diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index b683ead..a1c15dd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ jobs:
       with:
         fetch-depth: 0
     - uses: pnpm/action-setup@v4
-      with:
-        version: 9
     - name: Use Node.js
       uses: actions/setup-node@v4
       with:
diff --git a/lib/evaluation/evaluationClientWrapper.ts b/lib/evaluation/evaluationClientWrapper.ts
index b2bc874..214aa2a 100644
--- a/lib/evaluation/evaluationClientWrapper.ts
+++ b/lib/evaluation/evaluationClientWrapper.ts
@@ -571,12 +571,12 @@ export class EvaluationClientWrapper {
 
     // Iterate over each descriptor in the submission
     for (const [descriptorIndex, descriptor] of submission.descriptor_map.entries()) {
-      let matchingVps: WrappedVerifiablePresentation[] = [];
+      let matchingVp: WrappedVerifiablePresentation;
 
       if (presentationSubmissionLocation === PresentationSubmissionLocation.EXTERNAL) {
         // Extract VPs matching the descriptor path
         const vpResults = JsonPathUtils.extractInputField(wvps, [descriptor.path]) as Array<{
-          value: WrappedVerifiablePresentation[];
+          value: WrappedVerifiablePresentation;
         }>;
 
         if (!vpResults.length) {
@@ -587,45 +587,56 @@ export class EvaluationClientWrapper {
             message: `Unable to extract path ${descriptor.path} for submission.descriptor_map[${descriptorIndex}] from presentation(s)`,
           });
           continue;
+        } else if (vpResults.length > 1) {
+          result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
+          result.errors?.push({
+            status: Status.ERROR,
+            tag: 'SubmissionPathMultipleEntries',
+            message: `Extraction of path ${descriptor.path} for submission.descriptor_map[${descriptorIndex}] resulted in multiple values being returned.`,
+          });
+          continue;
         }
 
-        // Flatten the array of VPs
-        const allVps = vpResults.flatMap((vpResult) => vpResult.value);
-
-        // Filter VPs that match the required format
-        matchingVps = allVps.filter((vp) => vp.format === descriptor.format);
-
-        if (!matchingVps.length) {
+        matchingVp = vpResults[0].value;
+        if (Array.isArray(matchingVp)) {
           result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
           result.errors?.push({
             status: Status.ERROR,
-            tag: 'SubmissionFormatNoMatch',
-            message: `No VP at path ${descriptor.path} matches the required format ${descriptor.format}`,
+            tag: 'SubmissionPathMultipleEntries',
+            message: `Extraction of path ${descriptor.path} for submission.descriptor_map[${descriptorIndex}] returned multiple entires. This is probably because the submission uses '$' to reference the presentation, while an array was used (thus all presentations are selected). Make sure the submission uses the correct path.`,
+          });
+          continue;
+        }
+        if (!matchingVp) {
+          result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
+          result.errors?.push({
+            status: Status.ERROR,
+            tag: 'SubmissionPathNotFound',
+            message: `Extraction of path ${descriptor.path} for submission.descriptor_map[${descriptorIndex}] succeeded, but the value was undefined.`,
           });
           continue;
         }
 
-        // Log a warning if multiple VPs match the descriptor
-        if (matchingVps.length > 1) {
-          result.warnings?.push({
-            status: Status.WARN,
-            tag: 'MultipleVpsMatched',
-            message: `Multiple VPs matched for descriptor_path[${descriptorIndex}]. Using the first matching VP.`,
+        if (matchingVp.format !== descriptor.format) {
+          result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
+          result.errors?.push({
+            status: Status.ERROR,
+            tag: 'SubmissionFormatNoMatch',
+            message: `The VP at path ${descriptor.path} does not match the required format ${descriptor.format}`,
           });
+          continue;
         }
       } else {
         // When submission location is PRESENTATION, assume a single VP
-        matchingVps = Array.isArray(wvps) ? [wvps[0]] : [wvps];
+        matchingVp = Array.isArray(wvps) ? wvps[0] : wvps;
       }
 
-      // Process the first matching VP
-      const vp = matchingVps[0];
       let vc: WrappedVerifiableCredential;
       let vcPath: string = `presentation ${descriptor.path}`;
 
       if (presentationSubmissionLocation === PresentationSubmissionLocation.EXTERNAL) {
         if (descriptor.path_nested) {
-          const extractionResult = this.extractWrappedVcFromWrappedVp(descriptor.path_nested, descriptorIndex.toString(), vp);
+          const extractionResult = this.extractWrappedVcFromWrappedVp(descriptor.path_nested, descriptorIndex.toString(), matchingVp);
           if (extractionResult.error) {
             result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
             result.errors?.push(extractionResult.error);
@@ -635,7 +646,7 @@ export class EvaluationClientWrapper {
           vc = extractionResult.wvc;
           vcPath += ` with nested credential ${descriptor.path_nested.path}`;
         } else if (descriptor.format === 'vc+sd-jwt' || descriptor.format === 'mso_mdoc') {
-          if (!vp.vcs || !vp.vcs.length) {
+          if (!matchingVp.vcs || !matchingVp.vcs.length) {
             result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
             result.errors?.push({
               status: Status.ERROR,
@@ -644,18 +655,18 @@ export class EvaluationClientWrapper {
             });
             continue;
           }
-          vc = vp.vcs[0];
+          vc = matchingVp.vcs[0];
         } else {
           result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
           result.errors?.push({
             status: Status.ERROR,
             tag: 'UnsupportedFormat',
-            message: `VP format ${vp.format} is not supported`,
+            message: `VP format ${matchingVp.format} is not supported`,
           });
           continue;
         }
       } else {
-        const extractionResult = this.extractWrappedVcFromWrappedVp(descriptor, descriptorIndex.toString(), vp);
+        const extractionResult = this.extractWrappedVcFromWrappedVp(descriptor, descriptorIndex.toString(), matchingVp);
         if (extractionResult.error) {
           result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
           result.errors?.push(extractionResult.error);
@@ -671,7 +682,9 @@ export class EvaluationClientWrapper {
 
       // Determine holder DIDs
       const holderDIDs =
-        CredentialMapper.isW3cPresentation(vp.presentation) && vp.presentation.holder ? [vp.presentation.holder] : opts?.holderDIDs || [];
+        CredentialMapper.isW3cPresentation(matchingVp.presentation) && matchingVp.presentation.holder
+          ? [matchingVp.presentation.holder]
+          : opts?.holderDIDs || [];
 
       if (pd.input_descriptors.findIndex((_id) => _id.id === descriptor.id) === -1) {
         result.areRequiredCredentialsPresent = Status.ERROR;
diff --git a/test/PEX.spec.ts b/test/PEX.spec.ts
index 8feeada..dd5737a 100644
--- a/test/PEX.spec.ts
+++ b/test/PEX.spec.ts
@@ -1088,6 +1088,59 @@ describe('evaluate', () => {
     expect(result.error).toEqual('This is not a valid PresentationDefinition');
   });
 
+  it('evaluatePresentation with submission using $[0] while not passing an array will result in an error', function () {
+    const pdSchema: PresentationDefinitionV2 = {
+      id: '49768857',
+      input_descriptors: [
+        {
+          id: 'prc_type',
+          name: 'Name',
+          purpose: 'We can only support a familyName in a Permanent Resident Card',
+          constraints: {
+            fields: [
+              {
+                path: ['$.credentialSubject.familyName'],
+                filter: {
+                  type: 'string',
+                  const: 'Pasteur',
+                },
+              },
+            ],
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+    };
+    const pex: PEX = new PEX();
+    const jwtEncodedVp = getFile('./test/dif_pe_examples/vp/vp_permanentResidentCard.jwt');
+    const evalResult: PresentationEvaluationResults = pex.evaluatePresentation(pdSchema, [jwtEncodedVp], {
+      presentationSubmissionLocation: PresentationSubmissionLocation.EXTERNAL,
+      presentationSubmission: {
+        definition_id: pdSchema.id,
+        id: 'random',
+        descriptor_map: [
+          {
+            id: 'prc_type',
+            format: 'ldp_vp',
+            path: '$',
+            path_nested: {
+              id: 'prc_type',
+              format: 'ldp_vc',
+              path: '$.verifiableCredential[0]',
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    expect(evalResult.errors).toEqual([
+      {
+        message:
+          "Extraction of path $ for submission.descriptor_map[0] returned multiple entires. This is probably because the submission uses '$' to reference the presentation, while an array was used (thus all presentations are selected). Make sure the submission uses the correct path.",
+        status: 'error',
+        tag: 'SubmissionPathMultipleEntries',
+      },
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('should pass with jwt vp with submission data', function () {
     const pdSchema: PresentationDefinitionV2 = {
       id: '49768857',