diff --git a/reftable/table.c b/reftable/table.c
index f4bc86a29d..b4d3f9e211 100644
--- a/reftable/table.c
+++ b/reftable/table.c
@@ -562,6 +562,11 @@ int reftable_table_new(struct reftable_table **out,
 		goto done;
 	}
 
+	if (file_size < header_size(t->version) + footer_size(t->version)) {
+		err = REFTABLE_FORMAT_ERROR;
+		goto done;
+	}
+
 	t->size = file_size - footer_size(t->version);
 	t->source = *source;
 	t->name = reftable_strdup(name);
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/u-reftable-table.c b/t/unit-tests/u-reftable-table.c
index c7dca45e70..28b0ef5258 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/u-reftable-table.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/u-reftable-table.c
@@ -262,3 +262,31 @@ void test_reftable_table__seek_invalid_log_offset(void)
 	reftable_table_decref(table);
 	reftable_buf_release(&buf);
 }
+
+void test_reftable_table__new_with_truncated_table(void)
+{
+	struct reftable_ref_record refs[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "refs/heads/main",
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 42 },
+		},
+	};
+	struct reftable_block_source source = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_table *table;
+	struct reftable_buf buf = REFTABLE_BUF_INIT;
+
+	cl_reftable_write_to_buf(&buf, refs, ARRAY_SIZE(refs), NULL, 0, NULL);
+
+	/*
+	 * Truncate the table so that it is large enough to read the header, but
+	 * too small to also contain the footer.
+	 */
+	buf.len = footer_size(1) - 1;
+	block_source_from_buf(&source, &buf);
+
+	cl_assert_equal_i(reftable_table_new(&table, &source, "name"),
+			  REFTABLE_FORMAT_ERROR);
+
+	reftable_buf_release(&buf);
+}