diff --git a/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.5.2.rst b/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.5.2.rst
index aaf00804262bb..4cf5fcd85884a 100644
--- a/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.5.2.rst
+++ b/doc/source/whatsnew/v1.5.2.rst
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Fixed regressions
 
 Bug fixes
 ~~~~~~~~~
--
+- Bug in :meth:`DataFrame` construction when constructing from a dict where one of the dict values is a numpy recarray should fail, but didn't (:issue:`49388`)
 -
 
 .. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/pandas/core/construction.py b/pandas/core/construction.py
index 4ceafa6d4462e..d9e61bd8fc921 100644
--- a/pandas/core/construction.py
+++ b/pandas/core/construction.py
@@ -534,6 +534,13 @@ def sanitize_array(
         if dtype is None:
             dtype = data.dtype
         data = lib.item_from_zerodim(data)
+    elif isinstance(data, np.ndarray) and len(data.dtype):
+        # GH#13296 we are dealing with a compound dtype, which
+        # should be treated as 2D
+        raise ValueError(
+            "Cannot construct a 1-dim array for a DataFrame from an ndarray with "
+            f"compound dtype {repr(data.dtype)}."
+        )
     elif isinstance(data, range):
         # GH#16804
         data = range_to_ndarray(data)
diff --git a/pandas/tests/frame/test_constructors.py b/pandas/tests/frame/test_constructors.py
index 5a83c4997b33c..fe0587009ad48 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/frame/test_constructors.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/frame/test_constructors.py
@@ -797,6 +797,17 @@ def test_constructor_dict_of_generators(self):
         expected = DataFrame({"a": [0, 1, 2], "b": [2, 1, 0]})
         tm.assert_frame_equal(result, expected)
 
+    def test_constructor_dict_of_rec_raises(self):
+        # GH 49388
+        c = np.array([2] * 20, dtype="f8")
+        rec_arr = np.rec.fromarrays([c], names=["c"])
+        msg = (
+            "Cannot construct a array for a DataFrame from an ndarray with "
+            r"compound dtype "
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=msg):
+            DataFrame({"a": rec_arr})
+
     def test_constructor_dict_multiindex(self):
         d = {
             ("a", "a"): {("i", "i"): 0, ("i", "j"): 1, ("j", "i"): 2},