diff --git a/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/common/mod.rs b/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/common/mod.rs
index caf79778b86..57de57dbcd1 100644
--- a/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/common/mod.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/common/mod.rs
@@ -2073,8 +2073,16 @@ pub(super) fn apply_can_be_deleted_by_moderators(
 pub(super) fn parse_can_be_deleted_by_moderators_for_keyword(
     schema: &Value,
 ) -> Result<Option<u32>, ProtocolError> {
-    schema
-        .get_optional_integer::<u32>(CAN_BE_DELETED_BY_MODERATORS_FOR)
+    // A schema that is not an object carries no keyword. Like every other
+    // doctype-level keyword read before the core parser, this one must not be
+    // the first to fail on such a schema: the core parser refuses it as an
+    // invalid contract structure, and a raw value error here would replace
+    // that refusal.
+    let Ok(schema_map) = schema.to_map() else {
+        return Ok(None);
+    };
+
+    Value::inner_optional_integer_value::<u32>(schema_map, CAN_BE_DELETED_BY_MODERATORS_FOR)
         .map_err(consensus_or_protocol_value_error)
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/v3/moderators_delete_tests.rs b/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/v3/moderators_delete_tests.rs
index 36f8ab58762..e019653d73d 100644
--- a/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/v3/moderators_delete_tests.rs
+++ b/packages/rs-dpp/src/data_contract/document_type/class_methods/try_from_schema/v3/moderators_delete_tests.rs
@@ -320,3 +320,33 @@ fn should_refuse_a_window_that_is_not_a_positive_number_of_seconds_on_the_stored
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn should_refuse_a_schema_that_is_not_an_object_as_an_invalid_contract_structure() {
+    // The window is read off the raw schema before the core parser checks that
+    // the schema is an object. It must not be the reader that fails first: a
+    // schema that is no object carries no keyword, and the core parser is the
+    // one that names the real problem.
+    let platform_version = PlatformVersion::latest();
+    for full_validation in [true, false] {
+        for schema in [
+            platform_value!(null),
+            platform_value!("post"),
+            platform_value!([]),
+        ] {
+            let error = parse_with_config(
+                schema.clone(),
+                &moderated_config(platform_version),
+                platform_version.protocol_version,
+                full_validation,
+            )
+            .expect_err("a schema that is not an object must be refused");
+            let message = format!("{error:?}");
+            assert!(
+                message.contains("InvalidContractStructure"),
+                "schema {schema:?} must be refused as an invalid contract structure (full \
+                 validation: {full_validation}), got {message}"
+            );
+        }
+    }
+}