diff --git a/apiserver/events/events.go b/apiserver/events/events.go
index 66cee19b..30e0b386 100644
--- a/apiserver/events/events.go
+++ b/apiserver/events/events.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package events
 import (
 	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"sync"
@@ -163,8 +164,14 @@ func (e *EventHandler) HandleClientMessages(message []byte) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if len(opt.Filters) == 0 && !opt.SendEverything {
-		slog.DebugContext(e.ctx, "no filters provided; ignoring")
+	if err := opt.Validate(); err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, common.ErrNoFiltersProvided) {
+			slog.DebugContext(e.ctx, "no filters provided; ignoring")
+			return nil
+		}
+		slog.ErrorContext(e.ctx, "invalid filter", "error", err)
+		e.client.Write([]byte("invalid filter"))
+		e.Stop()
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/apiserver/events/params.go b/apiserver/events/params.go
index c3f9403b..7ecabaa8 100644
--- a/apiserver/events/params.go
+++ b/apiserver/events/params.go
@@ -11,9 +11,20 @@ type Filter struct {
 
 func (f Filter) Validate() error {
 	switch f.EntityType {
-	case common.RepositoryEntityType, common.OrganizationEntityType, common.EnterpriseEntityType, common.PoolEntityType, common.UserEntityType, common.InstanceEntityType, common.JobEntityType, common.ControllerEntityType, common.GithubCredentialsEntityType, common.GithubEndpointEntityType:
+	case common.RepositoryEntityType, common.OrganizationEntityType, common.EnterpriseEntityType,
+		common.PoolEntityType, common.UserEntityType, common.InstanceEntityType,
+		common.JobEntityType, common.ControllerEntityType, common.GithubCredentialsEntityType,
+		common.GithubEndpointEntityType:
 	default:
-		return nil
+		return common.ErrInvalidEntityType
+	}
+
+	for _, op := range f.Operations {
+		switch op {
+		case common.CreateOperation, common.UpdateOperation, common.DeleteOperation:
+		default:
+			return common.ErrInvalidOperationType
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -22,3 +33,18 @@ type Options struct {
 	SendEverything bool     `json:"send_everything"`
 	Filters        []Filter `json:"filters"`
 }
+
+func (o Options) Validate() error {
+	if o.SendEverything {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if len(o.Filters) == 0 {
+		return common.ErrNoFiltersProvided
+	}
+	for _, f := range o.Filters {
+		if err := f.Validate(); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/database/common/errors.go b/database/common/errors.go
index 4b2d165a..df2d936a 100644
--- a/database/common/errors.go
+++ b/database/common/errors.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ var (
 	ErrConsumerAlreadyRegistered = fmt.Errorf("consumer already registered")
 	ErrWatcherAlreadyStarted     = fmt.Errorf("watcher already started")
 	ErrWatcherNotInitialized     = fmt.Errorf("watcher not initialized")
-	ErrInvalidOperation          = fmt.Errorf("invalid operation")
+	ErrInvalidOperationType      = fmt.Errorf("invalid operation")
 	ErrInvalidEntityType         = fmt.Errorf("invalid entity type")
+	ErrNoFiltersProvided         = fmt.Errorf("no filters provided")
 )