diff --git a/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.spec.ts b/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.spec.ts
index fc300e4..95dd2dd 100644
--- a/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.spec.ts
+++ b/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.spec.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ function fakeRedis() {
       store.set(key, value);
       return 'OK';
     }),
+    del: jest.fn(async (key: string) => (store.delete(key) ? 1 : 0)),
     eval: jest.fn(async (_script: string, _n: number, key: string, token: string) => {
       if (store.get(key) === token) {
         store.delete(key);
@@ -107,6 +108,50 @@ describe('IdempotencyMiddleware', () => {
     expect(res.body).toEqual({ id: 'x' });
   });
 
+  describe('#736 — corrupted cache entries', () => {
+    const storeKey = 'idempotency:POST:/api/v1/policies:abc';
+
+    it.each([
+      ['invalid JSON', '{"status":201,"body":'],
+      ['JSON null', 'null'],
+      ['missing body', JSON.stringify({ status: 201 })],
+      ['non-numeric status', JSON.stringify({ status: 'ok', body: {} })],
+      ['out-of-range status', JSON.stringify({ status: 42, body: {} })],
+    ])('treats %s as a cache miss, deletes it and runs the handler', async (_label, corrupted) => {
+      const redis = fakeRedis();
+      redis.store.set(storeKey, corrupted);
+      const mw = new IdempotencyMiddleware(redis as any);
+      const res = fakeRes();
+      const next = jest.fn(() => res.status(201).json({ id: 'fresh' }));
+
+      mw.use(req(), res, next);
+      await tick(20);
+
+      expect(redis.del).toHaveBeenCalledWith(storeKey);
+      expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
+      expect(res.body).toEqual({ id: 'fresh' });
+      expect(res.headers['X-Idempotent-Replayed']).toBeUndefined();
+      // The fresh response replaces the corrupted entry.
+      expect(JSON.parse(redis.store.get(storeKey)!)).toEqual({ status: 201, body: { id: 'fresh' } });
+    });
+
+    it('still processes the request when deleting the corrupted entry fails', async () => {
+      const redis = fakeRedis();
+      redis.store.set(storeKey, 'not-json');
+      redis.del.mockRejectedValue(new Error('ECONNRESET'));
+      const mw = new IdempotencyMiddleware(redis as any);
+      const res = fakeRes();
+      const next = jest.fn(() => res.status(201).json({ id: 'fresh' }));
+
+      mw.use(req(), res, next);
+      await tick(20);
+
+      expect(next).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(res.statusCode).toBe(201);
+    });
+  });
+
   it('fails open when Redis is unavailable', async () => {
     const redis = fakeRedis();
     redis.get.mockRejectedValue(new Error('ECONNREFUSED'));
diff --git a/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.ts b/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.ts
index 25eaae3..2a53da8 100644
--- a/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.ts
+++ b/src/common/middleware/idempotency.middleware.ts
@@ -157,17 +157,38 @@ export class IdempotencyMiddleware implements NestMiddleware {
   private async replayCached(storeKey: string, rawKey: string, res: Response): Promise<boolean> {
     const cached = await this.redis.get(storeKey);
     if (!cached) return false;
+
+    const entry = this.parseCachedEntry(cached);
+    if (!entry) {
+      // #736 — corrupted cache entry: treat as a cache miss and delete it so
+      // the next request can run the handler and store a fresh response.
+      this.logger.warn(`Discarding corrupted cached idempotency entry for key=${rawKey}`);
+      await this.redis.del(storeKey).catch((err: unknown) =>
+        this.logger.warn(
+          `Failed to delete corrupted idempotency entry for key=${rawKey}: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`,
+        ),
+      );
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    this.logger.debug(`Replaying idempotent response for key=${rawKey}`);
+    res.setHeader('X-Idempotent-Replayed', 'true');
+    res.status(entry.status).json(entry.body);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  /** Parse and shape-check a cached entry. Returns null for invalid JSON or an unexpected shape. */
+  private parseCachedEntry(cached: string): { status: number; body: unknown } | null {
+    let parsed: unknown;
     try {
-      const { status, body } = JSON.parse(cached) as { status: number; body: unknown };
-      this.logger.debug(`Replaying idempotent response for key=${rawKey}`);
-      res.setHeader('X-Idempotent-Replayed', 'true');
-      res.status(status).json(body);
-      return true;
+      parsed = JSON.parse(cached);
     } catch {
-      // Corrupted cache entry — fall through to normal processing.
-      this.logger.warn(`Failed to parse cached idempotency entry for key=${rawKey}`);
-      return false;
+      return null;
     }
+    if (typeof parsed !== 'object' || parsed === null || !('body' in parsed)) return null;
+    const { status, body } = parsed as { status: unknown; body: unknown };
+    if (typeof status !== 'number' || !Number.isInteger(status) || status < 100 || status > 599) return null;
+    return { status, body };
   }
 
   private runWithLock(