diff --git a/src/partial_json_parser/core/complete.py b/src/partial_json_parser/core/complete.py
index ed9b99e..ce32892 100644
--- a/src/partial_json_parser/core/complete.py
+++ b/src/partial_json_parser/core/complete.py
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ def complete_obj(json_string: str, allow: Allow) -> CompleteResult:
 
 
 def complete_num(json_string: str, allow: Allow, is_top_level=False) -> CompleteResult:
+    # a `-` must be followed by a digit; `-Infinity` never reaches here
+    if json_string[0] == "-" and json_string[1] not in "1234567890":
+        raise MalformedJSON(f"Unexpected character {json_string[1]}")
+
     i = 1
     length = len(json_string)
 
diff --git a/src/partial_json_parser/core/myelin.py b/src/partial_json_parser/core/myelin.py
index 69bcd82..f17fb9b 100644
--- a/src/partial_json_parser/core/myelin.py
+++ b/src/partial_json_parser/core/myelin.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def is_escaped(index: int):
     in_string = False
     last_string_start = -1
     last_string_end = -1
+    string_ranges = []
 
     tokens = scan(json_string)
 
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ def is_escaped(index: int):
             elif not is_escaped(i):
                 in_string = False
                 last_string_end = i
+                string_ranges.append((last_string_start, last_string_end + 1))
 
         elif not in_string:
             if char == "}":
@@ -56,6 +58,18 @@ def is_escaped(index: int):
                 stack.append((i, char))
 
     if not stack:
+        # The closed-collection shortcut otherwise bypasses atomic validation
+        # and can leak json.JSONDecodeError for malformed negative numbers.
+        # Walk the string ranges once, using the same ASCII digits as the
+        # number parser; only the bounded atom is validated.
+        current_range = 0
+        for match in compile(r'(?<![\w\]"\\])-(?![0-9])').finditer(json_string):
+            while current_range < len(string_ranges) and match.start() >= string_ranges[current_range][1]:
+                current_range += 1
+            if current_range < len(string_ranges) and match.start() >= string_ranges[current_range][0]:
+                continue
+            atom = json_string[match.start() :].split(",", 1)[0].strip()
+            _fix(atom, allow, True)
         return json_string, ""
 
     # check if the opening tokens are allowed
diff --git a/tests/test_examples.py b/tests/test_examples.py
index 7bf8727..dc03626 100644
--- a/tests/test_examples.py
+++ b/tests/test_examples.py
@@ -95,6 +95,34 @@ def test_error():
         parse_json("--")
 
 
+def test_error_negative_number_prefix():
+    """a `-` not followed by a digit (except `-Infinity`) is malformed, not silently completed"""
+    with raises(MalformedJSON):
+        parse_json("-x")
+    with raises(MalformedJSON):
+        parse_json("-inf")  # lowercase; `-Inf`/`-Infinity` are handled separately
+    with raises(MalformedJSON):
+        parse_json("-.5")
+    with raises(MalformedJSON):
+        parse_json("-e3")
+
+    assert parse_json("-0") == 0
+    assert parse_json("-1.5") == -1.5
+    assert parse_json("-Infinity") == float("-inf")
+
+
+def test_error_negative_number_prefix_inside_closed_collections():
+    """closed collections must validate their negative atoms too, on both paths"""
+    for text in ["[-x]", '{"a": -x}', "[-.5]", "[-e3]", '[{"a": 1}, -x]', "[-١]", '{"a": -١}']:
+        for use_fast_fix in (True, False):
+            with raises(MalformedJSON):
+                parse_json(text, use_fast_fix=use_fast_fix)
+
+    for text in ["[-1]", '{"a": -1}', "[1, -2]", '{"a": 1, "b": -2.5}', "[-Infinity]"]:
+        for use_fast_fix in (True, False):
+            assert parse_json(text, use_fast_fix=use_fast_fix) == __import__("json").loads(text)
+
+
 def test_fix():
     assert fix("[") == fix_fast("[") == ("[", "]")
     assert fix("[0.") == fix_fast("[0.") == ("[0", "]")