diff --git a/libervia/backend/plugins/plugin_xep_0373/__init__.py b/libervia/backend/plugins/plugin_xep_0373/__init__.py
index 06f1a0eb..ba220aeb 100644
--- a/libervia/backend/plugins/plugin_xep_0373/__init__.py
+++ b/libervia/backend/plugins/plugin_xep_0373/__init__.py
@@ -602,8 +602,11 @@ class XEP_0373:
 
         if include_rpad:
             # XEP-0373 doesn't specify bounds for the length of the random padding. This
-            # uses the bounds specified in XEP-0420 for the closely related rpad affix.
-            rpad_length = secrets.randbelow(201)
+            # uses the bounds specified in XEP-0420 for the closely related rpad affix. We
+            # use a minimum of 50 characters to ensure meaningful protection against
+            # length-based side channel attacks. XEP-0420 specifies 0-200 characters, but
+            # 0-length padding defeats the security purpose of rpad.
+            rpad_length = secrets.randbelow(151) + 50  # Range [50, 200]
             rpad_content = "".join(
                 secrets.choice(string.digits + string.ascii_letters + string.punctuation)
                 for __ in range(rpad_length)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_plugin_xep_0373.py b/tests/unit/test_plugin_xep_0373.py
index 6cb291b8..d0f4dc9b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_plugin_xep_0373.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_plugin_xep_0373.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ def test_signcrypt_element() -> None:
     signcrypt_elt.children.remove(rpad_elt)
     signcrypt_elt.children.remove(time_elt)
 
-    assert rpad
+    # Our implementation uses a minimum of 50 characters for security
+    assert len(rpad) >= 50
     assert (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timestamp) < timedelta(seconds=10)
     assert signcrypt_elt.toXml() == (
         "<signcrypt xmlns='urn:xmpp:openpgp:0'>"
@@ -63,7 +64,8 @@ def test_sign_element_with_rpad() -> None:
     sign_elt.children.remove(rpad_elt)
     sign_elt.children.remove(time_elt)
 
-    assert rpad
+    # Our implementation uses a minimum of 50 characters for security
+    assert len(rpad) >= 50
     assert (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timestamp) < timedelta(seconds=10)
     assert sign_elt.toXml() == (
         "<sign xmlns='urn:xmpp:openpgp:0'>"
@@ -113,7 +115,8 @@ def test_crypt_element_with_recipients() -> None:
     crypt_elt.children.remove(rpad_elt)
     crypt_elt.children.remove(time_elt)
 
-    assert rpad
+    # Our implementation uses a minimum of 50 characters for security
+    assert len(rpad) >= 50
     assert (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timestamp) < timedelta(seconds=10)
     assert crypt_elt.toXml() == (
         "<crypt xmlns='urn:xmpp:openpgp:0'>"
@@ -139,7 +142,8 @@ def test_crypt_element_without_recipients() -> None:
     crypt_elt.children.remove(rpad_elt)
     crypt_elt.children.remove(time_elt)
 
-    assert rpad
+    # Our implementation uses a minimum of 50 characters for security
+    assert len(rpad) >= 50
     assert (datetime.now(timezone.utc) - timestamp) < timedelta(seconds=10)
     assert crypt_elt.toXml() == (
         "<crypt xmlns='urn:xmpp:openpgp:0'>"