diff --git a/src/iceberg/expression/json_serde.cc b/src/iceberg/expression/json_serde.cc
index 1afed021f..59f3fdcc2 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/expression/json_serde.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/expression/json_serde.cc
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ nlohmann::json MakeTransformJson(std::string_view transform_str,
 
 /// Helper to check if a JSON term represents a transform
 bool IsTransformTerm(const nlohmann::json& json) {
-  return json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) &&
+  return json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) && json[kType].is_string() &&
          json[kType].get<std::string>() == kTransform && json.contains(kTerm);
 }
 
@@ -228,8 +228,9 @@ nlohmann::json ToJson(const BoundTransform& transform) {
 
 Result<std::unique_ptr<NamedReference>> NamedReferenceFromJson(
     const nlohmann::json& json) {
-  if (json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) &&
-      json[kType].get<std::string>() == kReference && json.contains(kTerm)) {
+  if (json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) && json[kType].is_string() &&
+      json[kType].get<std::string>() == kReference && json.contains(kTerm) &&
+      json[kTerm].is_string()) {
     return NamedReference::Make(json[kTerm].get<std::string>());
   }
   if (!json.is_string()) [[unlikely]] {
@@ -331,7 +332,7 @@ Result<int64_t> GetInt64Checked(const nlohmann::json& json) {
 
 Result<Literal> LiteralFromJson(const nlohmann::json& json, const Type* type) {
   // If {"type": "literal", "value": <actual>} wrapper is present, unwrap it first.
-  if (json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) &&
+  if (json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) && json[kType].is_string() &&
       json[kType].get<std::string>() == kLiteral && json.contains(kValue)) {
     return LiteralFromJson(json[kValue], type);
   }
@@ -499,7 +500,7 @@ Result<Literal> LiteralFromJson(const nlohmann::json& json, const Type* type) {
 
 Result<Literal> LiteralFromJson(const nlohmann::json& json) {
   // Unwrap {"type": "literal", "value": <actual>} wrapper
-  if (json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) &&
+  if (json.is_object() && json.contains(kType) && json[kType].is_string() &&
       json[kType].get<std::string>() == kLiteral && json.contains(kValue)) {
     return LiteralFromJson(json[kValue]);
   }
@@ -619,7 +620,7 @@ Result<std::shared_ptr<Expression>> ExpressionFromJson(const nlohmann::json& jso
                           SafeDumpJson(json));
   }
 
-  if (json[kType].get<std::string>() == kLiteral) {
+  if (json[kType].is_string() && json[kType].get<std::string>() == kLiteral) {
     if (!json.contains(kValue) || !json[kValue].is_boolean()) [[unlikely]] {
       return JsonParseError(
           "Expression of type 'literal' must have a boolean 'value' field: {}",
diff --git a/src/iceberg/test/expression_json_test.cc b/src/iceberg/test/expression_json_test.cc
index 1c993cc10..1afecc716 100644
--- a/src/iceberg/test/expression_json_test.cc
+++ b/src/iceberg/test/expression_json_test.cc
@@ -577,4 +577,31 @@ INSTANTIATE_TEST_SUITE_P(
       return info.param.name;
     });
 
+// A non-string "type" node must produce a parse error, not an uncaught
+// nlohmann type_error escaping the Result contract.
+TEST(ExpressionJsonTest, NonStringTypeIsParseError) {
+  EXPECT_THAT(ExpressionFromJson(R"({"type": 42, "term": "a"})"_json),
+              IsError(ErrorKind::kJsonParseError));
+  EXPECT_THAT(ExpressionFromJson(R"({"type": 42, "left": true, "right": true})"_json),
+              IsError(ErrorKind::kJsonParseError));
+  EXPECT_THAT(LiteralFromJson(R"({"type": 42, "value": 1})"_json),
+              IsError(ErrorKind::kJsonParseError));
+
+  // A reference wrapper with a non-string term is likewise a parse error.
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      ExpressionFromJson(
+          R"({"type":"eq","term":{"type":"reference","term":42},"value":1})"_json),
+      IsError(ErrorKind::kJsonParseError));
+
+  // A non-string "type" on a predicate's term node, routed through the
+  // transform-term check and then the named-reference parser.
+  EXPECT_THAT(
+      ExpressionFromJson(R"({"type":"eq","term":{"type":42,"term":"x"},"value":1})"_json),
+      IsError(ErrorKind::kJsonParseError));
+
+  // A non-string "type" on the type-aware LiteralFromJson overload.
+  EXPECT_THAT(LiteralFromJson(R"({"type":42,"value":1})"_json, int32().get()),
+              IsError(ErrorKind::kJsonParseError));
+}
+
 }  // namespace iceberg