diff --git a/sys-utils/ipcutils.c b/sys-utils/ipcutils.c
index e784c4dcb..18868cfd3 100644
--- a/sys-utils/ipcutils.c
+++ b/sys-utils/ipcutils.c
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ static void get_sem_elements(struct sem_data *p)
 {
 	size_t i;
 
-	if (!p || !p->sem_nsems || p->sem_perm.id < 0)
+	if (!p || !p->sem_nsems || p->sem_nsems > SIZE_MAX || p->sem_perm.id < 0)
 		return;
 
 	p->elements = xcalloc(p->sem_nsems, sizeof(struct sem_elem));