diff --git a/src/util-profiling.h b/src/util-profiling.h
index 647ad7b4cc..dbcd89489a 100644
--- a/src/util-profiling.h
+++ b/src/util-profiling.h
@@ -423,6 +423,7 @@ void SCProfilingRuleThreatAggregate(DetectEngineThreadCtx *det_ctx);
         SCProfilingRuleUpdateCounter(                                                              \
                 ctx, r->profiling_id, profile_rule_end_ - profile_rule_start_, m);                 \
         profiling_rules_entered--;                                                                 \
+        BUG_ON(profiling_rules_entered < 0);                                                       \
     }
 
 #else /* PROFILE_RULES */