diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrDirectMessageHandler.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrDirectMessageHandler.kt
index 4125d5ca..08825adf 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrDirectMessageHandler.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrDirectMessageHandler.kt
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class NostrDirectMessageHandler(
                 if (!content.startsWith("bitchat1:")) return@launch
 
                 val base64Content = content.removePrefix("bitchat1:")
-                val packetData = base64URLDecode(base64Content) ?: return@launch
+                val packetData = NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.decodeBounded(base64Content) ?: return@launch
                 val packet = BitchatPacket.fromBinaryData(packetData) ?: return@launch
 
                 if (packet.type != com.bitchat.android.protocol.MessageType.NOISE_ENCRYPTED.value) return@launch
@@ -304,19 +304,4 @@ class NostrDirectMessageHandler(
             false
         }
     }
-
-    private fun base64URLDecode(input: String): ByteArray? {
-        return try {
-            val padded = input.replace("-", "+")
-                .replace("_", "/")
-                .let { str ->
-                    val padding = (4 - str.length % 4) % 4
-                    str + "=".repeat(padding)
-                }
-            android.util.Base64.decode(padded, android.util.Base64.DEFAULT)
-        } catch (e: Exception) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "Failed to decode base64url: ${e.message}")
-            null
-        }
-    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0fabe52b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+package com.bitchat.android.nostr
+
+import android.util.Base64
+import android.util.Log
+import com.bitchat.android.util.AppConstants
+
+/**
+ * Decode a `bitchat1:` base64url payload with an explicit size ceiling.
+ *
+ * iOS rejects oversized embedded packets before allocating
+ * (`NostrInboundPipeline.decodeEmbeddedBitChatPacket`). Without a bound,
+ * a malicious gift wrap can force an arbitrarily large Base64 decode.
+ */
+object NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder {
+    private const val TAG = "NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder"
+
+    fun decodeBounded(
+        base64Url: String,
+        maxBytes: Int = AppConstants.Protocol.MAX_PAYLOAD_LENGTH
+    ): ByteArray? {
+        if (maxBytes <= 0) return null
+        // Base64 expands 3 bytes -> 4 chars; reject oversized encodings first.
+        val maxEncoded = ((maxBytes.toLong() + 2L) / 3L) * 4L
+        if (base64Url.length.toLong() > maxEncoded) {
+            Log.w(TAG, "Rejecting embedded packet encoding longer than $maxEncoded chars")
+            return null
+        }
+        val decoded = base64URLDecode(base64Url) ?: return null
+        if (decoded.size > maxBytes) {
+            Log.w(TAG, "Rejecting embedded packet of ${decoded.size} bytes (max $maxBytes)")
+            return null
+        }
+        return decoded
+    }
+
+    internal fun base64URLDecode(input: String): ByteArray? {
+        return try {
+            val padded = input.replace("-", "+")
+                .replace("_", "/")
+                .let { str ->
+                    val padding = (4 - str.length % 4) % 4
+                    str + "=".repeat(padding)
+                }
+            Base64.decode(padded, Base64.DEFAULT)
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.e(TAG, "Failed to decode base64url: ${e.message}")
+            null
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/test/kotlin/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoderTest.kt b/app/src/test/kotlin/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoderTest.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d524ae41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/test/kotlin/com/bitchat/android/nostr/NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoderTest.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package com.bitchat.android.nostr
+
+import android.util.Base64
+import org.junit.Assert.assertArrayEquals
+import org.junit.Assert.assertNull
+import org.junit.Assert.assertNotNull
+import org.junit.Test
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith
+import org.robolectric.RobolectricTestRunner
+import org.robolectric.annotation.Config
+import android.os.Build
+
+@RunWith(RobolectricTestRunner::class)
+@Config(sdk = [Build.VERSION_CODES.P], manifest = Config.NONE)
+class NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoderTest {
+
+    @Test
+    fun `decodes a small base64url payload`() {
+        val raw = byteArrayOf(1, 2, 3, 4)
+        val encoded = Base64.encodeToString(raw, Base64.URL_SAFE or Base64.NO_WRAP or Base64.NO_PADDING)
+            .replace("=", "")
+        assertArrayEquals(raw, NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.decodeBounded(encoded, maxBytes = 64))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `rejects an encoding that cannot fit under the byte ceiling`() {
+        val maxBytes = 16
+        // 4 chars encode at most 3 bytes; 24 chars would decode to ~18 bytes.
+        val oversizedEncoding = "A".repeat(24)
+        assertNull(NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.decodeBounded(oversizedEncoding, maxBytes = maxBytes))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `rejects a decode that expands past the byte ceiling`() {
+        val maxBytes = 8
+        // 12 chars of valid base64url decode to 9 bytes.
+        val nineBytes = ByteArray(9) { 0x41 }
+        val encoded = Base64.encodeToString(nineBytes, Base64.URL_SAFE or Base64.NO_WRAP or Base64.NO_PADDING)
+            .replace("=", "")
+        assertNull(NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.decodeBounded(encoded, maxBytes = maxBytes))
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `accepts a payload that fills the ceiling exactly`() {
+        val maxBytes = 9
+        val nineBytes = ByteArray(9) { 0x42 }
+        val encoded = Base64.encodeToString(nineBytes, Base64.URL_SAFE or Base64.NO_WRAP or Base64.NO_PADDING)
+            .replace("=", "")
+        assertNotNull(NostrEmbeddedPacketDecoder.decodeBounded(encoded, maxBytes = maxBytes))
+    }
+}