diff --git a/include/polarssl/ssl.h b/include/polarssl/ssl.h
index e31b77629..7aad9f90a 100644
--- a/include/polarssl/ssl.h
+++ b/include/polarssl/ssl.h
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@
 #define SSL_LEGACY_ALLOW_RENEGOTIATION  1
 #define SSL_LEGACY_BREAK_HANDSHAKE      2
 
+#define SSL_MAX_HOST_NAME_LEN           255 /*!< Maximum host name defined in RFC 1035 */
+
 /*
  * Size of the input / output buffer.
  * Note: the RFC defines the default size of SSL / TLS messages. If you
diff --git a/library/ssl_tls.c b/library/ssl_tls.c
index 734bc8f32..bed42869c 100644
--- a/library/ssl_tls.c
+++ b/library/ssl_tls.c
@@ -3350,6 +3350,9 @@ int ssl_set_hostname( ssl_context *ssl, const char *hostname )
     if( ssl->hostname_len + 1 == 0 )
         return( POLARSSL_ERR_SSL_BAD_INPUT_DATA );
 
+    if( ssl->hostname_len > SSL_MAX_HOST_NAME_LEN )
+        return( POLARSSL_ERR_SSL_BAD_INPUT_DATA );
+
     ssl->hostname = (unsigned char *) malloc( ssl->hostname_len + 1 );
 
     if( ssl->hostname == NULL )