diff --git a/sdk/python/feast/feature_server.py b/sdk/python/feast/feature_server.py
index 4b0e50a06d..fda8745c2d 100644
--- a/sdk/python/feast/feature_server.py
+++ b/sdk/python/feast/feature_server.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException, Request, Response, status
 from fastapi.logger import logger
 from fastapi.params import Depends
-from google.protobuf.json_format import MessageToDict, Parse
+from google.protobuf.json_format import MessageToDict
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 import feast
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 from feast.constants import DEFAULT_FEATURE_SERVER_REGISTRY_TTL
 from feast.data_source import PushMode
 from feast.errors import PushSourceNotFoundException
-from feast.protos.feast.serving.ServingService_pb2 import GetOnlineFeaturesRequest
 
 
 # TODO: deprecate this in favor of push features
@@ -83,34 +82,25 @@ def shutdown_event():
     @app.post("/get-online-features")
     def get_online_features(body=Depends(get_body)):
         try:
-            # Validate and parse the request data into GetOnlineFeaturesRequest Protobuf object
-            request_proto = GetOnlineFeaturesRequest()
-            Parse(body, request_proto)
-
+            body = json.loads(body)
             # Initialize parameters for FeatureStore.get_online_features(...) call
-            if request_proto.HasField("feature_service"):
+            if "feature_service" in body:
                 features = store.get_feature_service(
-                    request_proto.feature_service, allow_cache=True
+                    body["feature_service"], allow_cache=True
                 )
             else:
-                features = list(request_proto.features.val)
-
-            full_feature_names = request_proto.full_feature_names
+                features = body["features"]
 
-            batch_sizes = [len(v.val) for v in request_proto.entities.values()]
-            num_entities = batch_sizes[0]
-            if any(batch_size != num_entities for batch_size in batch_sizes):
-                raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail="Uneven number of columns")
+            full_feature_names = body.get("full_feature_names", False)
 
             response_proto = store._get_online_features(
                 features=features,
-                entity_values=request_proto.entities,
+                entity_values=body["entities"],
                 full_feature_names=full_feature_names,
-                native_entity_values=False,
             ).proto
 
             # Convert the Protobuf object to JSON and return it
-            return MessageToDict(  # type: ignore
+            return MessageToDict(
                 response_proto, preserving_proto_field_name=True, float_precision=18
             )
         except Exception as e: