diff --git a/esm/sdk/base_forge_client.py b/esm/sdk/base_forge_client.py
index ac31086..aa679bc 100644
--- a/esm/sdk/base_forge_client.py
+++ b/esm/sdk/base_forge_client.py
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ class _BaseForgeInferenceClient:
         headers: dict[str, str] = {},
     ) -> tuple[dict[str, Any], dict[str, str]]:
         request["potential_sequence_of_concern"] = potential_sequence_of_concern
-        headers = headers = {**self.headers, **headers}
+        headers = {**self.headers, **headers}
         if return_bytes:
             headers["return-bytes"] = "true"
         return request, headers
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ class _BaseForgeInferenceClient:
                 error_msg=f"Failure in {endpoint}: {response.text}",
             )
         data = assemble_message(response.headers, response)
-        data = response.json()
         # Nextjs puts outputs dict under "data" key.
         # Lift it up for easier downstream processing.
         if "outputs" not in data and "data" in data:
diff --git a/esm/sdk/forge.py b/esm/sdk/forge.py
index 6e7b48c..d924499 100644
--- a/esm/sdk/forge.py
+++ b/esm/sdk/forge.py
@@ -834,7 +834,12 @@ class ESM3ForgeInferenceClient(ESM3InferenceClient, _BaseForgeInferenceClient):
         )
         try:
             data = await self._async_post(
-                "forward_and_sample", request, input.potential_sequence_of_concern
+                "forward_and_sample",
+                request,
+                input.potential_sequence_of_concern,
+                headers={
+                    "Accept": f"{MIMETYPE_ES_PICKLE};protocol={pickle.HIGHEST_PROTOCOL}, application/json"
+                },
             )
         except ESMProteinError as e:
             return e
@@ -953,6 +958,9 @@ class ESM3ForgeInferenceClient(ESM3InferenceClient, _BaseForgeInferenceClient):
                 request,
                 input.potential_sequence_of_concern,
                 return_bytes=return_bytes,
+                headers={
+                    "Accept": f"{MIMETYPE_ES_PICKLE};protocol={pickle.HIGHEST_PROTOCOL}, application/json"
+                },
             )
         except ESMProteinError as e:
             return e
@@ -1140,6 +1148,9 @@ class ESMCForgeInferenceClient(ESMCInferenceClient, _BaseForgeInferenceClient):
                 request,
                 input.potential_sequence_of_concern,
                 return_bytes=return_bytes,
+                headers={
+                    "Accept": f"{MIMETYPE_ES_PICKLE};protocol={pickle.HIGHEST_PROTOCOL}, application/json"
+                },
             )
         except ESMProteinError as e:
             return e