diff --git a/scripts/ci/noema_review_gate.py b/scripts/ci/noema_review_gate.py
index b5a48e96a..46f3c1039 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/noema_review_gate.py
+++ b/scripts/ci/noema_review_gate.py
@@ -299,6 +299,12 @@ def call_llm(repo: str, number: int, pr: dict[str, Any], diff: str, truncated: b
             if ip.is_private or ip.is_loopback or ip.is_link_local or ip.is_multicast or ip.is_unspecified:
                 raise ValueError("URL cannot target internal IP addresses")
 
+    if not (api_url.lower().startswith("http://") or api_url.lower().startswith("https://")):
+        raise ValueError(
+            "NOEMA_LLM_API_URL must start with http:// or https:// "
+            "to prevent SSRF vulnerabilities"
+        )
+
     prompt = {
         "role": "user",
         "content": "\n".join(
diff --git a/tests/test_noema_review_gate.py b/tests/test_noema_review_gate.py
index 08ae5f609..a4fb4a05a 100644
--- a/tests/test_noema_review_gate.py
+++ b/tests/test_noema_review_gate.py
@@ -286,6 +286,25 @@ def fake_getaddrinfo_invalid_ip(host, port, *args, **kwargs):
     assert noema.call_llm("owner/repo", 1, pr, "diff", True)["decision"] == "approve"
 
 
+def test_call_llm_rejects_control_character_scheme_evasion(monkeypatch):
+    """A URL with an embedded tab is normalized by urlparse to an http scheme
+    with a valid hostname, but its raw form does not start with http:// — the
+    startswith guard must still reject it to prevent SSRF via control-character
+    scheme evasion."""
+    pr = make_pr()
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NOEMA_LLM_API_KEY", "secret")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("NOEMA_LLM_API_URL", "http\t://sneaky.example.com/chat")
+
+    import socket
+
+    def raise_gaierror(host, port, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise socket.gaierror("Name or service not known")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(socket, "getaddrinfo", raise_gaierror)
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="must start with http:// or https://"):
+        noema.call_llm("owner/repo", 1, pr, "diff", False)
+
+
 def test_format_findings_and_submit_review(monkeypatch):
     findings = noema.format_findings(
         [