diff --git a/net/nfc/nci/core.c b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
index 2cfff70f70e062db8be50df2542bc8f3596c93e8..9e524884d4ac4a0cefd230dea1ff4b90c4ec7f55 100644
--- a/net/nfc/nci/core.c
+++ b/net/nfc/nci/core.c
@@ -894,6 +894,11 @@ static int nci_activate_target(struct nfc_dev *nfc_dev,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
+	if (protocol >= NFC_PROTO_MAX) {
+		pr_err("the requested nfc protocol is invalid\n");
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
 	if (!(nci_target->supported_protocols & (1 << protocol))) {
 		pr_err("target does not support the requested protocol 0x%x\n",
 		       protocol);