diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track.go b/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track.go
index f025c6452..dba7c61af 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track.go
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/livekit/protocol/utils/guid"
 )
 
+func isValidDataTrackHandle(h uint32) bool {
+	return h > 0 && h <= 65535
+}
+
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) HandlePublishDataTrackRequest(req *livekit.PublishDataTrackRequest) {
 	if !p.CanPublishData() || !p.params.EnableDataTracks {
 		p.pubLogger.Warnw("no permission to publish data track", nil, "req", logger.Proto(req))
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) HandlePublishDataTrackRequest(req *livekit.PublishData
 		return
 	}
 
-	if req.PubHandle == 0 || req.PubHandle > 65535 {
+	if !isValidDataTrackHandle(req.PubHandle) {
 		p.pubLogger.Warnw("invalid data track handle", nil, "req", logger.Proto(req))
 		p.sendRequestResponse(&livekit.RequestResponse{
 			Reason:  livekit.RequestResponse_INVALID_HANDLE,
@@ -139,6 +143,18 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) HandlePublishDataTrackRequest(req *livekit.PublishData
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) HandleUnpublishDataTrackRequest(req *livekit.UnpublishDataTrackRequest) {
+	if !isValidDataTrackHandle(req.PubHandle) {
+		p.pubLogger.Warnw("invalid data track handle", nil, "req", logger.Proto(req))
+		p.sendRequestResponse(&livekit.RequestResponse{
+			Reason:  livekit.RequestResponse_INVALID_HANDLE,
+			Message: "handle should be > 0 AND < 65536",
+			Request: &livekit.RequestResponse_UnpublishDataTrack{
+				UnpublishDataTrack: proto.CloneOf(req),
+			},
+		})
+		return
+	}
+
 	dt := p.UpDataTrackManager.GetPublishedDataTrack(uint16(req.PubHandle))
 	if dt == nil {
 		p.pubLogger.Warnw("unpublish data track not found", nil, "req", logger.Proto(req))
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track_test.go b/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7a419f6a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant_data_track_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// Copyright 2026 LiveKit, Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package rtc
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/livekit/livekit-server/pkg/routing/routingfakes"
+	"github.com/livekit/protocol/livekit"
+)
+
+func TestUnpublishDataTrackRejectsInvalidHandle(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name   string
+		handle uint32
+	}{
+		{name: "handle wraps to published track", handle: 65537},
+		{name: "zero handle", handle: 0},
+		{name: "first out-of-range handle", handle: 65536},
+		{name: "maximum uint32 handle", handle: ^uint32(0)},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			p := newParticipantForTest("test")
+			p.params.EnableDataTracks = true
+			sink := p.params.Sink.(*routingfakes.FakeMessageSink)
+
+			p.HandlePublishDataTrackRequest(&livekit.PublishDataTrackRequest{PubHandle: 1, Name: "test-track"})
+			require.NotNil(t, p.UpDataTrackManager.GetPublishedDataTrack(1))
+			require.Equal(t, 1, sink.WriteMessageCallCount())
+
+			p.HandleUnpublishDataTrackRequest(&livekit.UnpublishDataTrackRequest{PubHandle: test.handle})
+
+			require.Equal(t, 2, sink.WriteMessageCallCount())
+			response := sink.WriteMessageArgsForCall(1).(*livekit.SignalResponse).GetRequestResponse()
+			if assert.NotNil(t, response, "expected INVALID_HANDLE request response for handle %d", test.handle) {
+				assert.Equal(t, livekit.RequestResponse_INVALID_HANDLE, response.Reason)
+			}
+			assert.NotNil(t, p.UpDataTrackManager.GetPublishedDataTrack(1), "published track must remain after handle %d", test.handle)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPublishDataTrackRejectsInvalidHandle(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, handle := range []uint32{0, 65536, 65537, ^uint32(0)} {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprint(handle), func(t *testing.T) {
+			p := newParticipantForTest("test")
+			p.params.EnableDataTracks = true
+			sink := p.params.Sink.(*routingfakes.FakeMessageSink)
+
+			p.HandlePublishDataTrackRequest(&livekit.PublishDataTrackRequest{PubHandle: handle, Name: "test-track"})
+
+			require.Equal(t, 1, sink.WriteMessageCallCount())
+			response := lastRequestResponse(t, sink, 0)
+			require.Equal(t, livekit.RequestResponse_INVALID_HANDLE, response.Reason)
+			require.Empty(t, p.UpDataTrackManager.GetPublishedDataTracks())
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDataTrackValidHandles(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, handle := range []uint32{1, 32768, 65535} {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprint(handle), func(t *testing.T) {
+			p := newParticipantForTest("test")
+			p.params.EnableDataTracks = true
+			sink := p.params.Sink.(*routingfakes.FakeMessageSink)
+
+			p.HandlePublishDataTrackRequest(&livekit.PublishDataTrackRequest{PubHandle: handle, Name: "test-track"})
+
+			require.NotNil(t, p.UpDataTrackManager.GetPublishedDataTrack(uint16(handle)))
+			require.Equal(t, 1, sink.WriteMessageCallCount())
+			require.NotNil(t, sink.WriteMessageArgsForCall(0).(*livekit.SignalResponse).GetPublishDataTrackResponse())
+
+			p.HandleUnpublishDataTrackRequest(&livekit.UnpublishDataTrackRequest{PubHandle: handle})
+
+			require.Empty(t, p.UpDataTrackManager.GetPublishedDataTracks())
+			require.Equal(t, 2, sink.WriteMessageCallCount())
+			require.NotNil(t, sink.WriteMessageArgsForCall(1).(*livekit.SignalResponse).GetUnpublishDataTrackResponse())
+		})
+	}
+}