diff --git a/src/detect-parse.c b/src/detect-parse.c
index 33d739300d..2e798d7b1c 100644
--- a/src/detect-parse.c
+++ b/src/detect-parse.c
@@ -473,7 +473,8 @@ void SigMatchAppendSMToList(Signature *s, SigMatch *new, const int list)
                 s->init_data->curbuf == NULL) {
             if (SignatureInitDataBufferCheckExpand(s) < 0) {
                 SCLogError("failed to expand rule buffer array");
-                // return -1; TODO error handle
+                s->init_data->init_flags |= SIG_FLAG_INIT_OVERFLOW;
+                return;
             }
 
             /* initialize new buffer */
@@ -1904,6 +1905,11 @@ static int SigValidate(DetectEngineCtx *de_ctx, Signature *s)
         SCReturnInt(0);
     }
 
+    if (s->init_data->init_flags & SIG_FLAG_INIT_OVERFLOW) {
+        SCLogError("rule %u tries to use too many buffers", s->id);
+        SCReturnInt(0);
+    }
+
     bool has_frame = false;
     bool has_app = false;
     bool has_pkt = false;
diff --git a/src/detect.h b/src/detect.h
index fd299c5047..69a5524e58 100644
--- a/src/detect.h
+++ b/src/detect.h
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ typedef struct DetectPort_ {
     BIT_U32(8) /**< priority is explicitly set by the priority keyword */
 #define SIG_FLAG_INIT_FILEDATA              BIT_U32(9)  /**< signature has filedata keyword */
 #define SIG_FLAG_INIT_JA3                   BIT_U32(10) /**< signature has ja3 keyword */
+#define SIG_FLAG_INIT_OVERFLOW              BIT_U32(11) /**< signature has overflown buffers */
 
 /* signature mask flags */
 /** \note: additions should be added to the rule analyzer as well */