diff --git a/app-desktop/build.gradle.kts b/app-desktop/build.gradle.kts
index 4c5c098..554e715 100644
--- a/app-desktop/build.gradle.kts
+++ b/app-desktop/build.gradle.kts
@@ -10,12 +10,19 @@ dependencies {
     implementation(project(":core"))
     implementation(compose.desktop.currentOs)
     implementation(compose.material3)
+    
+    // SLF4J logging implementation
+    implementation(libs.slf4j.simple)
 }
 
 compose.desktop {
     application {
         mainClass = "llc.lookatwhataicando.codeoba.desktop.MainKt"
         
+        jvmArgs += listOf(
+            "--enable-native-access=ALL-UNNAMED"
+        )
+        
         nativeDistributions {
             targetFormats(TargetFormat.Dmg, TargetFormat.Msi, TargetFormat.Deb)
             packageName = "Codeoba"
diff --git a/core/src/desktopMain/kotlin/llc/lookatwhataicando/codeoba/core/data/realtime/RealtimeClientImpl.kt b/core/src/desktopMain/kotlin/llc/lookatwhataicando/codeoba/core/data/realtime/RealtimeClientImpl.kt
index 0da9a65..8025470 100644
--- a/core/src/desktopMain/kotlin/llc/lookatwhataicando/codeoba/core/data/realtime/RealtimeClientImpl.kt
+++ b/core/src/desktopMain/kotlin/llc/lookatwhataicando/codeoba/core/data/realtime/RealtimeClientImpl.kt
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
 package llc.lookatwhataicando.codeoba.core.data.realtime
 
 import io.ktor.client.HttpClient
+import io.ktor.client.engine.cio.CIO
+import io.ktor.client.plugins.contentnegotiation.ContentNegotiation
+import io.ktor.serialization.kotlinx.json.json
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.Flow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.MutableSharedFlow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.asSharedFlow
+import kotlinx.serialization.json.Json
 import kotlinx.serialization.json.JsonObject
 import llc.lookatwhataicando.codeoba.core.domain.realtime.ConnectionState
 import llc.lookatwhataicando.codeoba.core.domain.realtime.RealtimeConfig
@@ -47,8 +51,15 @@ actual class RealtimeClientImpl actual constructor() : RealtimeClientBase() {
         throwable?.printStackTrace()
     }
 
-    // HTTP client for Desktop (uses default engine)
-    override val httpClient = HttpClient()
+    // HTTP client for Desktop (uses CIO engine with ContentNegotiation for JSON)
+    override val httpClient = HttpClient(CIO) {
+        install(ContentNegotiation) {
+            json(Json {
+                ignoreUnknownKeys = true
+                isLenient = true
+            })
+        }
+    }
 
     private val _audioFrames = MutableSharedFlow<ByteArray>(replay = 0)
     actual override val audioFrames: Flow<ByteArray> = _audioFrames.asSharedFlow()
diff --git a/gradle/libs.versions.toml b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
index d119d4a..b75efb3 100644
--- a/gradle/libs.versions.toml
+++ b/gradle/libs.versions.toml
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ kotlinx-serialization-json = "1.9.0"
 # Networking
 ktor = "3.3.3"
 
+# Logging
+slf4j = "2.0.16"
+
 # WebRTC
 webrtc-android = "137.7151.05"
 
@@ -45,6 +48,9 @@ ktor-serialization-kotlinx-json = { module = "io.ktor:ktor-serialization-kotlinx
 ktor-client-okhttp = { module = "io.ktor:ktor-client-okhttp", version.ref = "ktor" }
 ktor-client-cio = { module = "io.ktor:ktor-client-cio", version.ref = "ktor" }
 
+# Logging
+slf4j-simple = { module = "org.slf4j:slf4j-simple", version.ref = "slf4j" }
+
 # AndroidX
 androidx-activity-compose = { module = "androidx.activity:activity-compose", version.ref = "androidx-activity-compose" }
 androidx-lifecycle-viewmodel-compose = { module = "androidx.lifecycle:lifecycle-viewmodel-compose", version.ref = "androidx-lifecycle-viewmodel-compose" }