diff --git a/pyrit/converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py b/pyrit/converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
index bbbbb1b544..569b7013f9 100644
--- a/pyrit/converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
+++ b/pyrit/converter/token_smuggling/sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
@@ -38,12 +38,17 @@ def __init__(
             one_char (str | None): Character to represent binary 1 in ``sneaky_bits`` mode (default: U+2064).
 
         Raises:
-            ValueError: If an unsupported action or ``encoding_mode`` is provided.
+            ValueError: If the action is unsupported, marker values are not single characters, or markers are equal.
         """
         super().__init__(action=action)
         self.zero_char = zero_char if zero_char is not None else "\u2062"  # Invisible Times
         self.one_char = one_char if one_char is not None else "\u2064"  # Invisible Plus
 
+        if len(self.zero_char) != 1 or len(self.one_char) != 1:
+            raise ValueError("zero_char and one_char must each be exactly one character")
+        if self.zero_char == self.one_char:
+            raise ValueError("zero_char and one_char must be distinct")
+
     def _build_identifier(self) -> ComponentIdentifier:
         """
         Build identifier with sneaky bits parameters.
diff --git a/tests/unit/converter/test_sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py b/tests/unit/converter/test_sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
index 9f51c5875d..ff835ef17e 100644
--- a/tests/unit/converter/test_sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
+++ b/tests/unit/converter/test_sneaky_bits_smuggler_converter.py
@@ -31,6 +31,25 @@ async def test_sneaky_bits_custom_chars():
     assert len(result.output_text) == 8  # 1 ASCII byte = 8 bits
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("zero_char", "one_char"),
+    [
+        ("", "1"),
+        ("00", "1"),
+        ("0", ""),
+        ("0", "11"),
+    ],
+)
+def test_sneaky_bits_custom_chars_must_be_single_characters(zero_char: str, one_char: str):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="exactly one character"):
+        SneakyBitsSmugglerConverter(zero_char=zero_char, one_char=one_char)
+
+
+def test_sneaky_bits_custom_chars_must_be_distinct():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must be distinct"):
+        SneakyBitsSmugglerConverter(zero_char="x", one_char="x")
+
+
 async def test_sneaky_bits_empty():
     converter = SneakyBitsSmugglerConverter(action="encode")
     result = await converter.convert_async(prompt="", input_type="text")