diff --git a/src/claude_agent_sdk/_internal/message_parser.py b/src/claude_agent_sdk/_internal/message_parser.py
index 931cc2a63..c85627e16 100644
--- a/src/claude_agent_sdk/_internal/message_parser.py
+++ b/src/claude_agent_sdk/_internal/message_parser.py
@@ -99,9 +99,16 @@ def parse_message(data: dict[str, Any]) -> Message | None:
                 tool_use_result = data.get("tool_use_result")
                 uuid = data.get("uuid")
                 origin = _parse_origin(data)
-                if isinstance(data["message"]["content"], list):
+                message = data["message"]
+                if not isinstance(message, dict):
+                    raise MessageParseError(
+                        f"Invalid user message (expected dict, got "
+                        f"{type(message).__name__})",
+                        data,
+                    )
+                if isinstance(message["content"], list):
                     user_content_blocks: list[ContentBlock] = []
-                    for block in data["message"]["content"]:
+                    for block in message["content"]:
                         if not isinstance(block, dict):
                             raise MessageParseError(
                                 f"Invalid content block (expected dict, got "
@@ -137,7 +144,7 @@ def parse_message(data: dict[str, Any]) -> Message | None:
                         origin=origin,
                     )
                 return UserMessage(
-                    content=data["message"]["content"],
+                    content=message["content"],
                     uuid=uuid,
                     parent_tool_use_id=parent_tool_use_id,
                     tool_use_result=tool_use_result,
@@ -150,7 +157,14 @@ def parse_message(data: dict[str, Any]) -> Message | None:
 
         case "assistant":
             try:
-                raw_content = data["message"]["content"]
+                message = data["message"]
+                if not isinstance(message, dict):
+                    raise MessageParseError(
+                        f"Invalid assistant message (expected dict, got "
+                        f"{type(message).__name__})",
+                        data,
+                    )
+                raw_content = message["content"]
                 if not isinstance(raw_content, list):
                     raise MessageParseError(
                         f"Invalid assistant content (expected list, got "
@@ -356,6 +370,12 @@ def parse_message(data: dict[str, Any]) -> Message | None:
         case "rate_limit_event":
             try:
                 info = data["rate_limit_info"]
+                if not isinstance(info, dict):
+                    raise MessageParseError(
+                        f"Invalid rate_limit_info (expected dict, got "
+                        f"{type(info).__name__})",
+                        data,
+                    )
                 return RateLimitEvent(
                     rate_limit_info=RateLimitInfo(
                         status=info["status"],
diff --git a/tests/test_message_parser.py b/tests/test_message_parser.py
index e55fd1556..d1ae053d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_message_parser.py
+++ b/tests/test_message_parser.py
@@ -1015,6 +1015,37 @@ def test_non_dict_content_block_raises_documented_error(self, role: str) -> None
         with pytest.raises(MessageParseError):
             parse_message({"type": role, "message": message})
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("role", ["assistant", "user"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("bad_message", ["a string", 5, ["a", "list"], None])
+    def test_non_dict_message_raises_documented_error(
+        self, role: str, bad_message: object
+    ) -> None:
+        """A non-dict ``message`` raises MessageParseError, never a raw TypeError.
+
+        The block-level guard (above) only runs after ``message["content"]`` is
+        indexed, so a ``message`` that is not a dict crashed with a raw
+        TypeError before this guard existed.
+        """
+        with pytest.raises(MessageParseError) as exc_info:
+            parse_message({"type": role, "message": bad_message})
+        assert "expected dict" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("bad_info", ["a string", 5, ["a", "list"], None])
+    def test_non_dict_rate_limit_info_raises_documented_error(
+        self, bad_info: object
+    ) -> None:
+        """A non-dict ``rate_limit_info`` raises MessageParseError, not a TypeError."""
+        with pytest.raises(MessageParseError) as exc_info:
+            parse_message(
+                {
+                    "type": "rate_limit_event",
+                    "uuid": "u",
+                    "session_id": "s",
+                    "rate_limit_info": bad_info,
+                }
+            )
+        assert "expected dict" in str(exc_info.value)
+
     def test_parse_system_message_missing_fields(self):
         """Test that system message with missing fields raises MessageParseError."""
         with pytest.raises(MessageParseError) as exc_info: