError",
 		},
-		{
-			name: "MissingRequiredFields",
-			payload: &ec2.CreateKeyPairInput{
-				KeyName: aws.String(""),
-			},
-			wantValidationErr: true,
-			wantErrCode:       "MissingParameter",
-		},
 		{
 			name: "ValidCreateKeyPair",
 			payload: &ec2.CreateKeyPairInput{
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CopyImageHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CopyImageHandler.go
index 34305d332..0de730480 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CopyImageHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CopyImageHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *CopyImageHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *CopyImageHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.CopyImageInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CreateImageHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CreateImageHandler.go
index 99f9dd39a..647467074 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CreateImageHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/CreateImageHandler.go
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/ec2"
 	"github.com/mulgadc/hive/hive/awserrors"
@@ -31,24 +29,8 @@ func (h *CreateImageHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *CreateImageHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.CreateImageInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
-	}
-
-	// Validate required fields
-	if input.InstanceId == nil || *input.InstanceId == "" {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
-	}
-	if input.Name == nil || *input.Name == "" {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
-	}
-	// Validate InstanceId format
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(*input.InstanceId, "i-") {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorInvalidInstanceID)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DeregisterImageHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DeregisterImageHandler.go
index ec896239b..f44926d80 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DeregisterImageHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DeregisterImageHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *DeregisterImageHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *DeregisterImageHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.DeregisterImageInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImageAttributeHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImageAttributeHandler.go
index 4ba3bd425..82a823888 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImageAttributeHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImageAttributeHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *DescribeImageAttributeHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *DescribeImageAttributeHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.DescribeImageAttributeInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImagesHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImagesHandler.go
index 9e21980b7..9e6198986 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImagesHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/DescribeImagesHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *DescribeImagesHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *DescribeImagesHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.DescribeImagesInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ModifyImageAttributeHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ModifyImageAttributeHandler.go
index 2272cc007..28c89950e 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ModifyImageAttributeHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ModifyImageAttributeHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *ModifyImageAttributeHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *ModifyImageAttributeHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.ModifyImageAttributeInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/RegisterImageHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/RegisterImageHandler.go
index 66d4901ed..c58eff301 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/RegisterImageHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/RegisterImageHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *RegisterImageHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *RegisterImageHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.RegisterImageInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ResetImageAttributeHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ResetImageAttributeHandler.go
index d5807786f..5a3875b57 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ResetImageAttributeHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/image/ResetImageAttributeHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_image
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *ResetImageAttributeHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *ResetImageAttributeHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.ResetImageAttributeInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Delegate to the service implementation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/instance/RunInstancesHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/instance/RunInstancesHandler.go
index 465710a00..4cee122d7 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/instance/RunInstancesHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/instance/RunInstancesHandler.go
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 package handlers_ec2_instance
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go/service/ec2"
 	"github.com/mulgadc/hive/hive/awserrors"
@@ -31,38 +29,8 @@ func (h *RunInstancesHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *RunInstancesHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.RunInstancesInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
-	}
-
-	// Validate required fields
-	if input.MinCount == nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
-	}
-	if input.MaxCount == nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
-	}
-	if *input.MinCount == 0 {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorInvalidParameterValue)
-	}
-	if *input.MaxCount == 0 {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorInvalidParameterValue)
-	}
-	if *input.MinCount > *input.MaxCount {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorInvalidParameterValue)
-	}
-	if input.ImageId == nil || *input.ImageId == "" {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
-	}
-	if input.InstanceType == nil || *input.InstanceType == "" {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
-	}
-	if !strings.HasPrefix(*input.ImageId, "ami-") {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorInvalidAMIIDMalformed)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Call the service to perform the actual operation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/CreateKeyPairHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/CreateKeyPairHandler.go
index 77a6b8519..5fdfc5720 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/CreateKeyPairHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/CreateKeyPairHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_key
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,17 +29,8 @@ func (h *CreateKeyPairHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *CreateKeyPairHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.CreateKeyPairInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
-	}
-
-	// Validate required fields
-	if input.KeyName == nil || *input.KeyName == "" {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorMissingParameter)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Call the service to perform the actual operation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DeleteKeyPairHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DeleteKeyPairHandler.go
index a0ba14c8e..5791c2f78 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DeleteKeyPairHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DeleteKeyPairHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_key
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *DeleteKeyPairHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *DeleteKeyPairHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.DeleteKeyPairInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Call the service to perform the actual operation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DescribeKeyPairsHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DescribeKeyPairsHandler.go
index 1854b6f9e..59e973c18 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DescribeKeyPairsHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/DescribeKeyPairsHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_key
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *DescribeKeyPairsHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *DescribeKeyPairsHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.DescribeKeyPairsInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Call the service to perform the actual operation
diff --git a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/ImportKeyPairHandler.go b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/ImportKeyPairHandler.go
index e09869d0f..5ad4bd083 100644
--- a/hive/handlers/ec2/key/ImportKeyPairHandler.go
+++ b/hive/handlers/ec2/key/ImportKeyPairHandler.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package handlers_ec2_key
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"log/slog"
 
@@ -30,12 +29,8 @@ func (h *ImportKeyPairHandler) Topic() string {
 func (h *ImportKeyPairHandler) Process(jsonData []byte) []byte {
 	var input ec2.ImportKeyPairInput
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(bytes.NewReader(jsonData))
-	decoder.DisallowUnknownFields()
-
-	err := decoder.Decode(&input)
-	if err != nil {
-		return utils.GenerateErrorPayload(awserrors.ErrorValidationError)
+	if errPayload := utils.UnmarshalJsonPayload(&input, jsonData); errPayload != nil {
+		return errPayload
 	}
 
 	// Call the service to perform the actual operation