diff --git a/review/persona.go b/review/persona.go
index 3a041f9..19e822f 100644
--- a/review/persona.go
+++ b/review/persona.go
@@ -307,10 +307,16 @@ func checkYAMLDepth(node ast.Node, depth, maxDepth, maxNodes int, validated map[
 		if err := checkYAMLDepth(n.Value, depth+1, maxDepth, maxNodes, validated, visiting, nodeCount); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+	case *ast.MergeKeyNode:
+		// MergeKeyNode represents the literal "<<" merge key token. It has no
+		// child nodes — the value side of a merge (e.g., *alias) lives in the
+		// parent MappingValueNode.Value, which is already recursed into above.
+		// Explicitly listed here (rather than in the default case) to prevent
+		// future library changes from silently bypassing depth checks.
 	default:
 		// Scalar leaf nodes (StringNode, IntegerNode, FloatNode, BoolNode,
-		// NullNode, InfinityNode, NanNode, LiteralNode, MergeKeyNode) have
-		// no children to recurse into.
+		// NullNode, InfinityNode, NanNode, LiteralNode) have no children to
+		// recurse into.
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -318,7 +324,11 @@ func checkYAMLDepth(node ast.Node, depth, maxDepth, maxNodes int, validated map[
 // ParsePersonaBytes parses persona data from bytes with a source label for errors.
 // This is useful for parsing personas fetched from external sources (e.g., Gitea API)
 // without requiring filesystem access. Format is detected by source extension.
+// Input is bounded by MaxPersonaFileSize to prevent resource exhaustion.
 func ParsePersonaBytes(data []byte, source string) (*Persona, error) {
+	if len(data) > MaxPersonaFileSize {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("persona data from %s exceeds maximum size (%d bytes, limit %d)", source, len(data), MaxPersonaFileSize)
+	}
 	return parsePersona(data, source)
 }
 
diff --git a/review/persona_test.go b/review/persona_test.go
index 5a39c2e..9b50f0f 100644
--- a/review/persona_test.go
+++ b/review/persona_test.go
@@ -896,3 +896,64 @@ func TestJSONTrailingContentRejected(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestParsePersonaBytesSizeLimit(t *testing.T) {
+	// ParsePersonaBytes should reject input exceeding MaxPersonaFileSize
+	oversized := make([]byte, MaxPersonaFileSize+1)
+	for i := range oversized {
+		oversized[i] = 'x'
+	}
+
+	_, err := ParsePersonaBytes(oversized, "oversized.yaml")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error for oversized input, got nil")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "exceeds maximum size") {
+		t.Errorf("error = %q, want to contain 'exceeds maximum size'", err.Error())
+	}
+
+	// Just under the limit should not trigger size error (may fail parse, but not size)
+	underLimit := []byte("name: test\nidentity: test persona\n")
+	p, err := ParsePersonaBytes(underLimit, "valid.yaml")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error for valid input: %v", err)
+	}
+	if p.Name != "test" {
+		t.Errorf("Name = %q, want %q", p.Name, "test")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestYAMLMergeKeyDepthCheck(t *testing.T) {
+	// Verify that YAML merge keys (<<: *alias) are properly handled by the
+	// depth checker. The merge key content is in the MappingValueNode.Value
+	// (an AliasNode), not in the MergeKeyNode itself.
+	p, err := ParsePersonaBytes([]byte("name: merge-test\nidentity: test\n"), "merge.yaml")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("basic parse failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if p.Name != "merge-test" {
+		t.Errorf("Name = %q, want %q", p.Name, "merge-test")
+	}
+
+	// Test that deeply nested merge keys still hit depth limit.
+	// Build YAML with merge key content nested beyond MaxYAMLDepth.
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	sb.WriteString("name: deep-merge\nidentity: deep merge persona\n")
+	sb.WriteString("anchor: &deep\n")
+	indent := "  "
+	for i := 0; i < MaxYAMLDepth+5; i++ {
+		sb.WriteString(indent)
+		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("level%d:\n", i))
+		indent += "  "
+	}
+	sb.WriteString(indent + "leaf: value\n")
+	sb.WriteString("target:\n  <<: *deep\n")
+
+	_, err = ParsePersonaBytes([]byte(sb.String()), "deep-merge.yaml")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error for deeply nested merge key content, got nil")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "depth") {
+		t.Errorf("error = %q, want to contain 'depth'", err.Error())
+	}
+}