diff --git a/index.ts b/index.ts
index 0c9c91c..f6d1e44 100644
--- a/index.ts
+++ b/index.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ export class HDKey {
     if (!opt || typeof opt !== 'object') {
       throw new Error('HDKey.constructor must not be called directly');
     }
+    if (typeof opt.depth !== 'undefined' && opt.depth >= 256) {
+      throw new Error('HDKey: opt.depth exceeds the serializable value 255');
+    }
     this.versions = opt.versions || BITCOIN_VERSIONS;
     this.depth = opt.depth || 0;
     this.chainCode = opt.chainCode || null;
diff --git a/test/hdkey.test.js b/test/hdkey.test.js
index d9b281b..b5fe983 100644
--- a/test/hdkey.test.js
+++ b/test/hdkey.test.js
@@ -79,6 +79,55 @@ const fixtures = [
     },
 ];
 describe('hdkey', () => {
+    it('Should throw an error when constructing a key of excesive depth', () => {
+      const seed = '000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f';
+      var hdkey = HDKey.fromMasterSeed(hexToBytes(seed));
+
+      const optMaxDepth = {
+        versions: hdkey.versions,
+        chainCode: hdkey.chainCode,
+        // The depth is the maximum 255
+        depth: 255,
+        parentFingerprint: hdkey.fingerprint,
+        index: 0,
+        privateKey: hdkey.privateKey,
+      };
+      // no errors
+      new HDKey(optMaxDepth);
+
+      // Craft whatever key, but with excesive depth
+      const optTooDeep = {
+        versions: hdkey.versions,
+        chainCode: hdkey.chainCode,
+        // The depth is exceeding 255
+        depth: 256,
+        parentFingerprint: hdkey.fingerprint,
+        index: 0,
+        privateKey: hdkey.privateKey,
+      };
+      throws(() => new HDKey(optTooDeep));
+    });
+    it('Should throw an error when deriving keys of 256 depth', () => {
+      const seed = '000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f';
+      var hdkey = HDKey.fromMasterSeed(hexToBytes(seed));
+
+      // deriving 255 children should work
+      for (let i = 0; i < 255; i++) {
+          hdkey = hdkey.deriveChild(0);
+      }
+      // deriving one more shall throw an error
+      throws(() => hdkey.deriveChild(0));
+    });
+    it('Should throw an error when deriving from path of length 256', () => {
+      const seed = '000102030405060708090a0b0c0d0e0f';
+      var hdkey = HDKey.fromMasterSeed(hexToBytes(seed));
+
+      // master key "lives" at 0th level, together with 255
+      // more level its 256, which is still serializable
+      hdkey.derive('m' + '/0'.repeat(255));
+      // but deriving one level deeper fails.
+      throws(() => hdkey.derive('m' + '/0'.repeat(256)));
+    });
     it('Should derive private key correctly', () => {
         const seed = 'fffcf9f6f3f0edeae7e4e1dedbd8d5d2cfccc9c6c3c0bdbab7b4b1aeaba8a5a29f9c999693908d8a8784817e7b7875726f6c696663605d5a5754514e4b484542';
         const hdkey = HDKey.fromMasterSeed(hexToBytes(seed));