diff --git a/STATUS.md b/STATUS.md
index d12262f3..a8f44d25 100644
--- a/STATUS.md
+++ b/STATUS.md
@@ -536,8 +536,6 @@ Session layer:
 - A rejected request sends STOP_SENDING with INTERNAL_ERROR (§3.3.4 SHOULD use a
   relevant code).
 - Mandatory Track Property enforcement is off unless configured (§2.5.1).
-- FETCH Serialization Flags ≥ 128 are read as field bits before being rejected,
-  so a reset or oversized length avoids the PROTOCOL_VIOLATION (§11.4.4).
 - SETUP options are sorted unstably, so with more than 12 the Token order on the
   wire can differ from the order `heldSetupAliases` replays (§10.3.1.4).
 
diff --git a/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_object.go b/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_object.go
index f8c73329..e33e57cc 100644
--- a/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_object.go
+++ b/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_object.go
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ func (o *FetchObject) Parse(r wire.Decoder) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	o.SerializationFlags = flags
+	// Decided on the flags alone: their bits must not be read as fields.
+	if err := checkFetchFlags(flags); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// End-of-range markers: Group ID and Object ID follow (§11.4.4.2).
 	if isEndOfRange(flags) {
@@ -267,20 +271,20 @@ func (o *FetchObject) SubgroupMode() FetchSubgroupIDMode {
 
 // Validate checks the fetch object for protocol violations.
 func (o *FetchObject) Validate() error {
-	flags := o.SerializationFlags
-
-	// End-of-range markers are always valid structurally.
-	if isEndOfRange(flags) {
-		return nil
-	}
-
-	// Values >= 128 that are not end-of-range markers are PROTOCOL_VIOLATION.
 	// Note: 0x40 with non-zero subgroup-mode LSBs stays valid — the publisher
 	// only SHOULD zero them and the subscriber MUST ignore them (§11.4.4.1),
 	// so rejecting the combination would itself be non-conformant.
-	if flags >= 128 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("moqt/message: fetch object has invalid serialization flags 0x%X", flags)
-	}
+	return checkFetchFlags(o.SerializationFlags)
+}
+
+// ErrInvalidFetchFlags is a Serialization Flags value of 128 or more that is
+// not an End of Range marker: "Any other value is a PROTOCOL_VIOLATION"
+// (§11.4.4). [FetchObject.Parse] returns it right after the flags.
+var ErrInvalidFetchFlags = errors.New("moqt/message: invalid fetch object serialization flags")
 
+func checkFetchFlags(flags uint64) error {
+	if flags >= 128 && !isEndOfRange(flags) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w 0x%X", ErrInvalidFetchFlags, flags)
+	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_test.go b/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_test.go
index 32193d9f..c3291e44 100644
--- a/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/moqt/message/fetch_test.go
@@ -350,6 +350,20 @@ func TestFetchObjectIsEndOfRangeCoversAllThree(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestFetchObjectParseRejectsInvalidFlags: Parse rejects Serialization Flags
+// of 128 or more that are not End of Range markers right after reading them
+// (§11.4.4), without reading their bits as fields: 0xFF alone, with nothing
+// after it, is ErrInvalidFetchFlags rather than a truncated object.
+func TestFetchObjectParseRejectsInvalidFlags(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, flags := range []uint64{0x80, 0xFF, 0x8D, 0x100} {
+		var o FetchObject
+		err := o.Parse(wire.NewReader(wire.AppendVarint(nil, flags)))
+		if !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidFetchFlags) {
+			t.Errorf("Parse(flags 0x%X) = %v, want ErrInvalidFetchFlags", flags, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestFetchObjectValidateInvalidFlags(t *testing.T) {
 	// Values >= 128 that are not end-of-range markers are PROTOCOL_VIOLATION.
 	obj := &FetchObject{
diff --git a/pkg/moqt/session/datastream_in.go b/pkg/moqt/session/datastream_in.go
index b3444b50..60fe4461 100644
--- a/pkg/moqt/session/datastream_in.go
+++ b/pkg/moqt/session/datastream_in.go
@@ -285,13 +285,13 @@ func (s *IncomingFetchStream) Cancel(code moqt.StreamResetCode) {
 func (s *IncomingFetchStream) ReadObject() (*message.FetchObject, error) {
 	obj := &message.FetchObject{}
 	if err := obj.Parse(s.rd); err != nil {
+		// §11.4.4: a Serialization Flags value of 128 or more that is not
+		// an End of Range marker "is a PROTOCOL_VIOLATION".
+		if errors.Is(err, message.ErrInvalidFetchFlags) {
+			return nil, s.sess.closeProtocolViolation(fmt.Errorf("moqt/session: fetch object: %w", err))
+		}
 		return nil, s.sess.checkFINMidObject(err)
 	}
-	// §11.4.4: a Serialization Flags value of 128 or more that is not an
-	// End of Range marker "is a PROTOCOL_VIOLATION".
-	if err := obj.Validate(); err != nil {
-		return nil, s.sess.closeProtocolViolation(fmt.Errorf("moqt/session: fetch object: %w", err))
-	}
 	return obj, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/moqt/session/fetch_test.go b/pkg/moqt/session/fetch_test.go
index d30bd813..5758674e 100644
--- a/pkg/moqt/session/fetch_test.go
+++ b/pkg/moqt/session/fetch_test.go
@@ -260,28 +260,53 @@ func TestFetchOKEndBeforeStartClosesSession(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 // TestFetchObjectInvalidFlagsCloseSession: Serialization Flags of 128 and
-// above other than the End of Range values are a PROTOCOL_VIOLATION (§11.4.4).
+// above other than the End of Range values are a PROTOCOL_VIOLATION (§11.4.4),
+// decided on the flags alone: whatever follows them, a whole object, a reset
+// or a Payload Length too large to read, is never parsed as their fields.
 func TestFetchObjectInvalidFlagsCloseSession(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
-	client, server := openPair(t)
-	go func() {
-		out, err := server.OpenFetchStream(message.FetchHeader{RequestID: 0})
-		if err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-		_ = out.WriteObject(&message.FetchObject{SerializationFlags: 0x81, ObjectPayload: []byte("x")})
-		_ = out.Close()
-	}()
-	ds, err := client.AcceptDataStream(t.Context())
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("AcceptDataStream: %v", err)
-	}
-	fs, ok := ds.(*session.IncomingFetchStream)
-	if !ok {
-		t.Fatalf("AcceptDataStream = %T, want a FETCH stream", ds)
-	}
-	if _, err := fs.ReadObject(); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("ReadObject accepted Serialization Flags 0x81")
+	// 0xFF sets every field bit, so read as flags it would parse a Group ID
+	// Delta, Subgroup ID, Object ID Delta, Priority and Properties first.
+	flags := func(v uint64) []byte { return wire.AppendVarint(nil, v) }
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name  string
+		write func(out *session.OutgoingFetchStream)
+	}{
+		{"then a whole object", func(out *session.OutgoingFetchStream) {
+			_ = out.WriteObject(&message.FetchObject{SerializationFlags: 0x81, ObjectPayload: []byte("x")})
+			_ = out.Close()
+		}},
+		{"then a reset", func(out *session.OutgoingFetchStream) {
+			_, _ = out.Write(flags(0xFF))
+			out.Cancel(moqt.StreamResetCancelled)
+		}},
+		{"then an oversized Payload Length", func(out *session.OutgoingFetchStream) {
+			_, _ = out.Write(wire.AppendVarint(flags(0x81), 1<<62-1))
+			_ = out.Close()
+		}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+			client, server := openPair(t)
+			go func() {
+				out, err := server.OpenFetchStream(message.FetchHeader{RequestID: 0})
+				if err != nil {
+					return
+				}
+				tc.write(out)
+			}()
+			ds, err := client.AcceptDataStream(t.Context())
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("AcceptDataStream: %v", err)
+			}
+			fs, ok := ds.(*session.IncomingFetchStream)
+			if !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("AcceptDataStream = %T, want a FETCH stream", ds)
+			}
+			if _, err := fs.ReadObject(); err == nil {
+				t.Fatal("ReadObject accepted invalid Serialization Flags")
+			}
+			requireClosedProtocolViolation(t, client)
+		})
 	}
-	requireClosedProtocolViolation(t, client)
 }