diff --git a/src/client/Mppx.ts b/src/client/Mppx.ts
index ae3cbe7a..e919b67d 100644
--- a/src/client/Mppx.ts
+++ b/src/client/Mppx.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type * as Challenge from '../Challenge.js'
+import * as Errors from '../Errors.js'
 import type * as Method from '../Method.js'
 import type * as z from '../zod.js'
 import * as Fetch from './internal/Fetch.js'
@@ -81,6 +82,11 @@ export function create<
     async createCredential(response: Transport.ResponseOf<transport>, context?: unknown) {
       const challenge = transport.getChallenge(response as never) as Challenge.Challenge
 
+      // Validate challenge expiration before creating credential (client-side early rejection)
+      if (challenge.expires && new Date(challenge.expires) < new Date()) {
+        throw new Errors.PaymentExpiredError({ expires: challenge.expires })
+      }
+
       const mi = methods.find((m) => m.name === challenge.method && m.intent === challenge.intent)
       if (!mi)
         throw new Error(
diff --git a/src/client/internal/Fetch.ts b/src/client/internal/Fetch.ts
index 4cd0093e..57468b9e 100644
--- a/src/client/internal/Fetch.ts
+++ b/src/client/internal/Fetch.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import * as Challenge from '../../Challenge.js'
+import * as Errors from '../../Errors.js'
 import type * as Method from '../../Method.js'
 import type * as z from '../../zod.js'
 
@@ -72,6 +73,9 @@ export function from<const methods extends readonly Method.AnyClient[]>(
         `No method found for challenges: ${challenges.map((c) => `${c.method}.${c.intent}`).join(', ')}. Available: ${methods.map((m) => `${m.name}.${m.intent}`).join(', ')}`,
       )
 
+    // Validate challenge expiration before creating credential (client-side early rejection)
+    validateChallengeExpiration(challenge)
+
     const onChallengeCredential = onChallenge
       ? await onChallenge(challenge, {
           createCredential: async (overrideContext?: AnyContextFor<methods>) =>
@@ -240,6 +244,13 @@ function validateCredentialHeaderValue(credential: string): void {
   }
 }
 
+/** @internal Validates that a challenge has not expired. */
+function validateChallengeExpiration(challenge: Challenge.Challenge): void {
+  if (challenge.expires && new Date(challenge.expires) < new Date()) {
+    throw new Errors.PaymentExpiredError({ expires: challenge.expires })
+  }
+}
+
 /** @internal */
 async function resolveCredential(
   challenge: Challenge.Challenge,