diff --git a/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md b/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md
index 62263c5..9ba99be 100644
--- a/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md
+++ b/docs/modernization/build-inventory.md
@@ -290,7 +290,8 @@ Known local toolchain state:
   context.
 - `pano_cli record-render` exposes the recording renderer through JSON
   automation, including readback command/byte totals, and is covered by
-  `pano_cli_record_render_smoke`.
+  `pano_cli_record_render_smoke` plus
+  `pano_cli_record_render_rejects_oversized_target`.
 - `pano_cli simulate-document-history` exposes `pp_document::DocumentHistory`
   apply/undo/redo state through JSON automation and is covered by
   `pano_cli_simulate_document_history_smoke`.
diff --git a/docs/modernization/roadmap.md b/docs/modernization/roadmap.md
index e7159b4..7f53ddd 100644
--- a/docs/modernization/roadmap.md
+++ b/docs/modernization/roadmap.md
@@ -818,7 +818,8 @@ Results:
   context.
 - `pano_cli record-render` exercises that headless recording renderer and emits
   JSON command counts, target dimensions, backend name, trace/draw summary, and
-  readback command/byte totals for agent automation.
+  readback command/byte totals for agent automation, with an expected-failure
+  smoke for oversized render/readback targets.
 - `pano_cli simulate-document-history` exercises pure document history
   apply/undo/redo behavior and emits JSON layer/frame/history state for agent
   automation.
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 2ad1a19..6d4080d 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -367,6 +367,14 @@ if(TARGET pano_cli)
         LABELS "renderer;integration;desktop-fast"
         PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "\"backend\":\"recording\".*\"width\":32.*\"height\":16.*\"commands\":8.*\"drawCommands\":1.*\"readbackCommands\":1.*\"readbackBytes\":2048")
 
+    add_test(NAME pano_cli_record_render_rejects_oversized_target
+        COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}"
+            -DPANO_CLI=$<TARGET_FILE:pano_cli>
+            "-DEXPECTED_OUTPUT=texture byte size exceeds the configured limit"
+            -P "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/cmake/expect_pano_cli_record_render_failure.cmake")
+    set_tests_properties(pano_cli_record_render_rejects_oversized_target PROPERTIES
+        LABELS "renderer;integration;desktop-fast")
+
     add_test(NAME pano_cli_simulate_document_edits_smoke
         COMMAND pano_cli simulate-document-edits --width 128 --height 64)
     set_tests_properties(pano_cli_simulate_document_edits_smoke PROPERTIES
diff --git a/tests/cmake/expect_pano_cli_record_render_failure.cmake b/tests/cmake/expect_pano_cli_record_render_failure.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..632b102
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cmake/expect_pano_cli_record_render_failure.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+if(NOT DEFINED PANO_CLI)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "PANO_CLI must be set")
+endif()
+
+if(NOT DEFINED EXPECTED_OUTPUT)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "EXPECTED_OUTPUT must be set")
+endif()
+
+execute_process(
+    COMMAND "${PANO_CLI}" record-render --width 32768 --height 32768
+    RESULT_VARIABLE result
+    OUTPUT_VARIABLE output
+    ERROR_VARIABLE error)
+
+if(result EQUAL 0)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "Expected pano_cli record-render to fail, but it exited 0")
+endif()
+
+set(combined_output "${output}${error}")
+string(FIND "${combined_output}" "${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}" expected_index)
+if(expected_index LESS 0)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR
+        "Expected output to contain '${EXPECTED_OUTPUT}', got: ${combined_output}")
+endif()
diff --git a/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp b/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp
index 7e18faa..ec600e6 100644
--- a/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp
+++ b/tools/pano_cli/main.cpp
@@ -1639,6 +1639,15 @@ pp::foundation::Status parse_simulate_document_edits_args(
         return pp::foundation::Status::invalid_argument("width and height must be greater than zero");
     }
 
+    const auto render_target_size = pp::renderer::texture_byte_size(pp::renderer::TextureDesc {
+        .extent = pp::renderer::Extent2D { .width = args.width, .height = args.height },
+        .format = pp::renderer::TextureFormat::rgba8,
+        .render_target = true,
+    });
+    if (!render_target_size) {
+        return render_target_size.status();
+    }
+
     return pp::foundation::Status::success();
 }