diff --git a/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/options/route.ts b/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/options/route.ts
index 4f7a569d8..aeff3e827 100644
--- a/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/options/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/options/route.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,13 @@ export const POST = apiHandler(async (request: NextRequest) => {
     return apiError("Invalid or expired challenge", 401);
   }
 
+  // Only a login-issued challenge may begin a login assertion here. Reject any
+  // other challenge kind with the same generic 401.
+  if (challenge.kind !== "login") {
+    annotate({ action: { name: "auth.mfa.verify.invalid_ticket" } });
+    return apiError("Invalid or expired challenge", 401);
+  }
+
   const result = await createMfaAuthenticationOptions(challenge.userId);
   if (!result) {
     // No registered security key for this account — the client should fall
diff --git a/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/route.ts b/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/route.ts
index c7ba603e5..3ad7c0b57 100644
--- a/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/auth/mfa/webauthn/verify/route.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,14 @@ export const POST = apiHandler(async (request: NextRequest) => {
     return apiError("Invalid or expired challenge", 401);
   }
 
+  // Only a login-issued challenge may be redeemed for a session here. A future
+  // step-up or non-login challenge kind must never mint a login session through
+  // this endpoint, so reject anything but "login" with the same generic 401.
+  if (challenge.kind !== "login") {
+    annotate({ action: { name: "auth.mfa.verify.invalid_ticket" } });
+    return apiError("Invalid or expired challenge", 401);
+  }
+
   const user = await prisma.user.findUnique({
     where: { id: challenge.userId },
     select: { id: true, username: true, onboardingCompletedAt: true },
diff --git a/src/lib/auth/mfa/webauthn.ts b/src/lib/auth/mfa/webauthn.ts
index aa5dc36ef..0358321af 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth/mfa/webauthn.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth/mfa/webauthn.ts
@@ -122,9 +122,12 @@ export async function createMfaRegistrationOptions(
       // credential need not be discoverable — and a non-resident key does not
       // burn a discoverable-credential slot, allowing many keys per account.
       residentKey: "discouraged",
-      // A roaming security key supplies the possession factor; UV is a bonus,
-      // not a requirement, because the password already covered a factor.
-      userVerification: "preferred",
+      // The server verify enforces user verification (SimpleWebAuthn's default
+      // `requireUserVerification: true`), so the browser ceremony must ask for
+      // it too — a key that passes the browser but skips UV would otherwise
+      // fail server-side. Make the intent explicit rather than relying on the
+      // ceremony defaulting to a stricter posture.
+      userVerification: "required",
       authenticatorAttachment: "cross-platform",
     },
   });
@@ -200,7 +203,9 @@ export async function createMfaAuthenticationOptions(userId: string) {
 
   const options = await generateAuthenticationOptions({
     rpID: getRpId(),
-    userVerification: "preferred",
+    // Match server-side enforcement: the verify step requires user
+    // verification (SimpleWebAuthn default), so the browser must request it too.
+    userVerification: "required",
     allowCredentials: credentials.map((c) => ({
       id: c.credentialId,
       transports: c.transports as Transport[],