diff --git a/src/proto/rwhod_protocol.rs b/src/proto/rwhod_protocol.rs
index 809abfb..9f0f28c 100644
--- a/src/proto/rwhod_protocol.rs
+++ b/src/proto/rwhod_protocol.rs
@@ -172,10 +172,17 @@ impl Whod {
         let mut bytes = bytes::Bytes::copy_from_slice(input);
 
         let wd_vers = bytes.get_u8();
-        debug_assert!(wd_vers == Self::WHODVERSION);
+        if wd_vers != Self::WHODVERSION {
+            return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
+                "Unsupported whod protocol version: {}",
+                wd_vers
+            ));
+        }
 
         let wd_type = bytes.get_u8();
-        debug_assert!(wd_type == Self::WHODTYPE_STATUS);
+        if wd_type != Self::WHODTYPE_STATUS {
+            return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Unsupported whod packet type: {}", wd_type));
+        }
 
         bytes.advance(2); // skip wd_pad
 
@@ -521,4 +528,30 @@ mod tests {
 
         assert_eq!(original_status, final_status);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parser_invalid_bytes() {
+        // Too short
+        let short_bytes = vec![0u8; Whod::HEADER_SIZE - 1];
+        assert!(Whod::from_bytes(&short_bytes).is_err());
+
+        // Too long
+        let long_bytes = vec![0u8; Whod::MAX_SIZE + 1];
+        assert!(Whod::from_bytes(&long_bytes).is_err());
+
+        // Misaligned length
+        let misaligned_bytes = vec![0u8; Whod::HEADER_SIZE + 1];
+        assert!(Whod::from_bytes(&misaligned_bytes).is_err());
+
+        // Invalid version
+        let mut invalid_version_bytes = vec![0u8; Whod::HEADER_SIZE];
+        invalid_version_bytes[0] = 99; // invalid version
+        assert!(Whod::from_bytes(&invalid_version_bytes).is_err());
+
+        // Invalid packet type
+        let mut invalid_type_bytes = vec![0u8; Whod::HEADER_SIZE];
+        invalid_type_bytes[0] = Whod::WHODVERSION;
+        invalid_type_bytes[1] = 99; // invalid type
+        assert!(Whod::from_bytes(&invalid_type_bytes).is_err());
+    }
 }