diff --git a/src/core/test/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/test/CMakeLists.txt
index 5207c767d..784c1b543 100644
--- a/src/core/test/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/test/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 if (BUILD_TESTING AND (GTest_FOUND OR GTEST_FOUND))
-    add_executable(core_test pack_test.cpp events_test.cpp chain_test.cpp)
-    target_link_libraries(core_test PRIVATE GTest::gtest_main core GTest::gtest)
+    add_executable(core_test pack_test.cpp events_test.cpp chain_test.cpp packet_test.cpp)
+    target_link_libraries(core_test PRIVATE GTest::gtest_main core c2pool_merged_mining GTest::gtest)
 
     include(GoogleTest)
     include_directories(${gtest_SOURCE_DIR}/include ${gtest_SOURCE_DIR})
diff --git a/src/core/test/packet_test.cpp b/src/core/test/packet_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b5e5f6d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/test/packet_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <cstddef>
+#include <limits>
+#include <ios>
+#include <vector>
+
+#include <core/pack.hpp>
+#include <core/pack_types.hpp>
+#include <core/message.hpp>
+#include <core/hash.hpp>
+#include <core/packet.hpp>
+
+// A4 (Bug-9 hardening) cap-boundary tests for the Packet read-constructor.
+// The read ctor caps prefix_length at MAX_PREFIX_LENGTH (16) and throws
+// std::ios_base::failure on over-cap values, which is how UAF garbage from a
+// destroyed m_node (Bug-3-family rapid disconnect/reconnect) is rejected
+// without crashing the process. See src/core/packet.hpp.
+namespace {
+
+constexpr size_t kCap = 16; // must track MAX_PREFIX_LENGTH in packet.hpp
+
+// --- at/under the cap: must succeed and size the prefix exactly ---
+
+TEST(PacketPrefixCap, ZeroLengthSucceeds)
+{
+    core::Packet p(0);
+    EXPECT_EQ(p.prefix.size(), 0u);
+}
+
+TEST(PacketPrefixCap, JustUnderCapSucceeds)
+{
+    core::Packet p(kCap - 1);
+    EXPECT_EQ(p.prefix.size(), kCap - 1);
+}
+
+TEST(PacketPrefixCap, AtCapSucceeds)
+{
+    // Boundary: exactly at the cap is the largest accepted value.
+    core::Packet p(kCap);
+    EXPECT_EQ(p.prefix.size(), kCap);
+}
+
+// --- over the cap: must throw cleanly, never resize ---
+
+TEST(PacketPrefixCap, JustOverCapThrows)
+{
+    EXPECT_THROW({ core::Packet p(kCap + 1); }, std::ios_base::failure);
+}
+
+TEST(PacketPrefixCap, WayOverCapThrows)
+{
+    EXPECT_THROW({ core::Packet p(1024); }, std::ios_base::failure);
+}
+
+TEST(PacketPrefixCap, UafGarbageMaxSizeThrows)
+{
+    // Simulates the garbage size_t read from a freed m_node vector; pre-cap
+    // this reached resize() and aborted via std::length_error.
+    EXPECT_THROW({ core::Packet p(std::numeric_limits<size_t>::max()); },
+                 std::ios_base::failure);
+}
+
+} // namespace