diff --git a/nats-base-client/protocol.ts b/nats-base-client/protocol.ts
index 3d24de9c..9a4aa3a2 100644
--- a/nats-base-client/protocol.ts
+++ b/nats-base-client/protocol.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ export function createInbox(prefix = ""): string {
   if (typeof prefix !== "string") {
     throw (new Error("prefix must be a string"));
   }
+  prefix.split(".")
+    .forEach((v) => {
+      if (v === "*" || v === ">") {
+        throw new Error(`inbox prefixes cannot have wildcards '${prefix}'`);
+      }
+    });
   return `${prefix}.${nuid.next()}`;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/basics_test.ts b/tests/basics_test.ts
index b0df59f9..478b6241 100644
--- a/tests/basics_test.ts
+++ b/tests/basics_test.ts
@@ -1177,3 +1177,21 @@ Deno.test("basics - close promise resolves", async () => {
     fail(err);
   });
 });
+
+Deno.test("basics - inbox prefixes cannot have wildcards", async () => {
+  await assertRejects(
+    async () => {
+      await connect({ inboxPrefix: "_inbox.foo.>" });
+    },
+    Error,
+    "inbox prefixes cannot have wildcards",
+  );
+
+  assertThrows(
+    () => {
+      createInbox("_inbox.foo.*");
+    },
+    Error,
+    "inbox prefixes cannot have wildcards",
+  );
+});