diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/ProtoUtils_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/ProtoUtils_v0_3.java
index 7a4e6f284..36befb019 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/ProtoUtils_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/ProtoUtils_v0_3.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import java.time.OffsetDateTime;
 import java.time.ZoneOffset;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
@@ -1009,8 +1010,9 @@ private static DataPart_v0_3 dataPart(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.DataPartO
             if (struct == null || struct.getFieldsCount() == 0) {
                 return null;
             }
-            return struct.getFieldsMap().entrySet().stream()
-                    .collect(Collectors.toMap(Map.Entry::getKey, e -> value(e.getValue())));
+            Map<String, Object> map = new HashMap<>();
+            struct.getFieldsMap().forEach((key, value) -> map.put(key, value(value)));
+            return map;
         }
 
         private static @Nullable Object value(Value value) {
@@ -1029,7 +1031,7 @@ private static DataPart_v0_3 dataPart(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.DataPartO
                     return value.getStringValue();
                 case NULL_VALUE:
                 default:
-                    throw new InvalidRequestError_v0_3();
+                    return null;
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/test/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/FromProtoExplicitNull_v0_3_Test.java b/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/test/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/FromProtoExplicitNull_v0_3_Test.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..58f66474b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec-grpc/src/test/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/grpc/utils/FromProtoExplicitNull_v0_3_Test.java
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+package org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.utils;
+
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNull;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertTrue;
+
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import com.google.protobuf.Struct;
+import com.google.protobuf.util.JsonFormat;
+
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.spec.DataPart_v0_3;
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.spec.Part_v0_3;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+class FromProtoExplicitNull_v0_3_Test {
+
+    private static Struct struct(String json) throws Exception {
+        Struct.Builder builder = Struct.newBuilder();
+        JsonFormat.parser().merge(json, builder);
+        return builder.build();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void partDataPartWithExplicitNullField() throws Exception {
+        var dataPart = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.DataPart.newBuilder()
+            .setData(struct("{\"some_optional_field\":null,\"other_field\":\"value\"}"))
+            .build();
+        var part = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Part.newBuilder().setData(dataPart).build();
+
+        Part_v0_3<?> result = ProtoUtils_v0_3.FromProto.part(part);
+
+        assertTrue(result instanceof DataPart_v0_3);
+        Map<String, Object> data = ((DataPart_v0_3) result).data();
+        assertNotNull(data);
+        assertEquals(2, data.size());
+        assertTrue(data.containsKey("some_optional_field"));
+        assertNull(data.get("some_optional_field"));
+        assertEquals("value", data.get("other_field"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void partMetadataWithExplicitNullField() throws Exception {
+        var textPart = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Part.newBuilder()
+            .setText("hello")
+            .setMetadata(struct("{\"nullable\":null,\"source\":\"ID\"}"))
+            .build();
+
+        Part_v0_3<?> result = ProtoUtils_v0_3.FromProto.part(textPart);
+
+        Map<String, Object> metadata = ((org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.spec.TextPart_v0_3) result).metadata();
+        assertNotNull(metadata);
+        assertEquals(2, metadata.size());
+        assertTrue(metadata.containsKey("nullable"));
+        assertNull(metadata.get("nullable"));
+        assertEquals("ID", metadata.get("source"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void partDataPartWithNestedNullAndNullInList() throws Exception {
+        var dataPart = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.DataPart.newBuilder()
+            .setData(struct("{\"nested\":{\"optional\":null},\"items\":[null,1]}"))
+            .build();
+        var part = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Part.newBuilder().setData(dataPart).build();
+
+        Part_v0_3<?> result = ProtoUtils_v0_3.FromProto.part(part);
+
+        Map<String, Object> data = ((DataPart_v0_3) result).data();
+        assertNotNull(data.get("nested"));
+        assertNull(((Map<?, ?>) data.get("nested")).get("optional"));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void taskWithDataPartThatHasExplicitNullField() throws Exception {
+        var message = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Message.newBuilder()
+            .setRole(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Role.ROLE_AGENT)
+            .setMessageId("message-1")
+            .addContent(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Part.newBuilder()
+                .setData(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.DataPart.newBuilder()
+                    .setData(struct("{\"some_optional_field\":null,\"other_field\":\"value\"}"))))
+            .build();
+        var task = org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.Task.newBuilder()
+            .setId("task-1")
+            .setContextId("context-1")
+            .setStatus(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.TaskStatus.newBuilder()
+                .setState(org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.grpc.TaskState.TASK_STATE_COMPLETED))
+            .addHistory(message)
+            .build();
+
+        var result = ProtoUtils_v0_3.FromProto.task(task);
+
+        assertEquals("task-1", result.id());
+        assertEquals(1, result.history().size());
+        var dataPart = (DataPart_v0_3) result.history().get(0).parts().get(0);
+        assertTrue(dataPart.data().containsKey("some_optional_field"));
+        assertNull(dataPart.data().get("some_optional_field"));
+        assertEquals("value", dataPart.data().get("other_field"));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/AgentCard_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/AgentCard_v0_3.java
index d5ab8010d..f11d20c57 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/AgentCard_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/AgentCard_v0_3.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 
 /**
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ public Builder(AgentCard_v0_3 card) {
             this.defaultOutputModes = card.defaultOutputModes != null ? new ArrayList<>(card.defaultOutputModes) : null;
             this.skills = card.skills != null ? new ArrayList<>(card.skills) : null;
             this.supportsAuthenticatedExtendedCard = card.supportsAuthenticatedExtendedCard;
-            this.securitySchemes = card.securitySchemes != null ? Map.copyOf(card.securitySchemes) : null;
+            this.securitySchemes = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableNullableShallowMap(card.securitySchemes);
             this.security = card.security != null ? new ArrayList<>(card.security) : null;
             this.iconUrl = card.iconUrl;
             this.additionalInterfaces = card.additionalInterfaces != null ? new ArrayList<>(card.additionalInterfaces) : null;
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Artifact_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Artifact_v0_3.java
index e10c267c1..8fcc67aef 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Artifact_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Artifact_v0_3.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 
 /**
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ public Builder parts(Part_v0_3<?>... parts) {
         }
 
         public Builder metadata(Map<String, Object> metadata) {
-            this.metadata = Map.copyOf(metadata);
+            this.metadata = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableShallowMap(metadata);
             return this;
         }
 
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/DataPart_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/DataPart_v0_3.java
index f18d784a3..de5bd4a20 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/DataPart_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/DataPart_v0_3.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -17,8 +18,8 @@ public DataPart_v0_3(Map<String, Object> data, @Nullable Map<String, Object> met
         if (kind != Kind.DATA) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid DataPart kind: " + kind);
         }
-        this.data = Map.copyOf(data);
-        this.metadata = metadata == null ? Map.of() : Map.copyOf(metadata);
+        this.data = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableShallowMap(data);
+        this.metadata = metadata == null ? Map.of() : Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableShallowMap(metadata);
         this.kind = kind;
     }
 
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/FilePart_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/FilePart_v0_3.java
index d3c89abdf..b89d4b8bd 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/FilePart_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/FilePart_v0_3.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -19,7 +20,7 @@ public FilePart_v0_3 (FileContent_v0_3 file, @Nullable Map<String, Object> metad
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid FilePart kind: " + kind);
         }
         this.file = file;
-        this.metadata = metadata == null ? Map.of() : Map.copyOf(metadata);
+        this.metadata = metadata == null ? Map.of() : Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableShallowMap(metadata);
         this.kind = kind;
     }
 
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Message_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Message_v0_3.java
index 474d47aff..51e015f8a 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Message_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Message_v0_3.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.UUID;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ public Message_v0_3(Role role, List<Part_v0_3<?>> parts, @Nullable String messag
         this.contextId = contextId;
         this.taskId = taskId;
         this.referenceTaskIds = referenceTaskIds != null ? List.copyOf(referenceTaskIds) : null;
-        this.metadata = metadata != null ? Map.copyOf(metadata) : null;
+        this.metadata = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableNullableShallowMap(metadata);
         this.extensions = extensions != null ? List.copyOf(extensions) : null;
     }
 
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3.java
index 64c8dc0c5..2de4fdc0c 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ public TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3 (String taskId, @Nullable Boolean append, @N
         this.lastChunk = lastChunk;
         this.artifact = artifact;
         this.contextId = contextId;
-        this.metadata = metadata != null ? Map.copyOf(metadata) : null;
+        this.metadata = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableNullableShallowMap(metadata);
     }
 
     public TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3(String taskId, Artifact_v0_3 artifact, String contextId,
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskStatusUpdateEvent_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskStatusUpdateEvent_v0_3.java
index d527815b3..0a33ce448 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskStatusUpdateEvent_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TaskStatusUpdateEvent_v0_3.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import com.google.gson.annotations.SerializedName;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ public TaskStatusUpdateEvent_v0_3 (String taskId, TaskStatus_v0_3 status, String
         this.status = status;
         this.contextId = contextId;
         this.isFinal = isFinal;
-        this.metadata = metadata != null ? Map.copyOf(metadata) : null;
+        this.metadata = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableNullableShallowMap(metadata);
     }
 
     public TaskStatusUpdateEvent_v0_3(String taskId, TaskStatus_v0_3 status, String contextId, boolean isFinal,
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Task_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Task_v0_3.java
index 3b0a28cdc..ea5e5c5fc 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Task_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/Task_v0_3.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -35,7 +36,7 @@ public Task_v0_3 (String id, String contextId, TaskStatus_v0_3 status, List<Arti
         this.status = status;
         this.artifacts = artifacts != null ? List.copyOf(artifacts) : List.of();
         this.history = history != null ? List.copyOf(history) : List.of();
-        this.metadata = metadata != null ? Map.copyOf(metadata) : null;
+        this.metadata = Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableNullableShallowMap(metadata);
     }
 
     public Task_v0_3(String id, String contextId, TaskStatus_v0_3 status, List<Artifact_v0_3> artifacts,
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TextPart_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TextPart_v0_3.java
index 70f8563c7..5a02bfa78 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TextPart_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/spec/TextPart_v0_3.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util.Utils_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.util.Assert;
 import org.jspecify.annotations.Nullable;
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ public TextPart_v0_3 (String text, @Nullable Map<String, Object> metadata, Kind
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid TextPart kind: " + kind);
         }
         this.text = text;
-        this.metadata = metadata == null ? Map.of() : Map.copyOf(metadata);
+        this.metadata = metadata == null ? Map.of() : Utils_v0_3.unmodifiableShallowMap(metadata);
         this.kind = kind;
     }
 
diff --git a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/util/Utils_v0_3.java b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/util/Utils_v0_3.java
index f12830974..c4a8a68af 100644
--- a/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/util/Utils_v0_3.java
+++ b/compat-0.3/spec/src/main/java/org/a2aproject/sdk/compat03/util/Utils_v0_3.java
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 package org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.util;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.json.JsonProcessingException_v0_3;
 import org.a2aproject.sdk.compat03.json.JsonUtil_v0_3;
@@ -50,6 +53,35 @@ public static <T> T defaultIfNull(T value, T defaultValue) {
         return value;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Creates an unmodifiable shallow copy of a non-null map while preserving null values.
+     * <p>
+     * Intended for JSON-like maps such as {@code data}, {@code metadata} and {@code headers},
+     * where an explicit JSON null is valid protocol content. It intentionally does not use
+     * {@link Map#copyOf(Map)}, which rejects null values.
+     *
+     * @param map the source map, must not be {@code null}
+     * @param <K> the key type
+     * @param <V> the value type
+     * @return an unmodifiable shallow copy preserving null values
+     */
+    public static <K, V> Map<K, V> unmodifiableShallowMap(Map<K, V> map) {
+        return Collections.unmodifiableMap(new HashMap<>(map));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates an unmodifiable shallow copy of a nullable map while preserving null values.
+     *
+     * @param map the source map, or {@code null}
+     * @param <K> the key type
+     * @param <V> the value type
+     * @return {@code null} if the source is {@code null}, otherwise an unmodifiable shallow copy
+     * preserving null values
+     */
+    public static <K, V> Map<K, V> unmodifiableNullableShallowMap(Map<K, V> map) {
+        return map == null ? null : unmodifiableShallowMap(map);
+    }
+
     /**
      * Appends or updates an artifact in a task based on a {@link TaskArtifactUpdateEvent_v0_3}.
      * <p>