diff --git a/src/protect/install/adapters/express.ts b/src/protect/install/adapters/express.ts
index 76dca5f..3e4314e 100644
--- a/src/protect/install/adapters/express.ts
+++ b/src/protect/install/adapters/express.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 // Adapter: Express (Node). Scaffolds a guard that matches the entry file's module format, then
-// registers parsed-body middleware after express.json() and before the application's routes.
+// registers the WAF middleware after the app's body parser and before its routes — the guard reads
+// the express-parsed req.body, so it must run once the body is populated.
 import { hasDependency } from '../util.js';
 import { findAppInstance } from '../find-app.js';
 import { wireRegister, verifyRegister, type RegisterSpec } from '../register.js';
 import type { Adapter } from '../types.js';
 
-const jsonParserRe = (appVar: string) => new RegExp(`^\\s*${appVar}\\.use\\(\\s*express\\.json\\(`, 'm');
+// A body parser that populates req.body, in any of the shapes AI builders emit: express.json() /
+// express.urlencoded(), body-parser's bodyParser.json() / .urlencoded(), an aliased parser
+// (any `x.json(` / `x.urlencoded(`), or a destructured `json(` / `urlencoded(`.
+const bodyParserRe = (appVar: string) =>
+  new RegExp(`^\\s*${appVar}\\.use\\(\\s*(?:[A-Za-z_$][\\w$]*\\.)?(?:json|urlencoded)\\(`, 'm');
 
 const SPEC: RegisterSpec = {
   appRe: /(?:const|let|var)\s+([A-Za-z_$][\w$]*)\s*=\s*express\(\)/,
@@ -14,10 +19,10 @@ const SPEC: RegisterSpec = {
   guardTemplateCjs: 'express-guard.cjs',
   importName: 'patchstackMiddleware',
   call: (v) => `${v}.use(patchstackMiddleware);`,
-  callAfter: jsonParserRe,
+  callAfter: bodyParserRe,
   requireCallAfter: true,
   label: 'Express app',
-  manualHint: 'add `app.use(patchstackMiddleware)` after your JSON body parser and before the routes',
+  manualHint: 'add `app.use(patchstackMiddleware)` after your body parser (express.json/urlencoded or body-parser) and before the routes',
 };
 
 export const expressAdapter: Adapter = {
diff --git a/tests/protect/adapters.test.ts b/tests/protect/adapters.test.ts
index 445d527..8c0b840 100644
--- a/tests/protect/adapters.test.ts
+++ b/tests/protect/adapters.test.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,31 @@ describe('Express adapter', () => {
     }
   });
 
+  const parserVariants: Array<{ label: string; imports: string; parser: string }> = [
+    { label: 'express.urlencoded()', imports: "import express from 'express';", parser: 'app.use(express.urlencoded({ extended: true }));' },
+    { label: 'body-parser', imports: "import express from 'express';\nimport bodyParser from 'body-parser';", parser: 'app.use(bodyParser.json());' },
+    { label: 'a destructured json()', imports: "import express, { json } from 'express';", parser: 'app.use(json());' },
+  ];
+  for (const { label, imports, parser } of parserVariants) {
+    it(`wires after ${label} (not just express.json)`, () => {
+      const dir = tmp('ps-express-parser-');
+      writeFileSync(path.join(dir, 'package.json'), JSON.stringify({ type: 'module', dependencies: { express: '^4.21.2' } }));
+      writeFileSync(
+        path.join(dir, 'server.js'),
+        `${imports}\nconst app = express();\n${parser}\napp.get('/', (req, res) => res.end());\n`,
+      );
+      try {
+        runProtect(dir);
+        const server = read(dir, 'server.js');
+        expect(server).toContain('app.use(patchstackMiddleware);');
+        expect(server.indexOf('app.use(patchstackMiddleware)')).toBeLessThan(server.indexOf("app.get('/'"));
+        expect(runVerify(dir).wired).toBe(true); // verify requires the guard to sit after the parser
+      } finally {
+        rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
   it('scaffolds but does not claim full wiring when no JSON body parser is present', () => {
     const dir = tmp('ps-express-no-parser-');
     writeFileSync(