diff --git a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka.Tests/DeadLetterQueueTests.cs b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka.Tests/DeadLetterQueueTests.cs
index a3e573781..25d5dd344 100644
--- a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka.Tests/DeadLetterQueueTests.cs
+++ b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka.Tests/DeadLetterQueueTests.cs
@@ -168,6 +168,103 @@ public async Task DisposeAsync()
     }
 }
 
+public class BufferedDeadLetterQueueTests : IAsyncLifetime
+{
+    private IHost _host = null!;
+    private readonly string _topicName;
+    private readonly string _dlqTopicName;
+
+    public BufferedDeadLetterQueueTests()
+    {
+        _topicName = $"dlq-buffered-test-{Guid.NewGuid():N}";
+        _dlqTopicName = $"dlq-buffered-verify-{Guid.NewGuid():N}";
+    }
+
+    public async Task InitializeAsync()
+    {
+        _host = await Host.CreateDefaultBuilder()
+            .UseWolverine(opts =>
+            {
+                opts.UseKafka(KafkaContainerFixture.ConnectionString)
+                    .AutoProvision()
+                    .DeadLetterQueueTopicName(_dlqTopicName)
+                    .ConfigureConsumers(c => c.AutoOffsetReset = AutoOffsetReset.Earliest);
+
+                opts.ListenToKafkaTopic(_topicName)
+                    .BufferedInMemory()
+                    .EnableNativeDeadLetterQueue();
+
+                opts.PublishMessage<DlqTestMessage>()
+                    .ToKafkaTopic(_topicName);
+
+                opts.Policies.OnException<AlwaysFailException>().MoveToErrorQueue();
+
+                opts.Discovery.IncludeAssembly(GetType().Assembly);
+
+                opts.Services.AddResourceSetupOnStartup();
+            }).StartAsync();
+    }
+
+    private ConsumeResult<string, byte[]>? ConsumeFromTopic(string topic, TimeSpan timeout)
+    {
+        var config = new ConsumerConfig
+        {
+            BootstrapServers = KafkaContainerFixture.ConnectionString,
+            GroupId = $"dlq-buffered-verify-{Guid.NewGuid():N}",
+            AutoOffsetReset = AutoOffsetReset.Earliest,
+            EnableAutoCommit = true
+        };
+
+        using var consumer = new ConsumerBuilder<string, byte[]>(config).Build();
+        consumer.Subscribe(topic);
+
+        var deadline = DateTime.UtcNow.Add(timeout);
+        while (DateTime.UtcNow < deadline)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                var result = consumer.Consume(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
+                if (result != null) return result;
+            }
+            catch (ConsumeException)
+            {
+                // Retry on transient errors
+            }
+        }
+
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task buffered_failed_message_lands_on_dlq_topic_not_source_topic()
+    {
+        // Regression test: the DLQ sender used to read envelope.TopicName (set to the
+        // source topic on inbound messages) and produce failed messages back to the
+        // source topic instead of the DLQ topic — so nothing ever reached the DLQ
+        // under BufferedInMemory mode. See InlineKafkaSender.fixedDestination.
+
+        await _host.TrackActivity()
+            .IncludeExternalTransports()
+            .DoNotAssertOnExceptionsDetected()
+            .Timeout(30.Seconds())
+            .ExecuteAndWaitAsync(ctx => ctx.PublishAsync(new DlqTestMessage("buffered-fail-me")));
+
+        var result = ConsumeFromTopic(_dlqTopicName, 30.Seconds());
+        result.ShouldNotBeNull("Expected failed message to land on the DLQ Kafka topic under BufferedInMemory mode");
+        result.Topic.ShouldBe(_dlqTopicName);
+        result.Message.Value.ShouldNotBeNull();
+    }
+
+    public async Task DisposeAsync()
+    {
+        if (_host != null)
+        {
+            await _host.StopAsync();
+            _host.Dispose();
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 public record DlqTestMessage(string Id);
 
 public class AlwaysFailException : Exception
diff --git a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/Internals/InlineKafkaSender.cs b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/Internals/InlineKafkaSender.cs
index bf6525e2b..ce27e8f9a 100644
--- a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/Internals/InlineKafkaSender.cs
+++ b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/Internals/InlineKafkaSender.cs
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ public class InlineKafkaSender : ISender, IDisposable
 {
     private readonly KafkaTopic _topic;
     private readonly IProducer<string, byte[]> _producer;
+    private readonly bool _fixedDestination;
 
-    public InlineKafkaSender(KafkaTopic topic)
+    public InlineKafkaSender(KafkaTopic topic, bool fixedDestination = false)
     {
         _topic = topic;
+        _fixedDestination = fixedDestination;
         Destination = topic.Uri;
         Config = topic.GetEffectiveProducerConfig();
         _producer = _topic.Parent.CreateProducer(Config);
@@ -37,7 +39,8 @@ public async ValueTask SendAsync(Envelope envelope)
     {
         var message = await _topic.EnvelopeMapper!.CreateMessage(envelope);
 
-        await _producer.ProduceAsync(envelope.TopicName ?? _topic.TopicName, message);
+        var topicName = _fixedDestination ? _topic.TopicName : envelope.TopicName ?? _topic.TopicName;
+        await _producer.ProduceAsync(topicName, message);
         _producer.Flush();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopic.cs b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopic.cs
index b35eda901..ade091f64 100644
--- a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopic.cs
+++ b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopic.cs
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ public override bool TryBuildDeadLetterSender(IWolverineRuntime runtime, out ISe
         {
             var dlqTopic = Parent.Topics[Parent.DeadLetterQueueTopicName];
             dlqTopic.EnvelopeMapper ??= dlqTopic.BuildMapper(runtime);
-            deadLetterSender = new InlineKafkaSender(dlqTopic);
+            deadLetterSender = new InlineKafkaSender(dlqTopic, fixedDestination: true);
             return true;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopicGroup.cs b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopicGroup.cs
index 116b5029b..d46e60e23 100644
--- a/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopicGroup.cs
+++ b/src/Transports/Kafka/Wolverine.Kafka/KafkaTopicGroup.cs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public override bool TryBuildDeadLetterSender(IWolverineRuntime runtime, out ISe
         {
             var dlqTopic = Parent.Topics[Parent.DeadLetterQueueTopicName];
             dlqTopic.EnvelopeMapper ??= dlqTopic.BuildMapper(runtime);
-            deadLetterSender = new InlineKafkaSender(dlqTopic);
+            deadLetterSender = new InlineKafkaSender(dlqTopic, fixedDestination: true);
             return true;
         }