diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c1c654446..74703e1db 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func main() {
 	// Walk the repository and update the local model before establishing any
 	// connections to other nodes.
 
-	infoln("Iniial repository scan in progress")
+	infoln("Initial repository scan in progress")
 	loadIndex(m)
 	updateLocalModel(m)
 
diff --git a/protocol/marshal.go b/protocol/marshal.go
index decd2c136..74e554d57 100644
--- a/protocol/marshal.go
+++ b/protocol/marshal.go
@@ -91,6 +91,11 @@ func (r *marshalReader) readBytes() []byte {
 	if r.err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+	if l > 10*1<<20 {
+		// Individual blobs in BEP are not significantly larger than BlockSize.
+		// BlockSize is not larger than 1MB.
+		panic("too large read - protocol error or out of sync")
+	}
 	b := buffers.Get(l + pad(l))
 	_, r.err = io.ReadFull(r.r, b)
 	r.tot += int(l + pad(l))