diff --git a/tests/api/test_evp_cipher.c b/tests/api/test_evp_cipher.c
index b4e37df7a2..1e88da9979 100644
--- a/tests/api/test_evp_cipher.c
+++ b/tests/api/test_evp_cipher.c
@@ -1915,6 +1915,7 @@ int test_wolfssl_EVP_chacha20_poly1305(void)
     byte cipherText[sizeof(plainText)];
     byte decryptedText[sizeof(plainText)];
     byte tag[CHACHA20_POLY1305_AEAD_AUTHTAG_SIZE];
+    byte badTag[CHACHA20_POLY1305_AEAD_AUTHTAG_SIZE];
     EVP_CIPHER_CTX* ctx = NULL;
     int outSz;
 
@@ -1979,6 +1980,28 @@ int test_wolfssl_EVP_chacha20_poly1305(void)
     EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     ctx = NULL;
 
+    /* Negative test: forged (all-zero) tag must be rejected. */
+    XMEMSET(badTag, 0, sizeof(badTag));
+    ExpectNotNull((ctx = EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new()));
+    ExpectIntEQ(EVP_DecryptInit_ex(ctx, EVP_chacha20_poly1305(), NULL,
+                NULL, NULL), WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    ExpectIntEQ(EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl(ctx, EVP_CTRL_AEAD_SET_IVLEN,
+                CHACHA20_POLY1305_AEAD_IV_SIZE, NULL), WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    ExpectIntEQ(EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl(ctx, EVP_CTRL_AEAD_SET_TAG,
+                CHACHA20_POLY1305_AEAD_AUTHTAG_SIZE, badTag),
+                WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    ExpectIntEQ(EVP_DecryptInit_ex(ctx, NULL, NULL, key, iv),
+                WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    ExpectIntEQ(EVP_DecryptUpdate(ctx, NULL, &outSz, aad, sizeof(aad)),
+                WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    ExpectIntEQ(EVP_DecryptUpdate(ctx, decryptedText, &outSz, cipherText,
+                sizeof(cipherText)), WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    /* EVP_DecryptFinal_ex MUST return failure on tag mismatch */
+    ExpectIntNE(EVP_DecryptFinal_ex(ctx, decryptedText, &outSz),
+                WOLFSSL_SUCCESS);
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
+    ctx = NULL;
+
     /* Test partial Inits. CipherInit() allow setting of key and iv
      * in separate calls. */
     ExpectNotNull((ctx = EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new()));
diff --git a/wolfcrypt/src/evp.c b/wolfcrypt/src/evp.c
index fc4f68eb9f..121d926555 100644
--- a/wolfcrypt/src/evp.c
+++ b/wolfcrypt/src/evp.c
@@ -1499,16 +1499,33 @@ int wolfSSL_EVP_CipherFinal(WOLFSSL_EVP_CIPHER_CTX *ctx, unsigned char *out,
         * HAVE_FIPS_VERSION >= 2 */
 #if defined(HAVE_CHACHA) && defined(HAVE_POLY1305)
         case WC_CHACHA20_POLY1305_TYPE:
+        {
+            byte computedTag[CHACHA20_POLY1305_AEAD_AUTHTAG_SIZE];
+            if (!ctx->enc) {
+                /* Save the expected tag before _Final() overwrites
+                 * ctx->authTag */
+                XMEMCPY(computedTag, ctx->authTag, sizeof(computedTag));
+            }
             if (wc_ChaCha20Poly1305_Final(&ctx->cipher.chachaPoly,
                                           ctx->authTag) != 0) {
                 WOLFSSL_MSG("wc_ChaCha20Poly1305_Final failed");
                 return WOLFSSL_FAILURE;
             }
-            else {
-                *outl = 0;
-                return WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
+            if (!ctx->enc) {
+                /* ctx->authTag now holds computed tag; computedTag holds
+                 * expected */
+                int tagErr = wc_ChaCha20Poly1305_CheckTag(computedTag,
+                                                          ctx->authTag);
+                ForceZero(computedTag, sizeof(computedTag));
+                if (tagErr != 0) {
+                    WOLFSSL_MSG("ChaCha20-Poly1305 tag mismatch");
+                    return WOLFSSL_FAILURE;
+                }
             }
-            break;
+            *outl = 0;
+            return WOLFSSL_SUCCESS;
+        }
+        break;
 #endif
 #ifdef WOLFSSL_SM4_GCM
         case WC_SM4_GCM_TYPE: