diff --git a/src/validity.cpp b/src/validity.cpp
index 52ebd0c..4d3703e 100644
--- a/src/validity.cpp
+++ b/src/validity.cpp
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ bool is_label_valid(const std::u32string_view label) {
     if (c == 0x200c) {
       if (i > 0) {
         if (std::ranges::binary_search(virama, label[i - 1])) {
-          return true;
+          continue;
         }
       }
       if ((i == 0) || (i + 1 >= label.size())) {
@@ -206,14 +206,16 @@ bool is_label_valid(const std::u32string_view label) {
       };
       std::u32string_view before = label.substr(0, i);
       std::u32string_view after = label.substr(i + 1);
-      return (std::find_if(before.begin(), before.end(), is_l_or_d) !=
-              before.end()) &&
-             (std::find_if(after.begin(), after.end(), is_r_or_d) !=
-              after.end());
+      if ((std::find_if(before.begin(), before.end(), is_l_or_d) ==
+           before.end()) ||
+          (std::find_if(after.begin(), after.end(), is_r_or_d) ==
+           after.end())) {
+        return false;
+      }
     } else if (c == 0x200d) {
       if (i > 0) {
         if (std::ranges::binary_search(virama, label[i - 1])) {
-          return true;
+          continue;
         }
       }
       return false;
diff --git a/tests/to_ascii_tests.cpp b/tests/to_ascii_tests.cpp
index 0f55b40..51d85ac 100644
--- a/tests/to_ascii_tests.cpp
+++ b/tests/to_ascii_tests.cpp
@@ -191,6 +191,21 @@ TEST(to_ascii_tests, bidi_regression) {
       << "multi-label should fail";
 }
 
+TEST(to_ascii_tests, contextj_joiner_does_not_bypass_bidi) {
+  // A ZWNJ preceded by a virama satisfies the ContextJ rule, but that must not
+  // short-circuit the Bidi validity check for the rest of the label. Here the
+  // label starts with L (U+0915) so it is an LTR label, and the trailing AL
+  // (U+0627) violates Rule 5. It must be rejected.
+  EXPECT_TRUE(ada::idna::to_ascii("\u0915\u094D\u200C\u0627").empty())
+      << "valid ZWNJ must not bypass Bidi rule 5";
+  // Same with ZWJ (U+200D).
+  EXPECT_TRUE(ada::idna::to_ascii("\u0915\u094D\u200D\u0627").empty())
+      << "valid ZWJ must not bypass Bidi rule 5";
+  // A contextually valid joiner in an otherwise valid label still converts.
+  EXPECT_EQ(ada::idna::to_ascii("\u0915\u094D\u200C\u0916"), "xn--11bc8nw90g")
+      << "valid ZWNJ label must still convert";
+}
+
 // Helper: domain-to-ASCII as URL Standard callers use it (to_ascii + forbidden
 // domain code point filter). Empty string means failure.
 static std::string domain_to_ascii(std::string_view input) {