diff --git a/x/tx/CHANGELOG.md b/x/tx/CHANGELOG.md
index 92245db8f77b..7120fe357497 100644
--- a/x/tx/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/x/tx/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ Since v0.13.0, x/tx follows Cosmos SDK semver: https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v1.0.0-alpha.3](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/releases/tag/x/tx/v1.0.0-alpha.3) - 2024-12-12
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* [#22852](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/22852) Fallback to injected resolver for placeholder descriptors.
+
 ## [v1.0.0-alpha.2](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/releases/tag/x/tx/v1.0.0-alpha.2) - 2024-11-01
 
 * [#22311](https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/pull/22311) Fix add feePayer as signer.
diff --git a/x/tx/decode/unknown.go b/x/tx/decode/unknown.go
index fed2c1be8ff8..cd0ed0ba7aa1 100644
--- a/x/tx/decode/unknown.go
+++ b/x/tx/decode/unknown.go
@@ -82,6 +82,17 @@ func RejectUnknownFields(bz []byte, desc protoreflect.MessageDescriptor, allowUn
 		if fieldMessage == nil {
 			continue
 		}
+		// if a message descriptor is a placeholder resolve it using the injected resolver.
+		// this can happen when a descriptor has been registered in the
+		// "google.golang.org/protobuf" resgistry but not in "github.com/cosmos/gogoproto".
+		// fixes: https://github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/issues/22574
+		if fieldMessage.IsPlaceholder() {
+			gogoDesc, err := resolver.FindDescriptorByName(fieldMessage.FullName())
+			if err != nil {
+				return hasUnknownNonCriticals, fmt.Errorf("could not resolve placeholder descriptor: %v: %w", fieldMessage, err)
+			}
+			fieldMessage = gogoDesc.(protoreflect.MessageDescriptor)
+		}
 
 		// consume length prefix of nested message
 		_, o := protowire.ConsumeVarint(fieldBytes)