diff --git a/lib/message/message.go b/lib/message/message.go
index 324e5c7..0df964e 100644
--- a/lib/message/message.go
+++ b/lib/message/message.go
@@ -92,12 +92,23 @@ type payload struct {
 	data interface{}
 }
 
-func (pl payload) String() string {
+func (pl *payload) String() string {
 	b, err := json.Marshal(pl.data)
-	log.Err(err)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("payload.String()")
+	}
 	return string(b)
 }
 
 func Payload(d interface{}) lib.Payload {
-	return payload{d}
+	return &payload{d}
+}
+
+func FromJson[T any](s string) lib.Payload {
+	pl := &payload{new(T)}
+	err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(s), &pl.data)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("payload: FromJson()")
+	}
+	return pl
 }
diff --git a/logging/log/log.go b/logging/log/log.go
index a2367bd..9fe203d 100644
--- a/logging/log/log.go
+++ b/logging/log/log.go
@@ -16,5 +16,4 @@ var (
 	Info  = logging.GetLogger(nil).Info
 	Warn  = logging.GetLogger(nil).Warn
 	Error = logging.GetLogger(nil).Error
-	Err   = logging.GetLogger(nil).Err
 )
diff --git a/logging/logging.go b/logging/logging.go
index 8649138..4c3238a 100644
--- a/logging/logging.go
+++ b/logging/logging.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ var Levels = map[string]zerolog.Level{
 
 type Logger = zerolog.Logger
 
+var defaultLogger = log.Logger
 var globalLogger *Logger = &log.Logger
 
 type Cfg struct {
@@ -36,6 +37,10 @@ type Cfg struct {
 	Level   string
 }
 
+func SetDefault() {
+	globalLogger = &defaultLogger
+}
+
 func Setup(ctx lib.Context, cfg *Cfg, home string) {
 	if cfg == nil {
 		return // use unchanged predefined logger
diff --git a/testing/testing.go b/testing/testing.go
index 0ffd76d..777beb9 100644
--- a/testing/testing.go
+++ b/testing/testing.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ func MakeT(tbase *testing.T) *T {
 
 func SetUp(tbase *testing.T) *T {
 	t := MakeT(tbase)
+	logging.SetDefault()
 	return t
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/unit_test.go b/tests/unit_test.go
index 61d8be2..3b1e303 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test.go
+++ b/tests/unit_test.go
@@ -54,4 +54,6 @@ func PayloadTest(t *testing.T) {
 	pl2 := message.Payload(map[string]string{"activity": "development"})
 	t.AssertEqual(fmt.Sprint(pl2), `{"activity":"development"}`)
 	msg.WithPayload(pl2)
+	pl3 := message.FromJson[map[string]any](`{"activity": "development"}`)
+	t.AssertEqual(fmt.Sprint(pl3), `{"activity":"development"}`)
 }