diff --git a/rpcserver.go b/rpcserver.go
index 7cc70937f..6a519a169 100644
--- a/rpcserver.go
+++ b/rpcserver.go
@@ -3043,6 +3043,12 @@ func (r *rpcServer) InsertProof(ctx context.Context,
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	// Ensure the proof is of the correct type for the target universe.
+	err = universe.ValidateProofUniverseType(*assetLeaf.Proof, universeID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	rpcsLog.Debugf("[InsertProof]: inserting proof at "+
 		"(universeID=%x, leafKey=%x)", universeID,
 		leafKey.UniverseKey())
diff --git a/universe/base.go b/universe/base.go
index 14e160f46..4e45d3d5d 100644
--- a/universe/base.go
+++ b/universe/base.go
@@ -143,6 +143,12 @@ func (a *MintingArchive) RegisterIssuance(ctx context.Context, id Identifier,
 
 	newProof := leaf.Proof
 
+	// Ensure the proof is of the correct type for the target universe.
+	err := ValidateProofUniverseType(*newProof, id)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	// We'll first check to see if we already know of this leaf within the
 	// multiverse. If so, then we'll return the existing issuance proof.
 	issuanceProofs, err := a.cfg.Multiverse.FetchProofLeaf(ctx, id, key)
diff --git a/universe/interface.go b/universe/interface.go
index 5723340f9..45155dcae 100644
--- a/universe/interface.go
+++ b/universe/interface.go
@@ -92,6 +92,27 @@ func (i *Identifier) StringForLog() string {
 		i.MsSmtNamespace(), i.AssetID[:], groupKey, i.ProofType)
 }
 
+// ValidateProofUniverseType validates that the proof type matches the universe
+// identifier proof type.
+func ValidateProofUniverseType(proof proof.Proof, uniID Identifier) error {
+	proofType := uniID.ProofType
+
+	isIssuanceProof := proof.Asset.HasGenesisWitness()
+	isTransferProof := !isIssuanceProof
+
+	if isIssuanceProof && proofType != ProofTypeIssuance {
+		return fmt.Errorf("proof is an issuance proof, but universe "+
+			"identifier is not set to issuance: %v", uniID)
+	}
+
+	if isTransferProof && proofType != ProofTypeTransfer {
+		return fmt.Errorf("proof is a transfer proof, but universe "+
+			"identifier is not set to transfer: %v", uniID)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 // GenesisWithGroup is a two tuple that groups the genesis of an asset with the
 // group key it's associated with (if that exists).
 type GenesisWithGroup struct {