diff --git a/grub-core/net/netbuff.c b/grub-core/net/netbuff.c
index dbeeefe4783c75784d40994afed192de5ea422b3..d5e9e9a0d79789d4139fc95d3c6762d05c7bc471 100644
--- a/grub-core/net/netbuff.c
+++ b/grub-core/net/netbuff.c
@@ -79,10 +79,23 @@ grub_netbuff_alloc (grub_size_t len)
 
   COMPILE_TIME_ASSERT (NETBUFF_ALIGN % sizeof (grub_properly_aligned_t) == 0);
 
+  /*
+   * The largest size of a TCP packet is 64 KiB, and everything else
+   * should be a lot smaller - most MTUs are 1500 or less. Cap data
+   * size at 64 KiB + a buffer.
+   */
+  if (len > 0xffffUL + 0x1000UL)
+    {
+      grub_error (GRUB_ERR_BUG,
+                  "attempted to allocate a packet that is too big");
+      return NULL;
+    }
+
   if (len < NETBUFFMINLEN)
     len = NETBUFFMINLEN;
 
   len = ALIGN_UP (len, NETBUFF_ALIGN);
+
 #ifdef GRUB_MACHINE_EMU
   data = grub_malloc (len + sizeof (*nb));
 #else