diff --git a/packages/ack/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/ack/CHANGELOG.md
index e58887ae..a4ef385d 100644
--- a/packages/ack/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/ack/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## 1.0.1
+
+* See [release notes](https://github.com/btwld/ack/releases/tag/v1.0.1) for details.
+
 ## 1.0.0
 
 * See [release notes](https://github.com/btwld/ack/releases/tag/v1.0.0) for details.
diff --git a/packages/ack/lib/src/ack.dart b/packages/ack/lib/src/ack.dart
index 27e4a801..3c7d650d 100644
--- a/packages/ack/lib/src/ack.dart
+++ b/packages/ack/lib/src/ack.dart
@@ -87,18 +87,26 @@ final class Ack {
 
   /// Creates a schema reference that is resolved lazily on first use.
   ///
-  /// The [builder] is called once and memoized. Two `Ack.lazy` instances are
-  /// equal only when their `builder` closure is the same reference -- pulling
-  /// the closure into a `final` variable lets two calls share equality.
+  /// The [builder] is called once and memoized. [maxDepth] bounds how many
+  /// times this lazy schema may recur in its active context chain before
+  /// parsing, runtime validation, or encoding fails; it defaults to
+  /// [LazySchema.defaultMaxDepth] and must be at least `1`. Two `Ack.lazy`
+  /// instances are equal only when their `builder` closure is the same
+  /// reference -- pulling the closure into a `final` variable lets two calls
+  /// share equality.
   ///
   /// `toJsonSchema()` and `toSchemaModel()` export lazy references through
   /// recursive `definitions`/`$ref` JSON Schema definitions. Bare or wrapped
-  /// `Ack.lazy` schemas cannot be used as discriminated union branches.
-  static LazySchema<Boundary, Runtime> lazy<
-    Boundary extends Object,
-    Runtime extends Object
-  >(String name, AckSchema<Boundary, Runtime> Function() builder) {
-    return LazySchema<Boundary, Runtime>(name, builder);
+  /// `Ack.lazy` schemas cannot be used as discriminated union branches. The
+  /// `maxDepth` check is a runtime-only constraint that cannot be expressed
+  /// through a `$ref`, so exported schema models warn that it was omitted.
+  static LazySchema<Boundary, Runtime>
+  lazy<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>(
+    String name,
+    AckSchema<Boundary, Runtime> Function() builder, {
+    int maxDepth = LazySchema.defaultMaxDepth,
+  }) {
+    return LazySchema<Boundary, Runtime>(name, builder, maxDepth: maxDepth);
   }
 
   /// Creates a schema for a specific Dart instance type [T], with [T] as
diff --git a/packages/ack/lib/src/schemas/lazy_schema.dart b/packages/ack/lib/src/schemas/lazy_schema.dart
index c6cd6e62..556350b9 100644
--- a/packages/ack/lib/src/schemas/lazy_schema.dart
+++ b/packages/ack/lib/src/schemas/lazy_schema.dart
@@ -9,9 +9,17 @@ part of 'schema.dart';
 final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
     extends AckSchema<Boundary, Runtime>
     with FluentSchema<Boundary, Runtime, LazySchema<Boundary, Runtime>> {
+  /// Default recursion cap applied to `Ack.lazy` schemas that do not
+  /// specify their own [maxDepth].
+  static const defaultMaxDepth = 100;
+
   /// Human-readable name for this deferred schema reference.
   final String name;
 
+  /// Maximum number of times this lazy schema may appear in its active context
+  /// chain before parsing, runtime validation, or encoding fails.
+  final int maxDepth;
+
   final AckSchema<Boundary, Runtime> Function() _builder;
 
   late final AckSchema<Boundary, Runtime> _target = _builder();
@@ -19,18 +27,25 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
   LazySchema(
     this.name,
     this._builder, {
+    this.maxDepth = defaultMaxDepth,
     super.isNullable,
     super.isOptional,
     super.description,
     super.constraints,
     super.refinements,
-  });
+  }) {
+    if (maxDepth < 1) {
+      throw ArgumentError.value(maxDepth, 'maxDepth', 'Must be >= 1.');
+    }
+  }
 
   @internal
   AckSchema<Boundary, Runtime> get target => _target;
 
+  /// Count of runtime-only constraints, including the always-present
+  /// max-depth check that every `Ack.lazy` schema enforces.
   @internal
-  int get runtimeConstraintCount => _constraints.length;
+  int get runtimeConstraintCount => _constraints.length + 1;
 
   @internal
   int get runtimeRefinementCount => _refinements.length;
@@ -41,6 +56,9 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
     final nullResult = handleNullInput(value, context);
     if (nullResult != null) return nullResult;
 
+    final depthResult = _checkMaxDepth<Runtime>(context);
+    if (depthResult != null) return depthResult;
+
     final result = _target.parseWithContext(value, context);
     if (result.isFail) return SchemaResult.fail(result.getError());
 
@@ -59,6 +77,9 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
     final nullResult = handleNullInput(value, context);
     if (nullResult != null) return nullResult;
 
+    final depthResult = _checkMaxDepth<Runtime>(context);
+    if (depthResult != null) return depthResult;
+
     final result = _target.validateRuntimeWithContext(value, context);
     if (result.isFail) return SchemaResult.fail(result.getError());
 
@@ -74,12 +95,36 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
     Runtime value,
     SchemaContext context,
   ) {
+    final depthResult = _checkMaxDepth<Boundary>(context);
+    if (depthResult != null) return depthResult;
+
     final ownChecked = applyConstraintsAndRefinements(value, context);
     if (ownChecked.isFail) return SchemaResult.fail(ownChecked.getError());
 
     return _target.encodeWithContext(ownChecked.getOrThrow()!, context);
   }
 
+  SchemaResult<T>? _checkMaxDepth<T extends Object>(SchemaContext context) {
+    var depth = 0;
+    for (SchemaContext? c = context; c != null; c = c.parent) {
+      if (identical(c.schema, this)) depth++;
+    }
+    if (depth <= maxDepth) return null;
+
+    return SchemaResult.fail(
+      SchemaConstraintsError(
+        constraints: [
+          ConstraintError(
+            constraint: _LazyMaxDepthConstraint(maxDepth),
+            message: 'Maximum recursion depth ($maxDepth) exceeded.',
+            context: {'depth': depth, 'maxDepth': maxDepth, 'lazyName': name},
+          ),
+        ],
+        context: context,
+      ),
+    );
+  }
+
   @override
   LazySchema<Boundary, Runtime> copyWith({
     bool? isNullable,
@@ -87,10 +132,12 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
     String? description,
     List<Constraint<Runtime>>? constraints,
     List<Refinement<Runtime>>? refinements,
+    int? maxDepth,
   }) {
     return LazySchema(
       name,
       _builder,
+      maxDepth: maxDepth ?? this.maxDepth,
       isNullable: isNullable ?? this.isNullable,
       isOptional: isOptional ?? this.isOptional,
       description: description ?? this.description,
@@ -100,7 +147,11 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
   }
 
   @override
-  Map<String, Object?> toMap() => {...super.toMap(), 'name': name};
+  Map<String, Object?> toMap() => {
+    ...super.toMap(),
+    'name': name,
+    'maxDepth': maxDepth,
+  };
 
   @override
   bool operator ==(Object other) {
@@ -109,6 +160,7 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
 
     return baseFieldsEqual(other) &&
         name == other.name &&
+        maxDepth == other.maxDepth &&
         identical(_builder, other._builder);
   }
 
@@ -117,6 +169,24 @@ final class LazySchema<Boundary extends Object, Runtime extends Object>
 
   @override
   int get hashCode {
-    return Object.hash(baseFieldsHashCode, name, identityHashCode(_builder));
+    return Object.hash(
+      baseFieldsHashCode,
+      name,
+      maxDepth,
+      identityHashCode(_builder),
+    );
   }
 }
+
+final class _LazyMaxDepthConstraint extends Constraint<Object> {
+  _LazyMaxDepthConstraint(this.maxDepth)
+    : super(
+        constraintKey: 'lazy_max_depth',
+        description: 'Lazy recursion depth must not exceed $maxDepth.',
+      );
+
+  final int maxDepth;
+
+  @override
+  Map<String, Object?> toMap() => {...super.toMap(), 'maxDepth': maxDepth};
+}
diff --git a/packages/ack/pubspec.yaml b/packages/ack/pubspec.yaml
index 28d88910..a6112865 100644
--- a/packages/ack/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/packages/ack/pubspec.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 name: ack
 description: A simple validation library for Dart
-version: 1.0.0
+version: 1.0.1
 repository: https://github.com/btwld/ack
 issue_tracker: https://github.com/btwld/ack/issues
 homepage: https://docs.page/btwld/ack
diff --git a/packages/ack/test/schemas/lazy_schema_test.dart b/packages/ack/test/schemas/lazy_schema_test.dart
index 1f11b9eb..391baedf 100644
--- a/packages/ack/test/schemas/lazy_schema_test.dart
+++ b/packages/ack/test/schemas/lazy_schema_test.dart
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void main() {
     expect(child.warnings, hasLength(1));
     expect(child.warnings.single.code, 'lazy_runtime_checks_not_export_safe');
     expect(child.warnings.single.context, {
-      'constraintCount': 0,
+      'constraintCount': 1,
       'refinementCount': 1,
     });
   });
@@ -314,6 +314,89 @@ void main() {
     // on top of that, inflating this count. Locks in the fixed call profile.
     expect(calls, 15);
   });
+
+  group('maxDepth', () {
+    test('allows input at the cap and fails one level deeper', () {
+      const maxDepth = 3;
+      late final ObjectSchema categorySchema;
+      final child = Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>(
+        'Category',
+        () => categorySchema,
+        maxDepth: maxDepth,
+      ).nullable().optional();
+      categorySchema = Ack.object({'name': Ack.string(), 'child': child});
+
+      final atLimit = _nestedCategoryJson(maxDepth);
+      final tooDeep = _nestedCategoryJson(maxDepth + 1);
+
+      expect(categorySchema.safeParse(atLimit).isOk, isTrue);
+      expect(categorySchema.safeParse(tooDeep).isFail, isTrue);
+      expect(categorySchema.safeEncode(atLimit).isOk, isTrue);
+      expect(categorySchema.safeEncode(tooDeep).isFail, isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test('defaults maxDepth to LazySchema.defaultMaxDepth', () {
+      final target = Ack.object({'name': Ack.string()});
+      final lazy = Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>('Category', () => target);
+
+      expect(lazy.maxDepth, LazySchema.defaultMaxDepth);
+    });
+
+    test('throws for maxDepth values below 1', () {
+      final target = Ack.object({'name': Ack.string()});
+
+      expect(
+        () => Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>('Category', () => target, maxDepth: 0),
+        throwsA(isA<ArgumentError>()),
+      );
+      expect(
+        () =>
+            Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>('Category', () => target, maxDepth: -1),
+        throwsA(isA<ArgumentError>()),
+      );
+    });
+
+    test('preserves maxDepth through fluent copies', () {
+      final target = Ack.object({'name': Ack.string()});
+      final lazy = Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>(
+        'Category',
+        () => target,
+        maxDepth: 2,
+      );
+
+      expect(lazy.maxDepth, 2);
+      expect(lazy.nullable().optional().maxDepth, 2);
+    });
+
+    test('includes maxDepth in equality and hashCode', () {
+      final target = Ack.object({'name': Ack.string()});
+      AckSchema<JsonMap, JsonMap> builder() => target;
+
+      final uncapped = Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>('Category', builder);
+      final capped = Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>(
+        'Category',
+        builder,
+        maxDepth: 2,
+      );
+      final matchingCap = Ack.lazy<JsonMap, JsonMap>(
+        'Category',
+        builder,
+        maxDepth: 2,
+      );
+
+      expect(capped, matchingCap);
+      expect(capped.hashCode, matchingCap.hashCode);
+      expect(capped, isNot(uncapped));
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+JsonMap _nestedCategoryJson(int childDepth) {
+  JsonMap node = {'name': 'node-$childDepth'};
+  for (var depth = childDepth - 1; depth >= 0; depth--) {
+    node = {'name': 'node-$depth', 'child': node};
+  }
+  return node;
 }
 
 final class _TestJsonSchemaKeywordConstraint<T extends Object>