diff --git a/src/wallets/load_wallets.rs b/src/wallets/load_wallets.rs
index 75def39..90851c9 100644
--- a/src/wallets/load_wallets.rs
+++ b/src/wallets/load_wallets.rs
@@ -37,10 +37,35 @@ impl Wallet {
 
             // Extract the encrypted private key text from the wallet image.
             if let Some(encrypted_text) = decode_image_and_extract_text(&wallet.private_key) {
-                // Decrypt the private key with the user-provided wallet key.
-                if let Some(decrypted_private_key) = decrypts(&encrypted_text, Some(&wallet_key)) {
-                    // Replace the saved encrypted image payload with the decrypted private key in memory.
-                    wallet.private_key = decrypted_private_key;
+                // Decrypt the private key with the user-provided wallet key.
+                if let Some(decrypted_private_key) = decrypts(&encrypted_text, Some(&wallet_key)) {
+                    let regenerated_public_key = Self::regenerate_public_key(&decrypted_private_key)?;
+                    let regenerated_public_key_hex = crate::encode(regenerated_public_key.clone());
+                    if regenerated_public_key_hex != wallet.public_key {
+                        return Err("Wallet public key does not match the decrypted private key."
+                            .to_string());
+                    }
+
+                    let regenerated_short_address_bytes =
+                        Self::public_key_bytes_to_short_address_bytes(&regenerated_public_key)
+                            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                                "Wallet public key does not satisfy this network's key rule."
+                                    .to_string()
+                            })?;
+                    let regenerated_short_address =
+                        Self::bytes_to_short_address(&regenerated_short_address_bytes)
+                            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                                "Wallet public key produced an invalid short address.".to_string()
+                            })?;
+                    if regenerated_short_address != wallet.short_address {
+                        return Err(
+                            "Wallet short address does not match the decrypted private key."
+                                .to_string(),
+                        );
+                    }
+
+                    // Replace the saved encrypted image payload with the decrypted private key in memory.
+                    wallet.private_key = decrypted_private_key;
 
                     // Attach the encryption key so the full wallet can be reused by callers.
                     let full_wallet = Wallet {
diff --git a/src/wallets/structures.rs b/src/wallets/structures.rs
index 76304b2..07c159f 100644
--- a/src/wallets/structures.rs
+++ b/src/wallets/structures.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@ pub struct Wallet {
 }
 impl Wallet {
     pub const FN_DSA_LOGN: u32 = 9;
-    pub const REQUIRED_PUBLIC_KEY_PREFIX_BYTE: u8 = 239;
-    pub const REQUIRED_PUBLIC_KEY_PREFIX_INDEX: usize = 1;
+    pub const REQUIRED_PUBLIC_KEY_HASH_BYTE: u8 = 239;
     pub const PUBLIC_KEY_LENGTH: usize = 897;
     pub const PRIVATE_KEY_LENGTH: usize = 1281;
     pub const SIGNATURE_LENGTH: usize = 666;
diff --git a/src/wallets/verify_address.rs b/src/wallets/verify_address.rs
index 1504087..b53cfa6 100644
--- a/src/wallets/verify_address.rs
+++ b/src/wallets/verify_address.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+use crate::common::skein::skein_256_hash_bytes;
+use crate::decode;
 use crate::wallets::structures::Wallet;
 
 impl Wallet {
@@ -12,11 +14,16 @@ impl Wallet {
             return false;
         }
 
-        // The second public-key byte is chain-specific entropy. This restores
-        // the old key-grinding rule so deterministic seed-derived keys cannot
-        // be imported or registered unless they happen to match the network rule.
-        public_key_bytes[Self::REQUIRED_PUBLIC_KEY_PREFIX_INDEX]
-            == Self::REQUIRED_PUBLIC_KEY_PREFIX_BYTE
+        // The encoded Falcon key body is bit-packed and some raw byte values
+        // cannot occur at every position. Apply the chain-specific key rule to
+        // a public-key hash byte instead so the target remains reachable.
+        let public_key_hash = match decode(skein_256_hash_bytes(public_key_bytes)) {
+            Ok(hash) => hash,
+            Err(_) => return false,
+        };
+        public_key_hash
+            .first()
+            .is_some_and(|byte| *byte == Self::REQUIRED_PUBLIC_KEY_HASH_BYTE)
     }
 
     pub fn short_address_validation(short_address: &str) -> bool {