diff --git a/xrspatial/geotiff/_reader.py b/xrspatial/geotiff/_reader.py
index b8c04ef2..0c2071b2 100644
--- a/xrspatial/geotiff/_reader.py
+++ b/xrspatial/geotiff/_reader.py
@@ -1627,6 +1627,30 @@ def _read_cog_http(url: str, overview_level: int | None = None,
                 f"window={window} is outside the source extent "
                 f"({ifd.height}x{ifd.width}) or has non-positive size.")
 
+    # Validate ``band`` against the selected IFD's sample count before
+    # the tile fetch. Without this, ``band=-1`` silently picks the last
+    # channel via numpy negative indexing and ``band>=samples_per_pixel``
+    # leaks a raw numpy ``IndexError``; on a single-band file ``band=N``
+    # (N != 0) is dropped on the floor because the post-decode slice
+    # below is gated on ``arr.ndim == 3 and samples_per_pixel > 1``.
+    # Mirrors the local-path validator in ``read_to_array`` so all
+    # backends agree on the contract: 0-based non-negative index only.
+    # ``source.close()`` is called for symmetry with the success-path
+    # teardown below; it is a no-op on ``_HTTPSource`` today (the
+    # urllib3 ``PoolManager`` is shared module-level, not per-source)
+    # but a future resource-holding source will need it. See issue #1695.
+    if band is not None:
+        if ifd.samples_per_pixel <= 1:
+            if band != 0:
+                source.close()
+                raise IndexError(
+                    f"band={band} requested on a single-band file.")
+        elif not 0 <= band < ifd.samples_per_pixel:
+            source.close()
+            raise IndexError(
+                f"band={band} out of range for "
+                f"{ifd.samples_per_pixel}-band file.")
+
     arr = _fetch_decode_cog_http_tiles(
         source, header, ifd, max_pixels=max_pixels, window=window)
     source.close()
@@ -2024,14 +2048,10 @@ def read_to_array(source, *, window=None, overview_level: int | None = None,
         # via numpy negative indexing and ``band>=samples_per_pixel``
         # leaks a raw numpy ``IndexError`` with the internal slice
         # shape. Mirrors the dask path's pre-flight validator (see
-        # ``read_geotiff_dask`` in ``__init__.py``) and the GPU path
+        # ``read_geotiff_dask`` in ``__init__.py``), the GPU path, and
+        # the HTTP path (``_read_cog_http`` above, as of issue #1695)
         # so all backends agree on the contract: 0-based non-negative
         # index only. See issue #1673.
-        #
-        # NOTE: the HTTP branch (``_read_cog_http`` above) currently
-        # accepts ``band`` but never slices on it; issue #1669 will
-        # add the slice. When that lands, mirror this same check
-        # there so HTTP rejects the same inputs.
         ifd_samples = ifd.samples_per_pixel
         if band is not None:
             if ifd_samples <= 1:
diff --git a/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_http_band_validation_1695.py b/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_http_band_validation_1695.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee13a5c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xrspatial/geotiff/tests/test_http_band_validation_1695.py
@@ -0,0 +1,332 @@
+"""Regression tests for issue #1695.
+
+``_read_cog_http`` accepted ``band`` but did not validate the index, so
+HTTP reads diverged from local, dask, GPU, and VRT reads on bad input:
+
+* ``band=-1`` silently returned the last channel via numpy negative
+  indexing on the post-decode slice (L1638).
+* ``band=N`` with ``N >= samples_per_pixel`` leaked a raw numpy
+  ``IndexError`` whose message exposed the internal slice shape.
+* ``band=N`` (N != 0) on a single-band HTTP COG was dropped because the
+  post-decode slice was gated on
+  ``arr.ndim == 3 and samples_per_pixel > 1``; the call returned the
+  full single-band raster as if ``band`` had been ``None``.
+
+PR #1673 already pinned the local eager and dask paths to the contract
+"0-based non-negative index only". The in-file NOTE at the time of
+issue #1695 (``_reader.py:2031-2034``) flagged that the HTTP branch had
+not been mirrored. These tests pin the HTTP branch to the same contract
+and confirm cross-path parity on the error messages.
+
+Each test FAILS before the fix and PASSES after.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import http.server
+import socketserver
+import threading
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+from xrspatial.geotiff import open_geotiff
+from xrspatial.geotiff._reader import _read_cog_http, read_to_array
+from xrspatial.geotiff._writer import write
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Loopback HTTP server with Range support
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#
+# Mirrors the helper from ``test_http_window_band_planar_1669.py`` so the
+# fixtures stay self-contained without depending on ``tifffile`` or a
+# live network. Each server holds one payload and shuts down at test
+# teardown.
+
+class _RangeHandler(http.server.BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
+    payload: bytes = b''
+
+    def do_GET(self):  # noqa: N802
+        rng = self.headers.get('Range')
+        if rng and rng.startswith('bytes='):
+            spec = rng[len('bytes='):]
+            start_s, _, end_s = spec.partition('-')
+            start = int(start_s)
+            end = int(end_s) if end_s else len(self.payload) - 1
+            chunk = self.payload[start:end + 1]
+            self.send_response(206)
+            self.send_header('Content-Type', 'application/octet-stream')
+            self.send_header(
+                'Content-Range',
+                f'bytes {start}-{start + len(chunk) - 1}/{len(self.payload)}',
+            )
+            self.send_header('Content-Length', str(len(chunk)))
+            self.end_headers()
+            self.wfile.write(chunk)
+            return
+        self.send_response(200)
+        self.send_header('Content-Type', 'application/octet-stream')
+        self.send_header('Content-Length', str(len(self.payload)))
+        self.end_headers()
+        self.wfile.write(self.payload)
+
+    def log_message(self, *_args, **_kwargs):
+        pass
+
+
+def _serve(payload: bytes):
+    handler_cls = type(
+        'RangeHandler1695', (_RangeHandler,), {'payload': payload}
+    )
+    httpd = socketserver.TCPServer(('127.0.0.1', 0), handler_cls)
+    port = httpd.server_address[1]
+    thread = threading.Thread(target=httpd.serve_forever, daemon=True)
+    thread.start()
+    return f'http://127.0.0.1:{port}/cog.tif', httpd, thread
+
+
+def _stop(httpd):
+    httpd.shutdown()
+    httpd.server_close()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _allow_loopback(monkeypatch):
+    """The HTTP source rejects loopback by default after #1664."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv('XRSPATIAL_GEOTIFF_ALLOW_PRIVATE_HOSTS', '1')
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Fixtures
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def multi_band_cog(tmp_path):
+    """3-band tiled chunky (planar=1) COG. The writer emits planar=1 by
+    default for ``(H, W, bands)`` input. Returns ``(path, payload, arr)``
+    where ``payload`` is the on-disk bytes ready to serve.
+    """
+    h, w, bands = 32, 48, 3
+    rng = np.random.RandomState(1695)
+    arr = rng.randint(0, 200, size=(h, w, bands)).astype(np.uint8)
+    path = str(tmp_path / 'tmp_1695_multi.tif')
+    write(arr, path, compression='deflate', tiled=True, tile_size=16,
+          cog=True)
+    with open(path, 'rb') as f:
+        payload = f.read()
+    return path, payload, arr
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def single_band_cog(tmp_path):
+    """64x64 single-band float32 tiled COG."""
+    arr = np.arange(64 * 64, dtype=np.float32).reshape(64, 64)
+    path = str(tmp_path / 'tmp_1695_single.tif')
+    write(arr, path, compression='deflate', tiled=True, tile_size=16,
+          cog=True)
+    with open(path, 'rb') as f:
+        payload = f.read()
+    return path, payload, arr
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Negative band index on multi-band HTTP read
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_http_negative_band_rejected(multi_band_cog):
+    """``band=-1`` on a multi-band HTTP COG raises ``IndexError`` instead
+    of silently selecting the last channel.
+
+    Before the fix, ``arr[:, :, -1]`` returned the trailing band without
+    any error. The local path raises
+    ``IndexError("band=-1 out of range for 3-band file.")`` via #1673.
+    """
+    _path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match=r"band=-1 out of range"):
+            read_to_array(url, band=-1)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+def test_http_negative_band_rejected_via_low_level(multi_band_cog):
+    """The low-level ``_read_cog_http`` rejects ``band=-1`` too, not just
+    the ``read_to_array`` wrapper. Catches any future caller that bypasses
+    the wrapper.
+    """
+    _path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match=r"band=-1 out of range"):
+            _read_cog_http(url, band=-1)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Out-of-range band index on multi-band HTTP read
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_http_band_equal_to_samples_rejected(multi_band_cog):
+    """``band=samples_per_pixel`` (off-by-one) raises the typed error
+    instead of leaking the raw numpy axis-2-out-of-bounds message.
+    """
+    _path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        # File has 3 bands; valid indices are 0, 1, 2.
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match=r"band=3 out of range"):
+            read_to_array(url, band=3)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+def test_http_band_far_above_samples_rejected(multi_band_cog):
+    """A wildly out-of-range band index also raises the typed error."""
+    _path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match=r"band=42 out of range"):
+            read_to_array(url, band=42)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Single-band HTTP read
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_http_nonzero_band_on_single_band_rejected(single_band_cog):
+    """``band=1`` on a single-band HTTP COG raises ``IndexError`` instead
+    of silently returning the full raster.
+
+    Before the fix, the post-decode slice at L1660 was gated on
+    ``arr.ndim == 3 and samples_per_pixel > 1`` so ``band=1`` on a 2D
+    single-band array was dropped on the floor. The local path raises
+    ``IndexError("band=1 requested on a single-band file.")`` via #1673.
+    """
+    _path, payload, _arr = single_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError,
+                           match=r"band=1 requested on a single-band file"):
+            read_to_array(url, band=1)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+def test_http_band_zero_on_single_band_still_works(single_band_cog):
+    """``band=0`` on a single-band HTTP COG succeeds.
+
+    Negative case: the guard rejects nonzero indices but must not
+    over-reject the only valid index on a single-band file. Mirrors the
+    local-path validator's ``if band != 0`` branch.
+    """
+    _path, payload, expected = single_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        arr, _ = read_to_array(url, band=0)
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(arr, expected)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# band=None preserves multi-band behaviour (regression)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_http_band_none_returns_all_bands(multi_band_cog):
+    """``band=None`` on a multi-band HTTP COG returns the full
+    ``(H, W, bands)`` array unchanged. Regression for the validator: a
+    typo that promoted ``None`` to an integer comparison would break
+    every multi-band HTTP read.
+    """
+    _path, payload, expected = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        arr, _ = read_to_array(url)
+        assert arr.shape == expected.shape
+        np.testing.assert_array_equal(arr, expected)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Cross-path parity with local-path eager read
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_local_and_http_negative_band_parity(multi_band_cog):
+    """The local eager path and the HTTP path raise the same
+    ``IndexError`` class with the same diagnostic substring on
+    ``band=-1``. This is the parity guard #1673 set up for local vs dask
+    vs GPU; the HTTP branch joins after #1695.
+    """
+    path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError) as local_exc:
+            read_to_array(path, band=-1)
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError) as http_exc:
+            read_to_array(url, band=-1)
+        assert "band=-1 out of range" in str(local_exc.value)
+        assert "band=-1 out of range" in str(http_exc.value)
+        # Same wording, not just same substring.
+        assert str(local_exc.value) == str(http_exc.value)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+def test_local_and_http_band_equal_to_samples_parity(multi_band_cog):
+    """Local and HTTP agree on the off-by-one rejection message."""
+    path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError) as local_exc:
+            read_to_array(path, band=3)
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError) as http_exc:
+            read_to_array(url, band=3)
+        assert "band=3 out of range" in str(local_exc.value)
+        assert "band=3 out of range" in str(http_exc.value)
+        assert str(local_exc.value) == str(http_exc.value)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+def test_local_and_http_single_band_nonzero_parity(single_band_cog):
+    """Local and HTTP agree on the single-band nonzero rejection
+    message. Before the fix, the local path raised
+    ``"band=1 requested on a single-band file."`` and the HTTP path
+    returned the full single-band raster without erroring at all.
+    """
+    path, payload, _arr = single_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError) as local_exc:
+            read_to_array(path, band=1)
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError) as http_exc:
+            read_to_array(url, band=1)
+        assert "single-band file" in str(local_exc.value)
+        assert "single-band file" in str(http_exc.value)
+        assert str(local_exc.value) == str(http_exc.value)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# open_geotiff wrapper passes the rejection through (smoke test)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def test_open_geotiff_http_negative_band_rejected(multi_band_cog):
+    """The public ``open_geotiff`` wrapper also rejects ``band=-1`` on
+    HTTP, not just the low-level ``read_to_array``. Users hit the
+    wrapper, so a regression there would be invisible to the low-level
+    test.
+    """
+    _path, payload, _arr = multi_band_cog
+    url, httpd, _ = _serve(payload)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(IndexError, match=r"band=-1 out of range"):
+            open_geotiff(url, band=-1)
+    finally:
+        _stop(httpd)