diff --git a/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.classification.test.ts b/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.classification.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..38e8ed213e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.classification.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { projectAnalysisError } from "../domain/analysisErrorProjection.js";
+import {
+  appleDispatchMetadataFailure,
+  decodeAppleDispatchMetadata,
+} from "./AppleDispatchMetadata.js";
+import { parseMachoLayout } from "./AppleMachoSelection.js";
+
+const provenance = { path: "/selected", sha256: "fixture" };
+
+const metadataSection = (name: string, size: number): Buffer => {
+  const bytes = Buffer.alloc(4096);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(0xfeedfacf, 0);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(0x0100000c, 4);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(2, 12);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(1, 16);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(152, 20);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(0x19, 32);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(152, 36);
+  bytes.write("__DATA", 40);
+  bytes.writeBigUInt64LE(0x100000000n, 56);
+  bytes.writeBigUInt64LE(4096n, 64);
+  bytes.writeBigUInt64LE(4096n, 80);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(1, 96);
+  bytes.write(name, 104);
+  bytes.write("__DATA", 120);
+  bytes.writeBigUInt64LE(0x100000200n, 136);
+  bytes.writeBigUInt64LE(BigInt(size), 144);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(512, 152);
+  return bytes;
+};
+
+it.each([
+  ["__objc_classlist", 12, "Misaligned Objective-C class-list size"],
+  ["__objc_protolist", 12, "Misaligned Objective-C protocol list"],
+  ["__objc_catlist", 12, "Misaligned Objective-C category list"],
+  ["__swift5_types", 6, "Misaligned Swift type section"],
+  ["__swift5_proto", 6, "Misaligned Swift conformance section"],
+] as const)(
+  "classifies malformed %s as a target refusal",
+  (name, size, reason) => {
+    let thrown: unknown;
+    try {
+      decodeAppleDispatchMetadata(metadataSection(name, size), 10, provenance);
+    } catch (cause) {
+      thrown = cause;
+    }
+    expect(thrown).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
+    expect(
+      projectAnalysisError(
+        appleDispatchMetadataFailure(thrown, provenance.path),
+      ),
+    ).toMatchObject({
+      code: "unsupported_target",
+      message: expect.stringContaining(reason),
+    });
+  },
+);
+
+it("admits a complete 4097-command table and rejects truncated framing", () => {
+  const count = 4097;
+  const bytes = Buffer.alloc(32 + count * 16);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(0xfeedfacf, 0);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(0x0100000c, 4);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(2, 12);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(count, 16);
+  bytes.writeUInt32LE(count * 16, 20);
+  for (let index = 0; index < count; index++) {
+    bytes.writeUInt32LE(0x2a, 32 + index * 16);
+    bytes.writeUInt32LE(16, 36 + index * 16);
+  }
+  expect(parseMachoLayout(bytes, "arm64").sections).toEqual([]);
+  let thrown: unknown;
+  try {
+    parseMachoLayout(bytes.subarray(0, bytes.length - 1), "arm64");
+  } catch (cause) {
+    thrown = cause;
+  }
+  expect(
+    projectAnalysisError(appleDispatchMetadataFailure(thrown, provenance.path)),
+  ).toMatchObject({
+    code: "unsupported_target",
+    details: { reason: "Malformed Mach-O command bounds" },
+  });
+});
+
+it("classifies an unsupported big-endian CPU as a target refusal", () => {
+  const bytes = Buffer.alloc(32);
+  bytes.writeUInt32BE(0xfeedfacf, 0);
+  bytes.writeUInt32BE(0x0100000c, 4);
+  let thrown: unknown;
+  try {
+    decodeAppleDispatchMetadata(bytes, 10, provenance);
+  } catch (cause) {
+    thrown = cause;
+  }
+  expect(
+    projectAnalysisError(appleDispatchMetadataFailure(thrown, provenance.path)),
+  ).toMatchObject({
+    code: "unsupported_target",
+    message: expect.stringContaining("Unsupported big-endian Mach-O CPU type"),
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.ts b/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.ts
index 0c871d586b..ac07b6890e 100644
--- a/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/native/AppleDispatchMetadata.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import {
   AnalysisAccessDeniedError,
   AnalysisCapabilityUnavailableError,
   AnalysisResourceConstraintError,
+  AnalysisUnsupportedTargetError,
 } from "../domain/analysisErrorCore.js";
 import {
   ArtifactFileCleanupFailure,
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ import { EvidenceIntegrityError } from "../domain/evidenceErrors.js";
 import { pushDispatchCoverage } from "./AppleDispatchCoverage.js";
 import { parsePointerFixups } from "./AppleMachoFixups.js";
 import {
+  MalformedMachoLayoutError,
   parseMachoLayout,
   UnsupportedMachoMetadataFormatError,
 } from "./AppleMachoSelection.js";
@@ -58,6 +60,7 @@ import {
   createSwiftContextReader,
 } from "./AppleSwiftNominalTypes.js";
 import { inspectObjcClassImportBindings } from "./AppleObjcClassImportBindings.js";
+import { BinaryFormatFailure } from "./metadata/BinaryContainer.js";
 
 /** Decode validated little-endian 64-bit Apple Objective-C metadata without loading target code. */
 export const decodeAppleDispatchMetadata = (
@@ -230,7 +233,10 @@ export const decodeAppleDispatchMetadata = (
     ({ name }) => name === "__swift5_types",
   )) {
     if (section.size % 4 !== 0)
-      throw new RangeError("Misaligned Swift type section");
+      throw new BinaryFormatFailure(
+        "malformed",
+        "Misaligned Swift type section",
+      );
     for (let index = 0; index < section.size / 4 && index < maxRecords; index++)
       typeEntries.push(section.address + BigInt(index * 4));
     if (section.size / 4 > maxRecords) budget.truncated = true;
@@ -445,6 +451,18 @@ const appleDispatchMetadataPrimaryFailure = (
 ): AnalysisError => {
   if (origin === "owned-or-classified") {
     if (cause instanceof AnalysisError) return cause;
+    if (
+      cause instanceof BinaryFormatFailure ||
+      cause instanceof MalformedMachoLayoutError
+    )
+      return new AnalysisUnsupportedTargetError(
+        OPERATION,
+        path,
+        cause.message,
+        {
+          cause,
+        },
+      );
     if (cause instanceof UnsupportedMachoMetadataFormatError)
       return new AnalysisCapabilityUnavailableError(
         IDENTITY.id,
diff --git a/src/native/AppleMachoSelection.ts b/src/native/AppleMachoSelection.ts
index 2cba27ad30..18eaa331fb 100644
--- a/src/native/AppleMachoSelection.ts
+++ b/src/native/AppleMachoSelection.ts
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ export const selectMachoSlice = (
   return selected;
 };
 
+/** A rejected layout declaration in the selected Mach-O image. */
+export class MalformedMachoLayoutError extends RangeError {}
+
 /** A recognized Mach-O class outside this metadata reader's supported formats. */
 export class UnsupportedMachoMetadataFormatError extends Error {
   constructor(message: string) {
@@ -154,19 +157,22 @@ export const parseMachoLayout = (
   bytes: Buffer,
   architecture: string,
 ): MachoLayout => {
-  if (bytes.length < 4) throw new RangeError("Truncated Mach-O header");
+  if (bytes.length < 4)
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated Mach-O header");
   const selection = selectMachoSlice(bytes, architecture);
   const { slice, sliceEnd } = selection;
-  if (slice + 4 > sliceEnd) throw new RangeError("Truncated Mach-O header");
+  if (slice + 4 > sliceEnd)
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated Mach-O header");
   const selectedBytes = bytes.subarray(slice, sliceEnd);
   const declarations = readMachoLoadCommandDeclarations(
     selectedBytes,
     selectedBytes.length,
   );
-  if (!declarations.ok) throw new RangeError("Truncated Mach-O header");
+  if (!declarations.ok)
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated Mach-O header");
   if (declarations.value === null) {
     if (selectedBytes.length < 32)
-      throw new RangeError("Truncated Mach-O header");
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated Mach-O header");
     throw new TypeError(
       "Only little-endian 64-bit Mach-O metadata is supported",
     );
@@ -183,7 +189,10 @@ export const parseMachoLayout = (
   }
   if (table.wide && !table.littleEndian) {
     if (cpuType !== 0x01000012)
-      throw new TypeError("Unsupported big-endian Mach-O CPU type");
+      throw new BinaryFormatFailure(
+        "unsupported",
+        "Unsupported big-endian Mach-O CPU type",
+      );
     throw new UnsupportedMachoMetadataFormatError(
       "Unsupported big-endian 64-bit PowerPC Mach-O metadata",
     );
@@ -200,7 +209,7 @@ export const parseMachoLayout = (
     );
   const commandEnd = slice + table.headerSize + table.commandBytes;
   if (commandEnd > sliceEnd)
-    throw new RangeError("Malformed Mach-O command bounds");
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Malformed Mach-O command bounds");
   const state: LayoutState = {
     slice,
     sliceEnd,
@@ -218,7 +227,7 @@ export const parseMachoLayout = (
   while (framing.nextOffset !== null) {
     const cursor = slice + table.headerSize + framing.nextOffset;
     const frame = framing.read(bytes.subarray(cursor, cursor + 8));
-    if (!frame.ok) throw new RangeError(frame.error);
+    if (!frame.ok) throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(frame.error);
     const command = {
       cursor,
       kind: frame.value.command,
@@ -228,7 +237,7 @@ export const parseMachoLayout = (
     else collectFixupCommand(bytes, command, state);
   }
   const complete = framing.finish();
-  if (!complete.ok) throw new RangeError(complete.error);
+  if (!complete.ok) throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(complete.error);
   const { segments, sections, chained, binds, rebases, dylibs } = state;
   const mappings = createFileMappingIndex(state.mappings, state.zeroFills);
   const offset = (address: bigint, size = 1): number => {
@@ -300,7 +309,8 @@ const collectSegment = (
     true,
     true,
   );
-  if (!parsed.ok) throw new RangeError("Truncated segment command");
+  if (!parsed.ok)
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated segment command");
   const {
     address,
     memorySize,
@@ -312,9 +322,11 @@ const collectSegment = (
     headerSize,
   } = parsed.value;
   const admitted = admitMachoSegmentMapping(parsed.value, 64);
-  if (!admitted.ok) throw new RangeError(admitted.error.message);
+  if (!admitted.ok) throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(admitted.error.message);
   if (fileOffset + fileSize > BigInt(state.sliceEnd - state.slice))
-    throw new RangeError("Segment file range exceeds target bytes");
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(
+      "Segment file range exceeds target bytes",
+    );
   const name = decodeMachoFixedName(nameBytes);
   state.segments.push({
     address,
@@ -341,7 +353,7 @@ const collectSegment = (
   )
     state.baseAddress ??= address;
   if (headerSize + count * 80 > size)
-    throw new RangeError("Truncated section table");
+    throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated section table");
   for (let section = 0; section < count; section++) {
     const position = cursor + headerSize + section * 80;
     const parsedSection = readMachoSectionHeader(
@@ -349,10 +361,13 @@ const collectSegment = (
       true,
       true,
     );
-    if (!parsedSection.ok) throw new RangeError("Truncated section table");
+    if (!parsedSection.ok)
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated section table");
     const { nameBytes, address, size: sectionSize } = parsedSection.value;
     if (sectionSize > BigInt(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER))
-      throw new RangeError("Section size exceeds exact numeric range");
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(
+        "Section size exceeds exact numeric range",
+      );
     state.sections.push({
       name: decodeMachoFixedName(nameBytes),
       address,
@@ -375,14 +390,18 @@ const collectFixupCommand = (
     const offset = state.slice + bytes.readUInt32LE(at);
     const length = bytes.readUInt32LE(at + 4);
     if (offset + length > state.sliceEnd)
-      throw new RangeError("Fixup data exceeds the Mach-O slice");
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(
+        "Fixup data exceeds the Mach-O slice",
+      );
     return { offset, size: length };
   };
   if (kind === LC_DYLD_CHAINED_FIXUPS) {
-    if (size < 16) throw new RangeError("Truncated chained-fixups command");
+    if (size < 16)
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated chained-fixups command");
     state.chained = range(cursor + 8);
   } else if (kind === LC_DYLD_INFO || kind === LC_DYLD_INFO_ONLY) {
-    if (size < 48) throw new RangeError("Truncated dyld-info command");
+    if (size < 48)
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated dyld-info command");
     const rebase = range(cursor + 8);
     if (rebase.size > 0) state.rebases.push(rebase);
     for (const [at, stream] of [
@@ -400,10 +419,12 @@ const collectFixupCommand = (
     );
     if (!parsed.ok) {
       if (parsed.error._tag === "InvalidMachoDylibCommand")
-        throw new RangeError("Truncated dylib command");
+        throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Truncated dylib command");
       if (parsed.error.reason === "unterminated")
-        throw new RangeError("Unterminated dylib install name");
-      throw new RangeError("Dylib install name is outside its load command");
+        throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError("Unterminated dylib install name");
+      throw new MalformedMachoLayoutError(
+        "Dylib install name is outside its load command",
+      );
     }
     const { nameBytes } = parsed.value;
     state.dylibs.push(
diff --git a/src/native/AppleObjcCategories.ts b/src/native/AppleObjcCategories.ts
index 994f34b5d4..aee8c33e5a 100644
--- a/src/native/AppleObjcCategories.ts
+++ b/src/native/AppleObjcCategories.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { ObjcSwiftMetadata } from "../domain/native/objcSwiftMetadata.js";
 import type { Section } from "./AppleMachoSelection.js";
+import { BinaryFormatFailure } from "./metadata/BinaryContainer.js";
 import type { ObjcDispatchReaders } from "./AppleObjcDispatchFacets.js";
 import { readObjcPropertiesOf } from "./AppleObjcProperties.js";
 import { issue, type DecodeIssue } from "./AppleDispatchDecodeFacts.js";
@@ -43,7 +44,10 @@ export const decodeObjcCategories = (input: {
     ({ name }) => name === "__objc_catlist",
   )) {
     if (section.size % 8 !== 0)
-      throw new RangeError("Misaligned Objective-C category list");
+      throw new BinaryFormatFailure(
+        "malformed",
+        "Misaligned Objective-C category list",
+      );
     for (let index = 0; index < section.size / 8; index++) {
       if (!input.admit()) break;
       examined++;
diff --git a/src/native/AppleObjcDispatchFacets.ts b/src/native/AppleObjcDispatchFacets.ts
index 047642bbd9..5d32122cee 100644
--- a/src/native/AppleObjcDispatchFacets.ts
+++ b/src/native/AppleObjcDispatchFacets.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   type ObjcSwiftMetadata,
 } from "../domain/native/objcSwiftMetadata.js";
 import type { Segment, Section } from "./AppleMachoSelection.js";
+import { BinaryFormatFailure } from "./metadata/BinaryContainer.js";
 import { boundClassName, decodeObjcCategories } from "./AppleObjcCategories.js";
 import { readObjcPropertiesOf } from "./AppleObjcProperties.js";
 import type { DecodeIssue } from "./AppleDispatchDecodeFacts.js";
@@ -250,7 +251,10 @@ export const decodeObjcDispatchFacets = (input: {
     ({ name }) => name === "__objc_protolist",
   )) {
     if (section.size % 8 !== 0)
-      throw new RangeError("Misaligned Objective-C protocol list");
+      throw new BinaryFormatFailure(
+        "malformed",
+        "Misaligned Objective-C protocol list",
+      );
     for (let index = 0; index < section.size / 8; index++) {
       if (budget.isFull()) {
         budget.markTruncated();
@@ -406,7 +410,10 @@ export const decodeObjcDispatchFacets = (input: {
     ({ name }) => name === "__objc_classlist",
   )) {
     if (section.size % 8 !== 0)
-      throw new RangeError("Misaligned Objective-C class-list size");
+      throw new BinaryFormatFailure(
+        "malformed",
+        "Misaligned Objective-C class-list size",
+      );
     for (let index = 0; index < section.size / 8; index++) {
       if (budget.isFull()) {
         budget.markTruncated();
diff --git a/src/native/AppleSwiftDispatchFacets.ts b/src/native/AppleSwiftDispatchFacets.ts
index 8d223a5b97..c014d49ba1 100644
--- a/src/native/AppleSwiftDispatchFacets.ts
+++ b/src/native/AppleSwiftDispatchFacets.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import {
 import type { ObjcSwiftMetadata } from "../domain/native/objcSwiftMetadata.js";
 import type { PointerResolution } from "./AppleMachoFixups.js";
 import type { Segment, Section } from "./AppleMachoSelection.js";
+import { BinaryFormatFailure } from "./metadata/BinaryContainer.js";
 import { issue, type FacetDecodeFacts } from "./AppleDispatchDecodeFacts.js";
 import {
   decodeSwiftConformanceTypeReference,
@@ -325,7 +326,10 @@ export const decodeSwiftDispatchFacets = (input: {
     ({ name }) => name === "__swift5_proto",
   )) {
     if (section.size % 4 !== 0)
-      throw new RangeError("Misaligned Swift conformance section");
+      throw new BinaryFormatFailure(
+        "malformed",
+        "Misaligned Swift conformance section",
+      );
     for (let index = 0; index < section.size / 4; index++) {
       if (!budget.admit()) break;
       swiftExamined++;
diff --git a/tests/boundary/cli/nativeDispatchFormatAdmission.test.ts b/tests/boundary/cli/nativeDispatchFormatAdmission.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..11130bf0ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/boundary/cli/nativeDispatchFormatAdmission.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { describe, expect } from "vitest";
+
+import { createTestTempDirectory } from "../../fixtures/temporaryDirectory.js";
+import { cliTest } from "../../support/cli/cliFixture.js";
+
+describe.skipIf(process.platform !== "darwin")(
+  "native dispatch format admission",
+  () => {
+    cliTest(
+      "accepts a walkable 4097-command table and classifies malformed section sizes",
+      async ({ cli }) => {
+        const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-dispatch-format-");
+        const commands = Buffer.alloc(32 + 4097 * 16);
+        commands.writeUInt32LE(0xfeedfacf, 0);
+        commands.writeUInt32LE(0x0100000c, 4);
+        commands.writeUInt32LE(2, 12);
+        commands.writeUInt32LE(4097, 16);
+        commands.writeUInt32LE(4097 * 16, 20);
+        for (let index = 0; index < 4097; index++) {
+          commands.writeUInt32LE(0x2a, 32 + index * 16);
+          commands.writeUInt32LE(16, 36 + index * 16);
+        }
+        const path = join(root, "commands.macho");
+        await writeFile(path, commands);
+        const valid = await cli.run({
+          arguments: ["inspect-native-dispatch-metadata", path, "--json"],
+        });
+        expect(valid.exitCode, valid.stdout).toBe(0);
+        expect(valid.json).toMatchObject({
+          normalized_result: { result: { objc_classes: [] } },
+        });
+
+        const malformed = Buffer.alloc(4096);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(0xfeedfacf, 0);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(0x0100000c, 4);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(2, 12);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(1, 16);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(152, 20);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(0x19, 32);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(152, 36);
+        malformed.write("__DATA", 40);
+        malformed.writeBigUInt64LE(0x100000000n, 56);
+        malformed.writeBigUInt64LE(4096n, 64);
+        malformed.writeBigUInt64LE(4096n, 80);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(1, 96);
+        malformed.write("__objc_classlist", 104);
+        malformed.write("__DATA", 120);
+        malformed.writeBigUInt64LE(0x100000200n, 136);
+        malformed.writeBigUInt64LE(12n, 144);
+        malformed.writeUInt32LE(512, 152);
+        await writeFile(path, malformed);
+        const refused = await cli.run({
+          arguments: ["inspect-native-dispatch-metadata", path, "--json"],
+        });
+        expect(refused.exitCode, refused.stdout).toBe(1);
+        expect(refused.json).toMatchObject({
+          code: "unsupported_target",
+          details: { reason: "Misaligned Objective-C class-list size" },
+        });
+      },
+    );
+  },
+);