diff --git a/src/d_netcmd.c b/src/d_netcmd.c
index 0434e7e4b..f4916756c 100644
--- a/src/d_netcmd.c
+++ b/src/d_netcmd.c
@@ -3078,6 +3078,7 @@ static void Got_RequestAddfilecmd(UINT8 **cp, INT32 playernum)
 	filestatus_t ncs = FS_NOTFOUND;
 	UINT8 md5sum[16];
 	boolean kick = false;
+	boolean toomany = false;
 	INT32 i;
 
 	READSTRINGN(*cp, filename, 240);
@@ -3104,13 +3105,18 @@ static void Got_RequestAddfilecmd(UINT8 **cp, INT32 playernum)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	ncs = findfile(filename,md5sum,true);
+	if (numwadfiles >= MAX_WADFILES) // a more comprehensive check in internal; bare minimum of out-of-bounds for public next
+		toomany = true;
+	else
+		ncs = findfile(filename,md5sum,true);
 
-	if (ncs != FS_FOUND)
+	if (ncs != FS_FOUND || toomany)
 	{
 		char message[256];
 
-		if (ncs == FS_NOTFOUND)
+		if (toomany)
+			sprintf(message, M_GetText("Too many files loaded to add %s\n"), filename);
+		else if (ncs == FS_NOTFOUND)
 			sprintf(message, M_GetText("The server doesn't have %s\n"), filename);
 		else if (ncs == FS_MD5SUMBAD)
 			sprintf(message, M_GetText("Checksum mismatch on %s\n"), filename);