diff --git a/codewiki/src/be/dependency_analyzer/leaf_selection.py b/codewiki/src/be/dependency_analyzer/leaf_selection.py
index fd37b512..e0c15830 100644
--- a/codewiki/src/be/dependency_analyzer/leaf_selection.py
+++ b/codewiki/src/be/dependency_analyzer/leaf_selection.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from typing import Dict, List, Set
+import re
 
 from codewiki.src.be.dependency_analyzer.models.core import Node
 
@@ -16,6 +17,11 @@
 
 OOP_TYPES = {"class", "interface", "struct"}
 
+# Error strings that occasionally reach leaf-node selection instead of an
+# identifier. Matched on word boundaries and only for entries that are not
+# known components, so that names like `handleInvalidInput` survive.
+ERROR_MESSAGE_RE = re.compile(r"\b(error|exception|failed|invalid)\b", re.IGNORECASE)
+
 
 def compute_valid_leaf_types(components: Dict[str, Node]) -> Set[str]:
     """
@@ -60,8 +66,13 @@ def filter_leaf_nodes(
     """Keep leaf nodes that are known components of a valid type."""
     keep_leaf_nodes = []
     for leaf_node in leaf_nodes:
-        # Skip any leaf nodes that are clearly error strings or invalid identifiers
-        if not isinstance(leaf_node, str) or leaf_node.strip() == "" or any(err_keyword in leaf_node.lower() for err_keyword in ['error', 'exception', 'failed', 'invalid']):
+        if not isinstance(leaf_node, str) or leaf_node.strip() == "":
+            logger.debug(f"Skipping invalid leaf node identifier: '{leaf_node}'")
+            continue
+
+        # Only reject strings that look like error messages, not identifiers
+        # that merely contain such a word (handleInvalidInput, ErrorLog, ...).
+        if leaf_node not in components and ERROR_MESSAGE_RE.search(leaf_node):
             logger.debug(f"Skipping invalid leaf node identifier: '{leaf_node}'")
             continue
 
diff --git a/tests/test_leaf_selection.py b/tests/test_leaf_selection.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d43f12b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_leaf_selection.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+"""Tests for leaf-node identifier filtering.
+
+Covers filter_leaf_nodes: identifiers that merely contain a word like
+"invalid" must survive, while strings that are actually error messages
+reaching leaf-node selection instead of an identifier are dropped.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from codewiki.src.be.dependency_analyzer.leaf_selection import filter_leaf_nodes
+from codewiki.src.be.dependency_analyzer.models.core import Node
+
+
+def _component(component_id: str, component_type: str = "function") -> Node:
+    file_path = component_id.split("::")[0]
+    return Node(
+        id=component_id,
+        name=component_id.split("::")[-1],
+        component_type=component_type,
+        file_path=file_path,
+        relative_path=file_path,
+    )
+
+
+def _components(*component_ids: str) -> dict[str, Node]:
+    return {cid: _component(cid) for cid in component_ids}
+
+
+def test_identifiers_containing_error_words_are_kept() -> None:
+    components = _components(
+        "src/input.cpp::handleInvalidInput",
+        "src/game.cpp::gameFailedCheck",
+        "src/log.cpp::ErrorLog",
+        "src/parser.cpp::parseExceptionTable",
+    )
+
+    kept = filter_leaf_nodes(list(components), components, {"function"})
+
+    assert set(kept) == set(components)
+
+
+def test_error_messages_are_dropped() -> None:
+    components = _components("src/player.cpp::playerMove")
+    candidates = [
+        "src/player.cpp::playerMove",
+        "Error: could not parse file",
+        "invalid syntax at line 3",
+        "Analysis failed for this component",
+    ]
+
+    kept = filter_leaf_nodes(candidates, components, {"function"})
+
+    assert kept == ["src/player.cpp::playerMove"]
+
+
+def test_unknown_and_malformed_entries_are_dropped() -> None:
+    components = _components("src/player.cpp::playerMove")
+    candidates = [
+        "src/player.cpp::playerMove",
+        "src/player.cpp::doesNotExist",
+        "",
+        "   ",
+        None,
+    ]
+
+    kept = filter_leaf_nodes(candidates, components, {"function"})
+
+    assert kept == ["src/player.cpp::playerMove"]
+
+
+def test_components_of_other_types_are_dropped() -> None:
+    components = {
+        "src/game.cpp::runGame": _component("src/game.cpp::runGame", "function"),
+        "src/game.h::GameState": _component("src/game.h::GameState", "struct"),
+    }
+
+    kept = filter_leaf_nodes(list(components), components, {"function"})
+
+    assert kept == ["src/game.cpp::runGame"]