diff --git a/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c b/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c
index b09b1c269e..1a8fc9d600 100644
--- a/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c
+++ b/subprojects/libvhost-user/libvhost-user.c
@@ -690,6 +690,21 @@ vu_add_mem_reg(VuDev *dev, VhostUserMsg *vmsg) {
     VuDevRegion *dev_region = &dev->regions[dev->nregions];
     void *mmap_addr;
 
+    if (vmsg->fd_num != 1) {
+        vmsg_close_fds(vmsg);
+        vu_panic(dev, "VHOST_USER_ADD_MEM_REG received %d fds - only 1 fd "
+                      "should be sent for this message type", vmsg->fd_num);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (vmsg->size < VHOST_USER_MEM_REG_SIZE) {
+        close(vmsg->fds[0]);
+        vu_panic(dev, "VHOST_USER_ADD_MEM_REG requires a message size of at "
+                      "least %d bytes and only %d bytes were received",
+                      VHOST_USER_MEM_REG_SIZE, vmsg->size);
+        return false;
+    }
+
     /*
      * If we are in postcopy mode and we receive a u64 payload with a 0 value
      * we know all the postcopy client bases have been received, and we