diff --git a/core/schema.rs b/core/schema.rs
index 693738077..13bd620fb 100644
--- a/core/schema.rs
+++ b/core/schema.rs
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ pub const DBSP_TABLE_PREFIX: &str = "__turso_internal_dbsp_state_v";
 /// Used to refer to the implicit rowid column in tables without an alias during UPDATE
 pub const ROWID_SENTINEL: usize = usize::MAX;
 
+/// Internal table prefixes that should be protected from CREATE/DROP
+pub const RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES: [&str; 2] = ["sqlite_", "__turso_internal_"];
+
 /// Check if a table name refers to a system table that should be protected from direct writes
 pub fn is_system_table(table_name: &str) -> bool {
     let normalized = table_name.to_lowercase();
diff --git a/core/translate/index.rs b/core/translate/index.rs
index 169ad854c..e78b9dc02 100644
--- a/core/translate/index.rs
+++ b/core/translate/index.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::sync::Arc;
 
-use crate::schema::Table;
+use crate::schema::{Table, RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES};
 use crate::translate::emitter::{
     emit_cdc_full_record, emit_cdc_insns, prepare_cdc_if_necessary, OperationMode, Resolver,
 };
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::translate::plan::{
 use crate::vdbe::builder::CursorKey;
 use crate::vdbe::insn::{CmpInsFlags, Cookie};
 use crate::vdbe::BranchOffset;
-use crate::SymbolTable;
+use crate::{bail_parse_error, SymbolTable};
 use crate::{
     schema::{BTreeTable, Column, Index, IndexColumn, PseudoCursorType, Schema},
     storage::pager::CreateBTreeFlags,
@@ -49,6 +49,21 @@ pub fn translate_create_index(
     let original_tbl_name = tbl_name;
     let idx_name = normalize_ident(idx_name);
     let tbl_name = normalize_ident(tbl_name);
+    if RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES
+        .iter()
+        .any(|prefix| idx_name.starts_with(prefix))
+    {
+        bail_parse_error!(
+            "Object name reserved for internal use: {}",
+            original_idx_name
+        );
+    }
+    if RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES
+        .iter()
+        .any(|prefix| tbl_name.starts_with(prefix))
+    {
+        bail_parse_error!("Object name reserved for internal use: {}", tbl_name);
+    }
     let opts = crate::vdbe::builder::ProgramBuilderOpts {
         num_cursors: 5,
         approx_num_insns: 40,
diff --git a/core/translate/schema.rs b/core/translate/schema.rs
index d961eb8ce..c4f705113 100644
--- a/core/translate/schema.rs
+++ b/core/translate/schema.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crate::schema::Column;
 use crate::schema::Schema;
 use crate::schema::Table;
 use crate::schema::Type;
+use crate::schema::RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES;
 use crate::storage::pager::CreateBTreeFlags;
 use crate::translate::emitter::emit_cdc_full_record;
 use crate::translate::emitter::emit_cdc_insns;
@@ -58,6 +59,17 @@ pub fn translate_create_table(
         approx_num_labels: 1,
     };
     program.extend(&opts);
+
+    if RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES
+        .iter()
+        .any(|prefix| normalized_tbl_name.starts_with(prefix))
+    {
+        bail_parse_error!(
+            "Object name reserved for internal use: {}",
+            tbl_name.name.as_str()
+        );
+    }
+
     if schema.get_table(&normalized_tbl_name).is_some() {
         if if_not_exists {
             return Ok(program);
@@ -601,6 +613,13 @@ pub fn translate_drop_table(
         bail_parse_error!("No such table: {}", tbl_name.name.as_str());
     }
 
+    if RESERVED_TABLE_PREFIXES
+        .iter()
+        .any(|prefix| tbl_name.name.as_str().starts_with(prefix))
+    {
+        bail_parse_error!("table {} may not be dropped", tbl_name.name.as_str());
+    }
+
     let table = table.unwrap(); // safe since we just checked for None
 
     // Check if this is a materialized view - if so, refuse to drop it with DROP TABLE