diff --git a/src/wav_io.c b/src/wav_io.c
index b51830158f4defb536a760c93a77567daf69a74b..09d62eb017bb48fe48fa1efcaa122719ef1fe39f 100644
--- a/src/wav_io.c
+++ b/src/wav_io.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ int read_wav_header(FILE *file, int *rate, int *channels, int *format, spx_int32
stmp = le_short(stmp);
*channels = stmp;
- if (stmp>2)
+ if (stmp>2 || stmp<1)
{
fprintf (stderr, "Only mono and (intensity) stereo supported\n");
return -1;