diff --git a/kernel/module/main.c b/kernel/module/main.c
index eec6c9cf8dbb..c3ce106c70af 100644
--- a/kernel/module/main.c
+++ b/kernel/module/main.c
@@ -1568,6 +1568,13 @@ static int simplify_symbols(struct module *mod, const struct load_info *info)
 			break;
 
 		default:
+			if (sym[i].st_shndx >= info->hdr->e_shnum) {
+				pr_err("%s: Symbol %s has an invalid section index %u (max %u)\n",
+				       mod->name, name, sym[i].st_shndx, info->hdr->e_shnum - 1);
+				ret = -ENOEXEC;
+				break;
+			}
+
 			/* Divert to percpu allocation if a percpu var. */
 			if (sym[i].st_shndx == info->index.pcpu)
 				secbase = (unsigned long)mod_percpu(mod);