diff --git a/srsly/_json_api.py b/srsly/_json_api.py
index e755217..5a8a200 100644
--- a/srsly/_json_api.py
+++ b/srsly/_json_api.py
@@ -34,8 +34,9 @@ def json_loads(data: Union[str, bytes]) -> JSONOutput:
     data (str / bytes): The data to deserialize.
     RETURNS: The deserialized Python object.
     """
-    # Avoid transforming the string '-' into the int '0'
-    if data == "-":
+    # Avoid transforming a bare '-' into the int '0'. ujson does this for both
+    # str and bytes input, so the guard must cover bytes too.
+    if data == "-" or data == b"-":
         raise ValueError("Expected object or value")
     return ujson.loads(data)
 
diff --git a/srsly/tests/test_json_api.py b/srsly/tests/test_json_api.py
index 85f0164..ff8d8ad 100644
--- a/srsly/tests/test_json_api.py
+++ b/srsly/tests/test_json_api.py
@@ -206,6 +206,16 @@ def test_json_loads_raises(obj):
         json_loads(obj)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "obj",
+    [b"-", "-"],
+)
+def test_json_loads_bare_minus_raises(obj):
+    # ujson decodes a bare "-" as 0; the guard must cover bytes too.
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        json_loads(obj)
+
+
 def test_unsupported_type_error():
     with pytest.raises(TypeError, match="is not JSON serializable"):
         s = json_dumps({1, 2})