diff --git a/include/elio/http/websocket_server.hpp b/include/elio/http/websocket_server.hpp
index 146e81ca..fedb5d90 100644
--- a/include/elio/http/websocket_server.hpp
+++ b/include/elio/http/websocket_server.hpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <functional>
 #include <memory>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <stdexcept>
 #include <variant>
 #include <atomic>
 #include <vector>
@@ -479,6 +480,10 @@ class ws_router : public router {
                     seg.value.assign(comp.data() + 1, comp.size() - 1);
                     route.param_names.push_back(seg.value);
                 } else if (comp == "*") {
+                    if (i != pattern.size()) {
+                        throw std::invalid_argument(
+                            "WebSocket route wildcard must be the final path segment");
+                    }
                     seg.kind = segment_kind::wildcard;
                 } else {
                     seg.kind = segment_kind::literal;
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_websocket.cpp b/tests/unit/test_websocket.cpp
index a45a640e..85ddb63f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_websocket.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_websocket.cpp
@@ -944,3 +944,22 @@ TEST_CASE("WebSocket handshake building", "[websocket][handshake]") {
         REQUIRE(response.find("Connection: close\r\n") != std::string::npos);
     }
 }
+
+TEST_CASE("WebSocket route wildcard validation", "[websocket][router]") {
+    auto handler = [](ws_connection&) -> elio::coro::task<void> {
+        co_return;
+    };
+
+    ws_router router;
+    REQUIRE_NOTHROW(router.websocket("/chat/*", handler));
+    REQUIRE(router.find_ws_route("/chat/room") != nullptr);
+    REQUIRE(router.find_ws_route("/chat/") != nullptr);
+    REQUIRE(router.find_ws_route("/chat") == nullptr);
+
+    REQUIRE_THROWS_AS(router.websocket("/chat/*/admin", handler),
+                      std::invalid_argument);
+    REQUIRE_THROWS_AS(router.websocket("*/tail", handler),
+                      std::invalid_argument);
+    REQUIRE_THROWS_AS(router.websocket("/chat/*/", handler),
+                      std::invalid_argument);
+}