diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f7b5851..7073dc2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -281,6 +281,8 @@ class Hotel < ApplicationRecord
 end
 ```
 
+When autoloaded, Zeitwerk verifies the expected constant (`Hotel` in the example) stores a class or module object. If it doesn't, `Zeitwerk::Error` is raised.
+
 An explicit namespace must be managed by one single loader. Loaders that reopen namespaces owned by other projects are responsible for loading their constants before setup.
 
 <a id="markdown-collapsing-directories" name="collapsing-directories"></a>
diff --git a/lib/zeitwerk/core_ext/module.rb b/lib/zeitwerk/core_ext/module.rb
index 2c98984..6f2350d 100644
--- a/lib/zeitwerk/core_ext/module.rb
+++ b/lib/zeitwerk/core_ext/module.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,14 @@
 module Zeitwerk::ConstAdded
   def const_added(cname)
     if loader = Zeitwerk::ExplicitNamespace.__loader_for(self, cname)
-      loader.on_namespace_loaded(const_get(cname, false))
+      namespace = const_get(cname, false)
+
+      unless namespace.is_a?(Module)
+        cref = Zeitwerk::Cref.new(self, cname)
+        raise Zeitwerk::Error, "#{cref.path} is expected to be a namespace, should be a class or module (got #{namespace.class})"
+      end
+
+      loader.on_namespace_loaded(namespace)
     end
     super
   end
diff --git a/test/lib/zeitwerk/test_explicit_namespace.rb b/test/lib/zeitwerk/test_explicit_namespace.rb
index 0a69d60..548b5b4 100644
--- a/test/lib/zeitwerk/test_explicit_namespace.rb
+++ b/test/lib/zeitwerk/test_explicit_namespace.rb
@@ -166,4 +166,17 @@ def self.hash(_)
       assert M::X
     end
   end
+
+  test "if the expected constant does not define a class or module object, we raise a controlled error" do
+    on_teardown { remove_const :Hotel }
+
+    files = [
+      ["hotel.rb", "Hotel = 1"],
+      ["hotel/pricing.rb", "class Hotel::Pricing; end"]
+    ]
+    with_setup(files) do
+      error = assert_raises(Zeitwerk::Error) { Hotel }
+      assert_equal "Hotel is expected to be a namespace, should be a class or module (got Integer)", error.message
+    end
+  end
 end