diff --git a/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c b/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c
index 7cb6a75261..cd475bc170 100644
--- a/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c
@@ -377,6 +377,10 @@ static av_always_inline int dnxhd_decode_dct_block(const DNXHDContext *ctx,
 
     UPDATE_CACHE(bs, &row->gb);
     GET_VLC(len, bs, &row->gb, ctx->dc_vlc.table, DNXHD_DC_VLC_BITS, 1);
+    if (len < 0) {
+        ret = len;
+        goto error;
+    }
     if (len) {
         level = GET_CACHE(bs, &row->gb);
         LAST_SKIP_BITS(bs, &row->gb, len);
@@ -430,7 +434,7 @@ static av_always_inline int dnxhd_decode_dct_block(const DNXHDContext *ctx,
         GET_VLC(index1, bs, &row->gb, ctx->ac_vlc.table,
                 DNXHD_VLC_BITS, 2);
     }
-
+error:
     CLOSE_READER(bs, &row->gb);
     return ret;
 }