diff --git a/lib/python/base_cli/command_protocol.py b/lib/python/base_cli/command_protocol.py
index 8521769..cc24467 100644
--- a/lib/python/base_cli/command_protocol.py
+++ b/lib/python/base_cli/command_protocol.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import re
+import unicodedata
 from collections.abc import Mapping
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
@@ -25,6 +26,14 @@
 MAX_RECORD_COUNT = 1_000_000
 
 
+def _validate_protocol_header(protocol_header: str) -> None:
+    """Reject headers that can alter the line-delimited wire framing."""
+    if not isinstance(protocol_header, str) or not protocol_header:
+        raise CommandProtocolError("protocol_header must be a non-empty framing-safe string")
+    if any(unicodedata.category(character) in {"Cc", "Cf"} for character in protocol_header):
+        raise CommandProtocolError("protocol_header must be a framing-safe single line")
+
+
 class CommandProtocolError(ValueError):
     """Raised when a command-protocol schema or payload violates its contract."""
 
@@ -159,6 +168,7 @@ def dumps_records(
     registry: CommandSchemaRegistry | None = None,
 ) -> str:
     """Serialize a sequence of typed command records using the protocol framing."""
+    _validate_protocol_header(protocol_header)
     active_registry = registry or DEFAULT_SCHEMA_REGISTRY
     schema = active_registry.schema(record_type)
     if len(records) > MAX_RECORD_COUNT:
@@ -187,6 +197,7 @@ def loads_records(
     registry: CommandSchemaRegistry | None = None,
 ) -> tuple[str, tuple[dict[str, RecordValue], ...]]:
     """Validate and decode protocol-framed command records."""
+    _validate_protocol_header(protocol_header)
     active_registry = registry or DEFAULT_SCHEMA_REGISTRY
     # The wire framing is LF-delimited. `str.splitlines()` also accepts CR,
     # vertical tab, form feed, and Unicode separators, which would make the
diff --git a/tests/test_command_protocol.py b/tests/test_command_protocol.py
index 5023c2d..fecb791 100644
--- a/tests/test_command_protocol.py
+++ b/tests/test_command_protocol.py
@@ -138,6 +138,29 @@ def test_consumer_can_preserve_a_legacy_wire_header(self) -> None:
         )
         self.assertEqual(decoded, (generic_record(),))
 
+    def test_custom_framing_safe_header_round_trips(self) -> None:
+        header = "CUSTOM_COMMAND_PROTOCOL_V1"
+        payload = dumps_record(RECORD_TYPE, generic_record(), protocol_header=header)
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            loads_records(payload, expected_record_type=RECORD_TYPE, protocol_header=header),
+            (RECORD_TYPE, (generic_record(),)),
+        )
+
+    def test_rejects_empty_and_control_bearing_protocol_headers(self) -> None:
+        payload = dumps_record(RECORD_TYPE, generic_record())
+        for header in ("", "BAD\nHEADER", "BAD\rHEADER", "BAD\0HEADER", "BAD\u202eHEADER"):
+            with self.subTest(header=repr(header)):
+                with self.assertRaisesRegex(CommandProtocolError, "framing-safe") as dump_error:
+                    dumps_record(RECORD_TYPE, generic_record(), protocol_header=header)
+                with self.assertRaisesRegex(CommandProtocolError, "framing-safe") as load_error:
+                    loads_records(payload, protocol_header=header)
+                for error in (dump_error.exception, load_error.exception):
+                    self.assertNotIn("\n", str(error))
+                    self.assertNotIn("\r", str(error))
+                    self.assertNotIn("\0", str(error))
+                    self.assertNotIn("\u202e", str(error))
+
     def test_protocol_has_stable_generic_version_and_explicit_field_names(self) -> None:
         payload = dumps_record(RECORD_TYPE, generic_record())