diff --git a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/sunxi_nand.c b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/sunxi_nand.c
index 80006d1a33d6..bd2193d7259d 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/sunxi_nand.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/nand/raw/sunxi_nand.c
@@ -2230,6 +2230,11 @@ static int sunxi_nand_hw_ecc_ctrl_init(struct nand_chip *nand,
 	ecc->bytes = ALIGN(ecc->bytes, 2);
 
 	nsectors = mtd->writesize / ecc->size;
+	if (nsectors > nfc->caps->max_ecc_steps) {
+		dev_err(nfc->dev, "unsupported number of ECC steps: %d (max %u)\n",
+			nsectors, nfc->caps->max_ecc_steps);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 
 	ret = sunxi_nand->oob_ops->init_user_data(nand, nsectors);
 	if (ret)