diff --git a/changes/209.feature.md b/changes/209.feature.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4ea701de
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/209.feature.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Added `InvalidPacketContentError` exception, raised when deserializing of a specific packet fails. This error inherits from `IOError`, making it backwards compatible with the original implementation.
diff --git a/mcproto/packets/handshaking/handshake.py b/mcproto/packets/handshaking/handshake.py
index a7aab98e..80ddcb15 100644
--- a/mcproto/packets/handshaking/handshake.py
+++ b/mcproto/packets/handshaking/handshake.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         return cls(
             protocol_version=buf.read_varint(),
diff --git a/mcproto/packets/login/login.py b/mcproto/packets/login/login.py
index b3f69107..6f499ac1 100644
--- a/mcproto/packets/login/login.py
+++ b/mcproto/packets/login/login.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         username = buf.read_utf()
         uuid = buf.read_optional(lambda: UUID.deserialize(buf))
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         server_id = buf.read_utf()
         public_key_raw = buf.read_bytearray()
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         shared_secret = buf.read_bytearray()
         verify_token = buf.read_bytearray()
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         uuid = UUID.deserialize(buf)
         username = buf.read_utf()
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return self.reason.serialize()
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         reason = ChatMessage.deserialize(buf)
         return cls(reason)
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         message_id = buf.read_varint()
         channel = buf.read_utf()
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         message_id = buf.read_varint()
         data = buf.read_optional(lambda: buf.read(buf.remaining))
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         threshold = buf.read_varint()
         return cls(threshold)
diff --git a/mcproto/packets/packet.py b/mcproto/packets/packet.py
index 6e453f54..a9cd2186 100644
--- a/mcproto/packets/packet.py
+++ b/mcproto/packets/packet.py
@@ -1,9 +1,13 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from abc import abstractmethod
 from collections.abc import Sequence
 from enum import IntEnum
 from typing import ClassVar
 
+from typing_extensions import Self
+
+from mcproto.buffer import Buffer
 from mcproto.utils.abc import RequiredParamsABCMixin, Serializable
 
 __all__ = [
@@ -42,6 +46,20 @@ class Packet(Serializable, RequiredParamsABCMixin):
     PACKET_ID: ClassVar[int]
     GAME_STATE: ClassVar[GameState]
 
+    @classmethod
+    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+        """Deserialize the packet."""
+        try:
+            return cls._deserialize(buf)
+        except IOError as exc:
+            raise InvalidPacketContentError.from_packet_class(cls, buf, repr(exc)) from exc
+
+    @classmethod
+    @abstractmethod
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+        """Deserialize the packet."""
+        raise NotImplementedError
+
 
 class ServerBoundPacket(Packet):
     """Packet bound to a server (Client -> Server)."""
@@ -53,3 +71,87 @@ class ClientBoundPacket(Packet):
     """Packet bound to a client (Server -> Client)."""
 
     __slots__ = ()
+
+
+class InvalidPacketContentError(IOError):
+    """Unable to deserialize given packet, as it didn't match the expected content.
+
+    This error can occur during deserialization of a specific packet (after the
+    packet class was already identified), but the deserialization process for this
+    packet type failed.
+
+    This can happen if the server sent a known packet, but it's content didn't match
+    the expected content for this packet kind.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        packet_id: int,
+        game_state: GameState,
+        direction: PacketDirection,
+        buffer: Buffer,
+        message: str,
+    ) -> None:
+        """Initialize the error class.
+
+        :param packet_id: Identified packet ID.
+        :param game_state: Game state of the identified packet.
+        :param direction: Packet direction of the identified packet.
+        :param buffer: Buffer received for deserialization, that failed to parse.
+        :param message: Reason for the failure.
+        """
+        self.packet_id = packet_id
+        self.game_state = game_state
+        self.direction = direction
+        self.buffer = buffer
+        self.message = message
+        super().__init__(self.msg)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_packet_class(cls, packet_class: type[Packet], buffer: Buffer, message: str) -> Self:
+        """Construct the error from packet class.
+
+        This is a convenience constructor, picking up the necessary parameters about the identified packet
+        from the packet class automatically (packet id, game state, ...).
+        """
+        if isinstance(packet_class, ServerBoundPacket):
+            direction = PacketDirection.SERVERBOUND
+        elif isinstance(packet_class, ClientBoundPacket):
+            direction = PacketDirection.CLIENTBOUND
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Unable to determine the packet direction. Got a packet class which doesn't "
+                "inherit from ServerBoundPacket nor ClientBoundPacket class."
+            )
+
+        return cls(packet_class.PACKET_ID, packet_class.GAME_STATE, direction, buffer, message)
+
+    @property
+    def msg(self) -> str:
+        """Produce a message for this error."""
+        msg_parts = []
+
+        if self.direction is PacketDirection.CLIENTBOUND:
+            msg_parts.append("Clientbound")
+        else:
+            msg_parts.append("Serverbound")
+
+        msg_parts.append("packet in")
+
+        if self.game_state is GameState.HANDSHAKING:
+            msg_parts.append("handshaking")
+        elif self.game_state is GameState.STATUS:
+            msg_parts.append("status")
+        elif self.game_state is GameState.LOGIN:
+            msg_parts.append("login")
+        else:
+            msg_parts.append("play")
+
+        msg_parts.append("game state")
+        msg_parts.append(f"with ID: 0x{self.packet_id:02x}")
+        msg_parts.append(f"failed to deserialize: {self.message}")
+
+        return " ".join(msg_parts)
+
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        return f"{self.__class__.__name__}({self.msg})"
diff --git a/mcproto/packets/status/ping.py b/mcproto/packets/status/ping.py
index 1a139509..6aebcc6a 100644
--- a/mcproto/packets/status/ping.py
+++ b/mcproto/packets/status/ping.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         payload = buf.read_value(StructFormat.LONGLONG)
         return cls(payload)
diff --git a/mcproto/packets/status/status.py b/mcproto/packets/status/status.py
index 0db23e0a..81abd826 100644
--- a/mcproto/packets/status/status.py
+++ b/mcproto/packets/status/status.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:  # pragma: no cover, nothing to test here.
         return Buffer()
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:  # pragma: no cover, nothing to test here.
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:  # pragma: no cover, nothing to test here.
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         return cls()
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def serialize(self) -> Buffer:
         return buf
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
+    def _deserialize(cls, buf: Buffer, /) -> Self:
         """Deserialize the packet."""
         s = buf.read_utf()
         data_ = json.loads(s)