diff --git a/hotspot/src/share/vm/classfile/classFileParser.cpp b/hotspot/src/share/vm/classfile/classFileParser.cpp
index 8b3ef37d590..0f2f8d590c4 100644
--- a/hotspot/src/share/vm/classfile/classFileParser.cpp
+++ b/hotspot/src/share/vm/classfile/classFileParser.cpp
@@ -2859,6 +2859,11 @@ void ClassFileParser::parse_classfile_bootstrap_methods_attribute(u4 attribute_b
       "bootstrap_method_index %u has bad constant type in class file %s",
       bootstrap_method_index,
       CHECK);
+
+    guarantee_property((operand_fill_index + 1 + argument_count) < operands->length(),
+      "Invalid BootstrapMethods num_bootstrap_methods or num_bootstrap_arguments value in class file %s",
+      CHECK);
+
     operands->at_put(operand_fill_index++, bootstrap_method_index);
     operands->at_put(operand_fill_index++, argument_count);
 
@@ -2875,8 +2880,6 @@ void ClassFileParser::parse_classfile_bootstrap_methods_attribute(u4 attribute_b
     }
   }
 
-  assert(ConstantPool::operand_array_length(operands) == attribute_array_length, "correct decode");
-
   u1* current_end = cfs->current();
   guarantee_property(current_end == current_start + attribute_byte_length,
                      "Bad length on BootstrapMethods in class file %s",