diff --git a/src/dtls13.c b/src/dtls13.c
index 9d7f78bc369..2e3fa591533 100644
--- a/src/dtls13.c
+++ b/src/dtls13.c
@@ -1889,6 +1889,21 @@ static int _Dtls13HandshakeRecv(WOLFSSL* ssl, byte* input, word32 size,
         return INCOMPLETE_DATA;
     }
 
+    /* Cap the handshake message size before it can be buffered for reassembly,
+     * matching the DTLSv1.2 path (DoDtlsHandShakeMsg()). RFC 9147 Sec 4.5.2
+     * says invalid records SHOULD be silently discarded, so only error out once
+     * the record is authenticated (received in an encrypted epoch); a plaintext
+     * message is just dropped. */
+    if (messageLength > MAX_HANDSHAKE_SZ) {
+        WOLFSSL_MSG("Handshake message too large");
+        if (IsEncryptionOn(ssl, 0)) {
+            WOLFSSL_ERROR_VERBOSE(HANDSHAKE_SIZE_ERROR);
+            return HANDSHAKE_SIZE_ERROR;
+        }
+        *processedSize = idx + fragLength;
+        return 0;
+    }
+
     if (fragOff + fragLength > messageLength)
         return BUFFER_ERROR;
 
diff --git a/tests/api/test_dtls.c b/tests/api/test_dtls.c
index ccacf370baa..3f6274bc203 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_dtls.c
+++ b/tests/api/test_dtls.c
@@ -784,6 +784,72 @@ int test_dtls13_short_read(void)
 }
 #endif /* WOLFSSL_DTLS13 && !defined(WOLFSSL_DTLS_RECORDS_CAN_SPAN_DATAGRAMS) */
 
+#if defined(HAVE_MANUAL_MEMIO_TESTS_DEPENDENCIES) && defined(WOLFSSL_DTLS13)
+/* A plaintext (epoch 0) handshake message whose handshake message_length claims
+ * more than MAX_HANDSHAKE_SZ must not be buffered for reassembly. We use the
+ * server's plaintext ServerHello: the client accepts a fragmented ServerHello
+ * (Dtls13AcceptFragmented()), so an incomplete one is normally stored for
+ * reassembly. Without the message_length cap in _Dtls13HandshakeRecv() the
+ * spoofed message would be added to the rx list; with it the unauthenticated
+ * message is silently dropped. */
+int test_dtls13_oversized_msg_length(void)
+{
+    EXPECT_DECLS;
+    WOLFSSL_CTX *ctx_c = NULL, *ctx_s = NULL;
+    WOLFSSL *ssl_c = NULL, *ssl_s = NULL;
+    struct test_memio_ctx test_ctx;
+    char sh[TEST_MEMIO_BUF_SZ];
+    int shSz = (int)sizeof(sh);
+    int recLen = 0;
+
+    XMEMSET(&test_ctx, 0, sizeof(test_ctx));
+    ExpectIntEQ(test_memio_setup(&test_ctx, &ctx_c, &ctx_s, &ssl_c, &ssl_s,
+                    wolfDTLSv1_3_client_method, wolfDTLSv1_3_server_method), 0);
+
+    /* CH1 -> server, then server emits its first flight (plaintext ServerHello
+     * is the first record). */
+    ExpectIntEQ(wolfSSL_connect(ssl_c), -1);
+    ExpectIntEQ(wolfSSL_get_error(ssl_c, -1), WOLFSSL_ERROR_WANT_READ);
+    ExpectIntEQ(wolfSSL_accept(ssl_s), -1);
+    ExpectIntEQ(wolfSSL_get_error(ssl_s, -1), WOLFSSL_ERROR_WANT_READ);
+    ExpectIntGT(test_ctx.c_msg_count, 0);
+    ExpectIntEQ(test_memio_copy_message(&test_ctx, 1, sh, &shSz, 0), 0);
+    ExpectIntGE(shSz, DTLS_RECORD_HEADER_SZ + DTLS_HANDSHAKE_HEADER_SZ);
+    /* First record is a plaintext handshake ServerHello. */
+    ExpectIntEQ((byte)sh[0], handshake);
+    ExpectIntEQ((byte)sh[DTLS_RECORD_HEADER_SZ], server_hello);
+    if (EXPECT_SUCCESS())
+        recLen = (((byte)sh[11]) << 8) | (byte)sh[12];
+
+    /* Spoof only the handshake message_length of the ServerHello record,
+     * leaving the record length and fragment_length intact so it clears record
+     * parsing and looks like the first fragment of an oversized message. */
+    c32to24((word32)MAX_HANDSHAKE_SZ + 1,
+            (byte*)sh + DTLS_RECORD_HEADER_SZ + 1);
+    test_memio_clear_buffer(&test_ctx, 1);
+    ExpectIntEQ(test_memio_inject_message(&test_ctx, 1, sh,
+            DTLS_RECORD_HEADER_SZ + recLen), 0);
+
+    /* The client must reject the oversized ServerHello without buffering it. */
+    ExpectIntEQ(wolfSSL_connect(ssl_c), -1);
+    ExpectIntEQ(wolfSSL_get_error(ssl_c, -1), WOLFSSL_ERROR_WANT_READ);
+    ExpectNull(ssl_c->dtls_rx_msg_list);
+    ExpectIntEQ(ssl_c->dtls_rx_msg_list_sz, 0);
+
+    wolfSSL_free(ssl_c);
+    wolfSSL_CTX_free(ctx_c);
+    wolfSSL_free(ssl_s);
+    wolfSSL_CTX_free(ctx_s);
+
+    return EXPECT_RESULT();
+}
+#else
+int test_dtls13_oversized_msg_length(void)
+{
+    return TEST_SKIPPED;
+}
+#endif
+
 #if !defined(WOLFSSL_DTLS_RECORDS_CAN_SPAN_DATAGRAMS)
 int test_dtls12_short_read(void)
 {
diff --git a/tests/api/test_dtls.h b/tests/api/test_dtls.h
index 4523cdef1e9..bf7a0ef9707 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_dtls.h
+++ b/tests/api/test_dtls.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ int test_dtls12_record_length_mismatch(void);
 int test_dtls12_short_read(void);
 int test_dtls13_longer_length(void);
 int test_dtls13_short_read(void);
+int test_dtls13_oversized_msg_length(void);
 int test_records_span_network_boundaries(void);
 int test_dtls_record_cross_boundaries(void);
 int test_dtls_rtx_across_epoch_change(void);
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ int test_WOLFSSL_dtls_version_alert(void);
         TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_dtls12_short_read),                       \
         TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_dtls13_longer_length),                    \
         TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_dtls13_short_read),                       \
+        TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_dtls13_oversized_msg_length),             \
         TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_records_span_network_boundaries),         \
         TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_dtls_record_cross_boundaries),            \
         TEST_DECL_GROUP("dtls", test_dtls_rtx_across_epoch_change),            \