diff --git a/node_modules/node-zklib/zklibtcp.js b/node_modules/node-zklib/zklibtcp.js
index 194a9d8..f7c83e3 100644
--- a/node_modules/node-zklib/zklibtcp.js
+++ b/node_modules/node-zklib/zklibtcp.js
@@ -120,6 +120,17 @@ class ZKLibTCP {
         replyBuffer = Buffer.concat([replyBuffer, data])
         if (checkNotEventTCP(data)) return;
         clearTimeout(timer)
+
+        // Guard: a header decoded from a buffer shorter than 16 bytes (partial
+        // packet, or the socket handed us a zero-length chunk) must not reach
+        // decodeTCPHeader — reject instead of throwing synchronously inside
+        // this listener, where nothing downstream can catch it.
+        if (!replyBuffer || replyBuffer.length < 16) {
+          this.socket.removeListener('data', handleOnData)
+          reject(new Error('INVALID_REPLY_HEADER: reply too short to decode'))
+          return
+        }
+
         const header = decodeTCPHeader(replyBuffer.subarray(0,16));
 
         if(header.commandId === COMMANDS.CMD_DATA){
@@ -228,7 +239,19 @@ class ZKLibTCP {
         reply = await this.requestData(buf)
 
       } catch (err) {
+        // FIX: this used to fall through to decodeTCPHeader(reply.subarray(...))
+        // below with reply still null, throwing synchronously *after* the
+        // promise had already been rejected — an unhandled exception that
+        // crashed the whole process instead of just failing this call.
         reject(err)
+        return
+      }
+
+      // FIX: defensive guard in case something upstream ever resolves with a
+      // falsy/undersized reply without going through the catch above.
+      if (!reply || reply.length < 16) {
+        reject(new Error('INVALID_REPLY: no usable reply from device'))
+        return
       }
 
       const header = decodeTCPHeader(reply.subarray(0, 16))