diff --git a/internal/wire/ietf_header.go b/internal/wire/ietf_header.go
index 38188641..9bc23d27 100644
--- a/internal/wire/ietf_header.go
+++ b/internal/wire/ietf_header.go
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ func parseLongHeader(b *bytes.Reader, packetSentBy protocol.Perspective, typeByt
 		if packetSentBy == protocol.PerspectiveClient {
 			return nil, qerr.Error(qerr.InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket, "sent by the client")
 		}
+		if b.Len() == 0 {
+			return nil, qerr.Error(qerr.InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket, "empty version list")
+		}
 		h.SupportedVersions = make([]protocol.VersionNumber, b.Len()/4)
 		for i := 0; b.Len() > 0; i++ {
 			v, err := utils.BigEndian.ReadUint32(b)
diff --git a/internal/wire/ietf_header_test.go b/internal/wire/ietf_header_test.go
index 16f6c031..ecd96bab 100644
--- a/internal/wire/ietf_header_test.go
+++ b/internal/wire/ietf_header_test.go
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ var _ = Describe("Header", func() {
 					_, err := ParseHeader(b, protocol.PerspectiveClient)
 					Expect(err).To(MatchError("InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket: sent by the client"))
 				})
+
+				It("errors if the version list is emtpy", func() {
+					b := bytes.NewReader(data)
+					_, err := ParseHeader(b, protocol.PerspectiveServer)
+					Expect(err).To(MatchError("InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket: empty version list"))
+				})
 			})
 		})
 
diff --git a/internal/wire/public_header.go b/internal/wire/public_header.go
index 5b3a18c4..0e9d9b7d 100644
--- a/internal/wire/public_header.go
+++ b/internal/wire/public_header.go
@@ -205,6 +205,9 @@ func ParsePublicHeader(b *bytes.Reader, packetSentBy protocol.Perspective, versi
 	// Version (optional)
 	if !header.ResetFlag && header.VersionFlag {
 		if packetSentBy == protocol.PerspectiveServer { // parse the version negotiaton packet
+			if b.Len() == 0 {
+				return nil, qerr.Error(qerr.InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket, "empty version list")
+			}
 			if b.Len()%4 != 0 {
 				return nil, qerr.InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket
 			}
diff --git a/internal/wire/public_header_test.go b/internal/wire/public_header_test.go
index 07a5a281..98414cdf 100644
--- a/internal/wire/public_header_test.go
+++ b/internal/wire/public_header_test.go
@@ -145,14 +145,10 @@ var _ = Describe("Public Header", func() {
 				Expect(b.Len()).To(BeZero())
 			})
 
-			It("parses a version negotiation packet that contains 0 versions", func() {
+			It("errors if it doesn't contain any versions", func() {
 				b := bytes.NewReader([]byte{0x9, 0xf6, 0x19, 0x86, 0x66, 0x9b, 0x9f, 0xfa, 0x4c})
-				hdr, err := ParsePublicHeader(b, protocol.PerspectiveServer, protocol.VersionUnknown)
-				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
-				Expect(hdr.VersionFlag).To(BeTrue())
-				Expect(hdr.VersionNumber).To(BeZero()) // unitialized
-				Expect(hdr.SupportedVersions).To(BeEmpty())
-				Expect(b.Len()).To(BeZero())
+				_, err := ParsePublicHeader(b, protocol.PerspectiveServer, protocol.VersionUnknown)
+				Expect(err).To(MatchError("InvalidVersionNegotiationPacket: empty version list"))
 			})
 
 			It("reads version negotiation packets containing unsupported versions", func() {