3 files changed, 5 insertions, 4 deletions
diff --git a/src/libutil/archive.cc b/src/libutil/archive.cc
index 1be8934a2eba..bb68e82886d0 100644
--- a/src/libutil/archive.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/archive.cc
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ void parseDump(ParseSink & sink, Source & source)
 {
     string version;
     try {
-        version = readString(source);
+        version = readString(source, narVersionMagic1.size());
     } catch (SerialisationError & e) {
         /* This generally means the integer at the start couldn't be
            decoded.  Ignore and throw the exception below. */
diff --git a/src/libutil/serialise.cc b/src/libutil/serialise.cc
index 17448f70efb6..31df6fdfde86 100644
--- a/src/libutil/serialise.cc
+++ b/src/libutil/serialise.cc
@@ -268,16 +268,17 @@ void readPadding(size_t len, Source & source)
 size_t readString(unsigned char * buf, size_t max, Source & source)
 {
     auto len = readNum<size_t>(source);
-    if (len > max) throw Error("string is too long");
+    if (len > max) throw SerialisationError("string is too long");
     source(buf, len);
     readPadding(len, source);
     return len;
 }
 
 
-string readString(Source & source)
+string readString(Source & source, size_t max)
 {
     auto len = readNum<size_t>(source);
+    if (len > max) throw SerialisationError("string is too long");
     std::string res(len, 0);
     source((unsigned char*) res.data(), len);
     readPadding(len, source);
diff --git a/src/libutil/serialise.hh b/src/libutil/serialise.hh
index 4b6ad5da5b9c..969e4dff383d 100644
--- a/src/libutil/serialise.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/serialise.hh
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ inline uint64_t readLongLong(Source & source)
 
 void readPadding(size_t len, Source & source);
 size_t readString(unsigned char * buf, size_t max, Source & source);
-string readString(Source & source);
+string readString(Source & source, size_t max = std::numeric_limits<size_t>::max());
 template<class T> T readStrings(Source & source);
 
 Source & operator >> (Source & in, string & s);