diff --git a/src/substrait/builders/plan.py b/src/substrait/builders/plan.py
index 519217f..2d997b0 100644
--- a/src/substrait/builders/plan.py
+++ b/src/substrait/builders/plan.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     _join_output_struct,
     _join_struct_from_schemas,
     _outer_anchor_binding,
+    infer_expression_type,
     infer_plan_schema,
     join_output_names,
 )
@@ -451,6 +452,44 @@ def resolve(registry: ExtensionRegistry) -> stp.Plan:
     return build_scoped(resolve)
 
 
+def _require_boolean_condition(
+    bound_expression: stee.ExtendedExpression,
+    schema: stt.NamedStruct,
+    registry: ExtensionRegistry,
+    *,
+    context: str,
+    hint: str = "",
+) -> None:
+    """Reject a ``filter``/join condition that does not infer to ``boolean``.
+
+    Substrait requires a ``FilterRel``/``JoinRel`` condition to be a boolean
+    predicate, but ``resolve_expression`` will happily bind any expression --
+    including a bare column reference. Such a condition builds a legit-looking
+    plan that behaves very differently at execution (a non-boolean join
+    condition degrades to a Cartesian product), so we catch it at build time.
+
+    ``context`` names the relation for the message; ``hint`` adds a caller-specific
+    suggestion (e.g. how to spell an equi-join).
+    """
+    condition = bound_expression.referred_expr[0].expression
+    cond_type = infer_expression_type(condition, schema.struct, registry=registry)
+    kind = cond_type.WhichOneof("kind")
+    if kind != "bool":
+        message = (
+            f"{context} condition must be a boolean predicate, but got type {kind!r}."
+        )
+        if hint:
+            message = f"{message} {hint}"
+        raise ValueError(message)
+
+
+_JOIN_CONDITION_HINT = (
+    "A bare column name is a column reference, not a match key -- it does not "
+    "join on that column. Use a predicate such as col('a') == col('b'); for a "
+    "Cartesian product use cross_join()."
+)
+
+
 def filter(
     plan: PlanOrUnbound,
     expression: ExtendedExpressionOrUnbound,
@@ -462,6 +501,7 @@ def resolve(registry: ExtensionRegistry) -> stp.Plan:
         bound_expression: stee.ExtendedExpression = resolve_expression(
             expression, ns, registry
         )
+        _require_boolean_condition(bound_expression, ns, registry, context="filter")
 
         return _plan_from(
             [bound_plan],
@@ -635,6 +675,9 @@ def resolve(registry: ExtensionRegistry) -> stp.Plan:
         bound_expression: stee.ExtendedExpression = resolve_expression(
             expression, ns, registry
         )
+        _require_boolean_condition(
+            bound_expression, ns, registry, context="join", hint=_JOIN_CONDITION_HINT
+        )
 
         # The output names must match the columns the join type actually emits
         # (semi/anti drop a side, mark appends a boolean).
@@ -729,6 +772,14 @@ def resolve(registry: ExtensionRegistry) -> stp.Plan:
                 if expression is not None
                 else None
             )
+            if bound_expression is not None:
+                _require_boolean_condition(
+                    bound_expression,
+                    ns,
+                    registry,
+                    context="lateral join",
+                    hint=_JOIN_CONDITION_HINT,
+                )
 
             # Output names/columns follow the same per-join-type shape as a
             # regular join (semi/anti drop the right side, mark appends a boolean).
@@ -1216,6 +1267,13 @@ def resolve(registry: ExtensionRegistry) -> stp.Plan:
             names=list(left_ns.names) + list(right_ns.names),
         )
         bound_expression = resolve_expression(expression, ns, registry)
+        _require_boolean_condition(
+            bound_expression,
+            ns,
+            registry,
+            context="nested loop join",
+            hint=_JOIN_CONDITION_HINT,
+        )
 
         out_names = join_output_names(
             stalg.NestedLoopJoinRel.JoinType.Name(type),
diff --git a/tests/builders/plan/test_filter.py b/tests/builders/plan/test_filter.py
index 1b7ce1d..8681ffa 100644
--- a/tests/builders/plan/test_filter.py
+++ b/tests/builders/plan/test_filter.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
+import pytest
 import substrait.algebra_pb2 as stalg
 import substrait.plan_pb2 as stp
 import substrait.type_pb2 as stt
 
-from substrait.builders.extended_expression import literal
+from substrait.builders.extended_expression import column, literal
 from substrait.builders.plan import default_version, filter, read_named_table
 from substrait.builders.type import boolean, i64
 from substrait.extension_registry import ExtensionRegistry
@@ -43,3 +44,19 @@ def test_filter():
     )
 
     assert actual == expected
+
+
+def test_filter_non_boolean_condition_raises():
+    # A filter condition must be a boolean predicate; a non-boolean expression
+    # (here the i64 column `id`) is rejected at build time.
+    table = read_named_table("table", named_struct)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="boolean predicate"):
+        filter(table, column("id"))(registry)
+
+
+def test_filter_bare_boolean_column_is_allowed():
+    # Unlike a join, a bare boolean column is the *normal* filter condition
+    # ("keep rows where this flag is true"), so it must not be rejected.
+    table = read_named_table("table", named_struct)
+    plan = filter(table, column("is_applicable"))(registry)
+    assert plan.relations  # builds without error
diff --git a/tests/builders/plan/test_join.py b/tests/builders/plan/test_join.py
index a044d17..e707a65 100644
--- a/tests/builders/plan/test_join.py
+++ b/tests/builders/plan/test_join.py
@@ -71,6 +71,28 @@ def test_join():
     assert actual == expected
 
 
+def test_join_non_boolean_condition_raises():
+    # A join condition must be a boolean predicate. A bare column reference (the
+    # pandas ``on="key"`` idiom) binds to a non-boolean column and would otherwise
+    # build a legit-looking plan that degrades to a Cartesian product at execution.
+    table = read_named_table("table", named_struct)
+    table2 = read_named_table("table2", named_struct_2)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="boolean predicate"):
+        join(table, table2, column("id"), stalg.JoinRel.JOIN_TYPE_INNER)(registry)
+
+
+def test_join_boolean_column_condition_is_allowed():
+    # A boolean column is a valid (if unusual) join condition -- a filtered
+    # Cartesian product, expressible in SQL as ``JOIN ... ON <bool col>`` -- so it
+    # must not be rejected by the boolean-predicate check.
+    table = read_named_table("table", named_struct)
+    table2 = read_named_table("table2", named_struct_2)
+    plan = join(table, table2, column("is_applicable"), stalg.JoinRel.JOIN_TYPE_INNER)(
+        registry
+    )
+    assert plan.relations  # builds without error
+
+
 def _post_field(plan):
     ref = plan.relations[-1].root.input.join.post_join_filter.selection
     return ref.direct_reference.struct_field.field
diff --git a/tests/dataframe/test_frame.py b/tests/dataframe/test_frame.py
index a46fbb5..0ecc5d3 100644
--- a/tests/dataframe/test_frame.py
+++ b/tests/dataframe/test_frame.py
@@ -184,6 +184,16 @@ def test_join_unknown_type_raises():
         left.join(right, on=sub.col("x") == sub.col("x"), how="banana")
 
 
+def test_join_on_bare_column_name_raises():
+    # `on` is a boolean match predicate, not a key name. The pandas `on="key"`
+    # idiom binds to a bare (non-boolean) column reference, which would silently
+    # build a Cartesian product; it is rejected at build time instead.
+    left = sub.read_named_table("customers", {"cust_id": sub.i64, "name": sub.string})
+    right = sub.read_named_table("orders", {"order_id": sub.i64, "cust_ref": sub.i64})
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="boolean predicate"):
+        left.join(right, on="cust_id", how="inner").to_plan()
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("how, join_type", sorted(_JOIN_TYPES.items()))
 def test_join_all_types_match_builder(how, join_type):
     left_ns = named_struct(