diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/rdata.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/rdata.h
index 338af3a3a0..1ff135e697 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/rdata.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/rdata.h
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ dns_rdata_checksvcb(const dns_name_t *owner, const dns_rdata_t *rdata);
  *
  * Requires:
  *\li	'owner' is a valid name.
- *\li	'rdata' is a valid, non-empty rdata.
+ *\li	'rdata' is a valid, non-empty SVCB rdata.
  *
  * Returns:
  *\li	#ISC_R_SUCCESS		-- success, the data is valid
diff --git a/lib/dns/rdata.c b/lib/dns/rdata.c
index 7ecc4a9a4d..d90ef212f4 100644
--- a/lib/dns/rdata.c
+++ b/lib/dns/rdata.c
@@ -2435,6 +2435,7 @@ dns_rdata_checksvcb(const dns_name_t *owner, const dns_rdata_t *rdata) {
 
 	REQUIRE(owner != NULL);
 	REQUIRE(rdata != NULL);
+	REQUIRE(rdata->type == dns_rdatatype_svcb);
 	REQUIRE(DNS_RDATA_VALIDFLAGS(rdata));
 
 	result = dns_rdata_tostruct(rdata, &svcb, NULL);