diff --git a/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl.Tests/MessageDsl/ParsedContractsTests.cs b/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl.Tests/MessageDsl/ParsedContractsTests.cs
index ffc6538..6b51273 100644
--- a/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl.Tests/MessageDsl/ParsedContractsTests.cs
+++ b/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl.Tests/MessageDsl/ParsedContractsTests.cs
@@ -671,6 +671,16 @@ public void should_parse_nested_classes()
             message.ContainingClasses.ShouldEqual(new TypeName[] { "Foo", "Bar" });
         }
 
+        [Test]
+        public void should_detect_inheritance_loops()
+        {
+            ParseInvalid(@"Foo() : Foo;");
+            ParseInvalid(@"Foo() : Bar; [ProtoInclude(1, typeof(Foo))] Bar() : Foo;");
+            ParseInvalid(@"Foo() : Bar; [ProtoInclude(1, typeof(Foo))] Bar() : Baz; [ProtoInclude(1, typeof(Bar))] Baz() : Foo;");
+
+            ParseValid(@"Foo() : Bar; [ProtoInclude(1, typeof(Foo))] Bar();");
+        }
+
         private static ParsedContracts ParseValid(string definitionText)
         {
             var contracts = Parse(definitionText);
diff --git a/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl/Analysis/AstValidator.cs b/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl/Analysis/AstValidator.cs
index d325e15..b72a1e9 100644
--- a/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl/Analysis/AstValidator.cs
+++ b/src/Abc.Zebus.MessageDsl/Analysis/AstValidator.cs
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ private void ValidateMessage(MessageDefinition message)
 
             foreach (var baseType in message.BaseTypes)
                 ValidateType(baseType, message.ParseContext);
+
+            ValidateInheritance(message);
         }
 
         private void ValidateTags(MessageDefinition message)
@@ -146,6 +148,35 @@ private void ValidateType(TypeName type, ParserRuleContext? context)
                 _contracts.AddError(context, "Invalid type: {0}", type.NetType);
         }
 
+        private void ValidateInheritance(MessageDefinition message)
+        {
+            if (message.BaseTypes.Count == 0)
+                return;
+
+            var seenTypes = new HashSet<TypeName>
+            {
+                message.Name
+            };
+
+            var currentMessage = message;
+
+            while (true)
+            {
+                if (currentMessage.BaseTypes.Count == 0)
+                    break;
+
+                currentMessage = _contracts.Messages.FirstOrDefault(m => m.Name == currentMessage.BaseTypes[0].NetType);
+                if (currentMessage is null)
+                    break;
+
+                if (!seenTypes.Add(currentMessage.Name))
+                {
+                    _contracts.AddError(message.ParseContext, "There is a loop in the inheritance chain");
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         private void DetectDuplicateTypes()
         {
             var seenTypes = new HashSet<string>();