diff --git a/tests/multimodal/media/test_image.py b/tests/multimodal/media/test_image.py
index 065a40d68e35..65196d7805cc 100644
--- a/tests/multimodal/media/test_image.py
+++ b/tests/multimodal/media/test_image.py
@@ -131,3 +131,77 @@ def test_image_media_io_rgba_background_color_validation():
     ImageMediaIO(rgba_background_color=(0, 0, 0))  # Should not raise
     ImageMediaIO(rgba_background_color=[255, 255, 255])  # Should not raise
     ImageMediaIO(rgba_background_color=(128, 128, 128))  # Should not raise
+
+
+def test_image_media_io_load_bytes(tmp_path):
+    """Test load_bytes with valid and invalid image data."""
+    # Save a valid RGB image to use as source bytes
+    valid_image = Image.new("RGB", (8, 8), (100, 150, 200))
+    valid_path = tmp_path / "valid.png"
+    valid_image.save(valid_path)
+
+    valid_data = valid_path.read_bytes()
+
+    # Test 1: Valid image bytes load successfully and are fully decoded
+    image_io = ImageMediaIO()
+    result = image_io.load_bytes(valid_data)
+
+    # Check the returned media is a properly loaded image
+    assert isinstance(result.media, Image.Image)
+    assert result.media.size == (8, 8)
+    assert result.media.getpixel((0, 0)) == (100, 150, 200)
+
+    # Test 2: Garbage bytes raise ValueError
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_bytes(b"not an image")
+
+    # Test 3: Truncated PNG header raises ValueError
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_bytes(b"\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\n" + b"\x00" * 10)
+
+    # Test 4: Real PNG truncated mid-stream raises ValueError
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_bytes(valid_data[: len(valid_data) // 2])
+
+    # Test 5: Empty bytes raise ValueError
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_bytes(b"")
+
+
+def test_image_media_io_load_file(tmp_path):
+    """Test load_file with valid and invalid image files."""
+    # Save a valid RGB image to disk
+    valid_image = Image.new("RGB", (4, 4), (10, 20, 30))
+    valid_path = tmp_path / "valid.png"
+    valid_image.save(valid_path)
+
+    # Test 1: Valid image file loads successfully and is fully decoded
+    image_io = ImageMediaIO()
+    result = image_io.load_file(valid_path)
+
+    # Check the returned media is a properly loaded image
+    assert isinstance(result.media, Image.Image)
+    assert result.media.size == (4, 4)
+    assert result.media.getpixel((0, 0)) == (10, 20, 30)
+
+    # Test 2: File with garbage content raises ValueError
+    bad_file = tmp_path / "bad.png"
+    bad_file.write_bytes(b"this is not an image")
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_file(bad_file)
+
+    # Test 3: File with truncated PNG header raises ValueError
+    truncated_file = tmp_path / "truncated.png"
+    truncated_file.write_bytes(b"\x89PNG\r\n\x1a\n" + b"\x00" * 10)
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_file(truncated_file)
+
+    # Test 4: Real PNG file truncated mid-stream raises ValueError
+    valid_data = valid_path.read_bytes()
+    truncated_real_file = tmp_path / "truncated_real.png"
+    truncated_real_file.write_bytes(valid_data[: len(valid_data) // 2])
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Failed to load image"):
+        image_io.load_file(truncated_real_file)
diff --git a/vllm/multimodal/media/image.py b/vllm/multimodal/media/image.py
index ea4bf7b01527..ea816b760fea 100644
--- a/vllm/multimodal/media/image.py
+++ b/vllm/multimodal/media/image.py
@@ -68,17 +68,19 @@ def _convert_image_mode(
             return convert_image_mode(image, self.image_mode)
 
     def load_bytes(self, data: bytes) -> MediaWithBytes[Image.Image]:
-        image = Image.open(BytesIO(data))
-        return MediaWithBytes(self._convert_image_mode(image), data)
+        try:
+            image = Image.open(BytesIO(data))
+            image.load()
+            image = self._convert_image_mode(image)
+        except (OSError, Image.UnidentifiedImageError) as e:
+            raise ValueError(f"Failed to load image: {e}") from e
+        return MediaWithBytes(image, data)
 
     def load_base64(self, media_type: str, data: str) -> MediaWithBytes[Image.Image]:
         return self.load_bytes(pybase64.b64decode(data, validate=True))
 
     def load_file(self, filepath: Path) -> MediaWithBytes[Image.Image]:
-        with open(filepath, "rb") as f:
-            data = f.read()
-        image = Image.open(BytesIO(data))
-        return MediaWithBytes(self._convert_image_mode(image), data)
+        return self.load_bytes(filepath.read_bytes())
 
     def encode_base64(
         self,