diff --git a/leo/commands/package/publish.rs b/leo/commands/package/publish.rs
index 7b1fceb3a6..97bce33719 100644
--- a/leo/commands/package/publish.rs
+++ b/leo/commands/package/publish.rs
@@ -119,14 +119,17 @@ impl Command for Publish {
             .send();
 
         // Get a response result
-        let result = match response {
-            Ok(json_result) => match json_result.json::<ResponseJson>() {
-                Ok(json) => json,
-                Err(error) => {
-                    tracing::warn!("{:?}", error);
-                    return Err(anyhow!("Package not published"));
+        let result: ResponseJson = match response {
+            Ok(json_result) => {
+                let text = json_result.text()?;
+
+                match serde_json::from_str(&text) {
+                    Ok(json) => json,
+                    Err(_) => {
+                        return Err(anyhow!("Package not published: {}", text));
+                    }
                 }
-            },
+            }
             Err(error) => {
                 tracing::warn!("{:?}", error);
                 return Err(anyhow!("Connection unavailable"));
diff --git a/package/src/root/zip.rs b/package/src/root/zip.rs
index 76f82c1aee..ee09917dd0 100644
--- a/package/src/root/zip.rs
+++ b/package/src/root/zip.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 use crate::{
     errors::ZipFileError,
     imports::IMPORTS_DIRECTORY_NAME,
-    inputs::{INPUTS_DIRECTORY_NAME, INPUT_FILE_EXTENSION},
+    inputs::{INPUTS_DIRECTORY_NAME, INPUT_FILE_EXTENSION, STATE_FILE_EXTENSION},
     outputs::{
         CHECKSUM_FILE_EXTENSION,
         CIRCUIT_FILE_EXTENSION,
@@ -151,9 +151,8 @@ impl ZipFile {
 
 /// Check if the file path should be included in the package zip file.
 fn is_included(path: &Path) -> bool {
-    // excluded directories: `input`, `output`, `imports`
-    if path.ends_with(INPUTS_DIRECTORY_NAME.trim_end_matches('/'))
-        | path.ends_with(OUTPUTS_DIRECTORY_NAME.trim_end_matches('/'))
+    // excluded directories: `output`, `imports`
+    if path.ends_with(OUTPUTS_DIRECTORY_NAME.trim_end_matches('/'))
         | path.ends_with(IMPORTS_DIRECTORY_NAME.trim_end_matches('/'))
     {
         return false;
@@ -161,8 +160,7 @@ fn is_included(path: &Path) -> bool {
 
     // excluded extensions: `.in`, `.bytes`, `lpk`, `lvk`, `.proof`, `.sum`, `.zip`, `.bytes`
     if let Some(true) = path.extension().map(|ext| {
-        ext.eq(INPUT_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
-            | ext.eq(ZIP_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
+        ext.eq(ZIP_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
             | ext.eq(PROVING_KEY_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
             | ext.eq(VERIFICATION_KEY_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
             | ext.eq(PROOF_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
@@ -173,6 +171,18 @@ fn is_included(path: &Path) -> bool {
         return false;
     }
 
+    // Allow `inputs` folder
+    if path.ends_with(INPUTS_DIRECTORY_NAME.trim_end_matches('/')) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    // Allow `.state` and `.in` files
+    if let Some(true) = path.extension().map(|ext| {
+        ext.eq(INPUT_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.')) | ext.eq(STATE_FILE_EXTENSION.trim_start_matches('.'))
+    }) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
     // Allow the README.md and Leo.toml files in the root directory
     if (path.ends_with(README_FILENAME) | path.ends_with(MANIFEST_FILENAME)) & (path.parent() == Some(Path::new(""))) {
         return true;