diff --git a/cpp/src/io/parquet/io_utils/parquet_io_utils.cpp b/cpp/src/io/parquet/io_utils/parquet_io_utils.cpp
index e762a0ae2f3a..6f3316581365 100644
--- a/cpp/src/io/parquet/io_utils/parquet_io_utils.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/io/parquet/io_utils/parquet_io_utils.cpp
@@ -37,12 +37,10 @@ std::unique_ptr<cudf::io::datasource::buffer> fetch_footer_to_host(cudf::io::dat
   constexpr auto ender_len  = sizeof(file_ender_s);
   size_t const len          = datasource.size();
 
-  auto header_buffer = datasource.host_read(0, header_len);
-  auto const header  = reinterpret_cast<file_header_s const*>(header_buffer->data());
-  auto ender_buffer  = datasource.host_read(len - ender_len, ender_len);
-  auto const ender   = reinterpret_cast<file_ender_s const*>(ender_buffer->data());
   CUDF_EXPECTS(len > header_len + ender_len, "Incorrect data source");
-  CUDF_EXPECTS(header->magic == detail::parquet_magic, "Corrupted header");
+
+  auto ender_buffer = datasource.host_read(len - ender_len, ender_len);
+  auto const ender  = reinterpret_cast<file_ender_s const*>(ender_buffer->data());
   CUDF_EXPECTS(ender->magic == detail::parquet_magic, "Corrupted footer");
   CUDF_EXPECTS(ender->footer_len != 0 && ender->footer_len <= (len - header_len - ender_len),
                "Incorrect footer length");
diff --git a/cpp/tests/io/parquet_reader_test.cpp b/cpp/tests/io/parquet_reader_test.cpp
index 9da69f9dad74..7caa41d7b186 100644
--- a/cpp/tests/io/parquet_reader_test.cpp
+++ b/cpp/tests/io/parquet_reader_test.cpp
@@ -4258,6 +4258,27 @@ TEST_F(ParquetReaderTest, LateBindSourceInfo)
   CUDF_TEST_EXPECT_TABLES_EQUAL(result.tbl->view(), expected->view());
 }
 
+TEST_F(ParquetReaderTest, InvalidFooterMagic)
+{
+  auto const expected = create_random_fixed_table<int>(4, 4, false);
+
+  std::vector<char> buffer;
+  cudf::io::write_parquet(
+    cudf::io::parquet_writer_options::builder(cudf::io::sink_info{&buffer}, *expected));
+
+  constexpr std::array<char, 4> bad_magic{'B', 'A', 'D', '!'};
+  ASSERT_GE(buffer.size(), bad_magic.size());
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < bad_magic.size(); ++i) {
+    buffer[buffer.size() - bad_magic.size() + i] = bad_magic[i];
+  }
+
+  auto const read_opts = cudf::io::parquet_reader_options::builder(
+                           cudf::io::source_info{cudf::host_span<std::byte const>{
+                             reinterpret_cast<std::byte const*>(buffer.data()), buffer.size()}})
+                           .build();
+  EXPECT_THROW(cudf::io::read_parquet(read_opts), cudf::logic_error);
+}
+
 TEST_F(ParquetReaderTest, DecimalTypeOption)
 {
   auto const data = std::vector<int32_t>{1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000};