diff --git a/src/pyrecest/utils/metrics/__init__.py b/src/pyrecest/utils/metrics/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e4c14a82a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pyrecest/utils/metrics/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+"""Compatibility wrapper for :mod:`pyrecest.utils.metrics`."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import math as _math
+import runpy
+from pathlib import Path
+
+_metrics = runpy.run_path(
+    str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1] / "metrics.py"), run_name=__name__
+)
+
+
+def _validate_order_cutoff(order: float, cutoff: float) -> tuple[float, float]:
+    order = float(order)
+    cutoff = float(cutoff)
+    if not _math.isfinite(order) or order < 1.0:
+        raise ValueError("order must be finite and at least 1")
+    if cutoff <= 0.0 or not _math.isfinite(cutoff):
+        raise ValueError("cutoff must be a finite positive number")
+    return order, cutoff
+
+
+_metrics["_validate_order_cutoff"] = _validate_order_cutoff
+for _name, _value in _metrics.items():
+    if not (_name.startswith("__") and _name != "__all__"):
+        globals()[_name] = _value
+__all__ = _metrics["__all__"]
diff --git a/tests/test_metrics_order_validation.py b/tests/test_metrics_order_validation.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3c77c2526
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_metrics_order_validation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import unittest
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from pyrecest.utils.metrics import gospa_distance, ospa_distance
+
+
+class TestFiniteSetMetricOrderValidation(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_set_distance_order_rejects_nonfinite_values(self):
+        for metric in (ospa_distance, gospa_distance):
+            for order in (np.nan, np.inf, -np.inf):
+                with self.subTest(metric=metric.__name__, order=order):
+                    with self.assertRaisesRegex(
+                        ValueError,
+                        "order must be finite and at least 1",
+                    ):
+                        metric([[0.0]], [[0.0]], cutoff=1.0, order=order)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()