diff --git a/optic/component_helpers/helper.py b/optic/component_helpers/helper.py
index f81fdd192..3f4de1a80 100644
--- a/optic/component_helpers/helper.py
+++ b/optic/component_helpers/helper.py
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 from typing import Any, Callable, Type, TypeVar
 
+from google.protobuf import json_format
+from google.protobuf.message import Message
+
 import optic.protos.ui_pb2 as pb
 from optic.events import OpticEvent
 from optic.key import Key
@@ -7,12 +10,9 @@
 
 
 class ComponentWithChildren:
-  def __init__(
-    self,
-    component: pb.Component,
-  ):
+  def __init__(self, type_name: str, proto: Message, key: str | None = None):
     self.prev_current_node = runtime().context().current_node()
-    self.component = component
+    self.component = create_component(type_name=type_name, proto=proto, key=key)
 
   def __enter__(self):
     runtime().context().set_current_node(self.component)
@@ -24,13 +24,24 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):  # type: ignore
     self.prev_current_node.children.append(self.component)
 
 
-def insert_component(type: pb.Type, key: str | None = None):
+def create_component(
+  type_name: str, proto: Message, key: str | None = None
+) -> pb.Component:
+  type = pb.Type(name=type_name, value=proto.SerializeToString())
+  if runtime().debug_mode:
+    type.debug_json = json_format.MessageToJson(
+      proto, preserving_proto_field_name=True
+    )
+
+  return pb.Component(key=pb.Key(key=key) if key else None, type=type)
+
+
+def insert_component(type_name: str, proto: Message, key: str | None = None):
   """
   Inserts a component into the current context's current node.
   """
-
   runtime().context().current_node().children.append(
-    pb.Component(key=pb.Key(key=key) if key else None, type=type)
+    create_component(type_name=type_name, proto=proto, key=key)
   )
 
 
diff --git a/optic/components/box/box.py b/optic/components/box/box.py
index 60842ed13..09ab17dfb 100644
--- a/optic/components/box/box.py
+++ b/optic/components/box/box.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from pydantic import validate_arguments
 
 import optic.components.box.box_pb2 as box_pb
-import optic.protos.ui_pb2 as pb
 from optic.component_helpers import ComponentWithChildren
 
 
@@ -18,13 +17,7 @@ def box(
       label (str): The text to be displayed
   """
   return ComponentWithChildren(
-    component=pb.Component(
-      key=pb.Key(key=key or ""),
-      type=pb.Type(
-        name="box",
-        value=box_pb.BoxType(
-          background_color=background_color
-        ).SerializeToString(),
-      ),
-    ),
+    key=key,
+    type_name="box",
+    proto=box_pb.BoxType(background_color=background_color),
   )
diff --git a/optic/components/button/button.py b/optic/components/button/button.py
index ff61f21d7..a90d27001 100644
--- a/optic/components/button/button.py
+++ b/optic/components/button/button.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 from pydantic import validate_arguments
 
 import optic.components.button.button_pb2 as button_pb
-import optic.protos.ui_pb2 as pb
-from optic.component_helpers import handler_type, insert_component
+from optic.component_helpers import (
+  handler_type,
+  insert_component,
+)
 from optic.events import ClickEvent
 
 
@@ -24,11 +26,9 @@ def button(
   """
   insert_component(
     key=key,
-    type=pb.Type(
-      name="button",
-      value=button_pb.ButtonType(
-        label=label,
-        on_click_handler_id=handler_type(on_click),
-      ).SerializeToString(),
+    type_name="button",
+    proto=button_pb.ButtonType(
+      label=label,
+      on_click_handler_id=handler_type(on_click),
     ),
   )
diff --git a/optic/components/checkbox/checkbox.py b/optic/components/checkbox/checkbox.py
index 3d447484c..038680f5a 100644
--- a/optic/components/checkbox/checkbox.py
+++ b/optic/components/checkbox/checkbox.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 from pydantic import validate_arguments
 
 import optic.components.checkbox.checkbox_pb2 as checkbox_pb
-import optic.protos.ui_pb2 as pb
 from optic.component_helpers import (
   handler_type,
   insert_component,
@@ -36,12 +35,10 @@ def checkbox(
   """
   insert_component(
     key=key,
-    type=pb.Type(
-      name="checkbox",
-      value=checkbox_pb.CheckboxType(
-        label=label,
-        on_update_handler_id=handler_type(on_update),
-      ).SerializeToString(),
+    type_name="checkbox",
+    proto=checkbox_pb.CheckboxType(
+      label=label,
+      on_update_handler_id=handler_type(on_update),
     ),
   )
 
diff --git a/optic/components/text/text.py b/optic/components/text/text.py
index 48bd40847..9ea7b5a2a 100644
--- a/optic/components/text/text.py
+++ b/optic/components/text/text.py
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 from pydantic import validate_arguments
 
 import optic.components.text.text_pb2 as text_pb2
-import optic.protos.ui_pb2 as pb
 from optic.component_helpers import insert_component
 
 
@@ -12,8 +11,5 @@ def text(
   key: str | None = None,
 ):
   insert_component(
-    key=key,
-    type=pb.Type(
-      name="text", value=text_pb2.TextType(text=text).SerializeToString()
-    ),
+    key=key, type_name="text", proto=text_pb2.TextType(text=text)
   )
diff --git a/optic/components/text_input/text_input.py b/optic/components/text_input/text_input.py
index 3529b6df5..4f112b45d 100644
--- a/optic/components/text_input/text_input.py
+++ b/optic/components/text_input/text_input.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 from pydantic import validate_arguments
 
 import optic.components.text_input.text_input_pb2 as text_input_pb
-import optic.protos.ui_pb2 as pb
 from optic.component_helpers import handler_type, insert_component
 from optic.events import ChangeEvent
 
@@ -24,11 +23,9 @@ def text_input(
   """
   insert_component(
     key=key,
-    type=pb.Type(
-      name="text_input",
-      value=text_input_pb.TextInputType(
-        label=label,
-        on_change_handler_id=handler_type(on_change),
-      ).SerializeToString(),
+    type_name="text_input",
+    proto=text_input_pb.TextInputType(
+      label=label,
+      on_change_handler_id=handler_type(on_change),
     ),
   )
diff --git a/optic/web/src/dev_tools/component_tree/component_tree.ts b/optic/web/src/dev_tools/component_tree/component_tree.ts
index 297228678..8a5786f10 100644
--- a/optic/web/src/dev_tools/component_tree/component_tree.ts
+++ b/optic/web/src/dev_tools/component_tree/component_tree.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
 import {CdkTreeModule} from '@angular/cdk/tree';
 import {MatIconModule} from '@angular/material/icon';
 import {MatButtonModule} from '@angular/material/button';
+import {ComponentObject} from '../services/logger';
 
 /** Flat node with expandable and level information */
 export interface ExampleFlatNode {
@@ -26,7 +27,7 @@ export interface ExampleFlatNode {
   imports: [CdkTreeModule, MatTreeModule, MatButtonModule, MatIconModule],
 })
 export class ComponentTree {
-  @Input({required: true}) component!: InputNode;
+  @Input({required: true}) component!: ComponentObject;
   @Output() nodeSelected = new EventEmitter<ExampleFlatNode>();
 
   keys() {
@@ -73,7 +74,7 @@ export class ComponentTree {
   }
 }
 
-function mapObject(object: InputNode): DisplayNode {
+function mapObject(object: ComponentObject): DisplayNode {
   const node: DisplayNode = {
     componentName: '<undefined>',
     text: '',
@@ -87,15 +88,16 @@ function mapObject(object: InputNode): DisplayNode {
         return `${key}=${JSON.stringify(value)}`;
       })
       .join(', ');
-    node.text = `${object.type.name}(${values})`;
-    node.properties = object.type.value;
-    (node.properties as any).key = object.key?.key;
-    node.componentName = object.type.name;
+    const name = object.type.name;
+    node.text = `${name}(${values})`;
+    node.properties = object.type as any;
+    (node.properties as any).key = object.key;
+    node.componentName = name;
   } else {
     node.text = `<root>`;
   }
-  if (object.childrenList) {
-    node.children = object.childrenList.map((child) => mapObject(child));
+  if (object.children) {
+    node.children = object.children.map((child) => mapObject(child));
   }
   return node;
 }
diff --git a/optic/web/src/dev_tools/components_panel/components_panel.ts b/optic/web/src/dev_tools/components_panel/components_panel.ts
index f531f8914..e509dbfff 100644
--- a/optic/web/src/dev_tools/components_panel/components_panel.ts
+++ b/optic/web/src/dev_tools/components_panel/components_panel.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import {Component} from '@angular/core';
-import {Logger, RenderLogModel} from '../services/logger';
+import {ComponentObject, Logger, RenderLogModel} from '../services/logger';
 import {
   ComponentTree,
   ExampleFlatNode,
@@ -18,13 +18,13 @@ export class ComponentsPanel {
   selectedNode!: ExampleFlatNode;
   constructor(private logger: Logger) {}
 
-  component(): InputNode {
+  component(): ComponentObject {
     const renderLog = this.logger
       .getLogs()
       .slice()
       .reverse()
       .find((log) => log.type === 'Render') as RenderLogModel;
-    return renderLog?.rootComponent as InputNode;
+    return renderLog?.rootComponent as ComponentObject;
   }
 
   onNodeSelected(node: ExampleFlatNode): void {
diff --git a/optic/web/src/dev_tools/services/logger.ts b/optic/web/src/dev_tools/services/logger.ts
index 9fd77ef85..5f49a15e8 100644
--- a/optic/web/src/dev_tools/services/logger.ts
+++ b/optic/web/src/dev_tools/services/logger.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   States,
   UserEvent,
   Component as ComponentProto,
+  Type,
 } from 'optic/optic/protos/ui_jspb_proto_pb/optic/protos/ui_pb';
 import {TypeDeserializer} from './type_deserializer';
 import {Observable, Subject} from 'rxjs';
@@ -55,8 +56,6 @@ export class Logger {
           duration,
         };
       case 'RenderLog':
-        const rootComponent = input.rootComponent.toObject();
-        this.updateComponent(rootComponent);
         return {
           type: 'Render',
           timestamp: Date.now(),
@@ -64,28 +63,39 @@ export class Logger {
           states: input.states
             .getStatesList()
             .map((s) => jsonParse(s.getData())) as object[],
-          rootComponent,
+          rootComponent: this.mapComponent(input.rootComponent),
         };
     }
   }
 
-  updateComponent(component: object): void {
-    const type = (component as any)['type'];
-    if (type) {
-      type['value'] = this._typeDeserializer.deserialize(
-        type['name'],
-        type['value'],
-      );
-    }
-    const children = (component as any)['childrenList'];
-    if (children) {
-      for (const child of children) {
-        this.updateComponent(child);
-      }
+  mapComponent(component: ComponentProto): ComponentObject {
+    const debugJson = component.getType()?.getDebugJson();
+    let type;
+    if (debugJson) {
+      type = {
+        name: component.getType()!.getName(),
+        value: jsonParse(debugJson) as object,
+      };
     }
+    return {
+      type,
+      key: component.getKey()?.getKey(),
+      children: component
+        .getChildrenList()
+        .map((child) => this.mapComponent(child)),
+    };
   }
 }
 
+export interface ComponentObject {
+  type?: {
+    name: string;
+    value: object;
+  };
+  key?: string;
+  children: ComponentObject[];
+}
+
 export interface BaseLogModel {
   type: string;
   timestamp: number; // Use Date.now()
@@ -107,7 +117,7 @@ export interface UserEventLogModel extends BaseLogModel {
 
 export interface RenderLogModel extends BaseLogModel {
   type: 'Render';
-  rootComponent: object;
+  rootComponent: ComponentObject;
   states: object[];
 }