diff --git a/pkg/vm/context.go b/pkg/vm/context.go
index 1e7ac9d1a..67dc7f1fb 100644
--- a/pkg/vm/context.go
+++ b/pkg/vm/context.go
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ func (c *Context) Next() (Instruction, []byte, error) {
 	case PUSHDATA4:
 		var n uint32
 		r.ReadLE(&n)
+		if n > MaxItemSize {
+			return instr, nil, errors.New("parameter is too big")
+		}
 		numtoread = int(n)
 		c.nextip += 4
 	case JMP, JMPIF, JMPIFNOT, CALL:
diff --git a/pkg/vm/vm_test.go b/pkg/vm/vm_test.go
index dea4a421f..7b870a733 100644
--- a/pkg/vm/vm_test.go
+++ b/pkg/vm/vm_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package vm
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"math/big"
 	"math/rand"
@@ -175,6 +176,16 @@ func TestPushData4ShortN(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, true, vm.HasFailed())
 }
 
+func TestPushData4BigN(t *testing.T) {
+	prog := make([]byte, 1+4+MaxItemSize+1)
+	prog[0] = byte(PUSHDATA4)
+	binary.LittleEndian.PutUint32(prog[1:], MaxItemSize+1)
+
+	vm := load(prog)
+	vm.Run()
+	assert.Equal(t, true, vm.HasFailed())
+}
+
 func TestPushData4Good(t *testing.T) {
 	prog := makeProgram(PUSHDATA4, 3, 0, 0, 0, 1, 2, 3)
 	vm := load(prog)