diff --git a/readseeker.go b/readseeker.go
index b1d5064..d03bf31 100644
--- a/readseeker.go
+++ b/readseeker.go
@@ -94,17 +94,25 @@ func (ip *IndexPos) loadChunk() error {
 	// is being loaded
 	if ip.curChunkID == ip.nullChunk.ID {
 		ip.curChunk = ip.nullChunk.Data
-		return nil
-	}
-	chunk, err := ip.Store.GetChunk(ip.curChunkID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	} else {
+		chunk, err := ip.Store.GetChunk(ip.curChunkID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		b, err := chunk.Data()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		ip.curChunk = b
 	}
-	b, err := chunk.Data()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	// The read path assumes len(curChunk) matches the size the index declares
+	// for this chunk. A mismatch means a corrupt or malicious index; without
+	// this check Read() can slice curChunk out of bounds (panic) or spin in a
+	// zero-progress loop. AssembleFile performs the same check.
+	if uint64(len(ip.curChunk)) != ip.Index.Chunks[ip.curChunkIdx].Size {
+		ip.curChunk = nil
+		return fmt.Errorf("unexpected size for chunk %s", ip.curChunkID.String())
 	}
-	ip.curChunk = b
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/readseeker_test.go b/readseeker_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9baefb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/readseeker_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+package desync
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+// chunkID returns the ID desync would assign to the given plain data.
+func chunkID(b []byte) ChunkID { return Digest.Sum(b) }
+
+// TestIndexReadSeekerSizeMismatchPanic ensures that an index declaring a chunk
+// size larger than the actual stored chunk results in an error rather than a
+// "slice bounds out of range" panic in the read path.
+func TestIndexReadSeekerSizeMismatchPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	data := []byte("data") // real chunk is 4 bytes
+	store := &TestStore{Chunks: map[ChunkID][]byte{chunkID(data): data}}
+
+	// The index lies: it claims the chunk is 1000 bytes long.
+	idx := Index{
+		Index: FormatIndex{ChunkSizeMax: ChunkSizeMaxDefault},
+		Chunks: []IndexChunk{
+			{ID: chunkID(data), Start: 0, Size: 1000},
+		},
+	}
+
+	r := NewIndexReadSeeker(idx, store)
+
+	// Seek past the real chunk length but within the declared size.
+	_, err := r.Seek(200, io.SeekStart)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	buf := make([]byte, 16)
+	require.NotPanics(t, func() {
+		_, err = r.Read(buf)
+	})
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unexpected size for chunk")
+}
+
+// TestIndexReadSeekerSizeMismatchNoLoop ensures that a short (under-sized) chunk
+// that is not the last one causes Read to return an error promptly instead of
+// spinning in a zero-progress loop.
+func TestIndexReadSeekerSizeMismatchNoLoop(t *testing.T) {
+	short := []byte("data")    // real chunk is 4 bytes
+	tail := []byte("trailing") // a normal following chunk
+	store := &TestStore{Chunks: map[ChunkID][]byte{
+		chunkID(short): short,
+		chunkID(tail):  tail,
+	}}
+
+	// First chunk claims 1000 bytes but only 4 are stored, and it's followed by
+	// another chunk so the "last chunk" short-read break does not apply.
+	idx := Index{
+		Index: FormatIndex{ChunkSizeMax: ChunkSizeMaxDefault},
+		Chunks: []IndexChunk{
+			{ID: chunkID(short), Start: 0, Size: 1000},
+			{ID: chunkID(tail), Start: 1000, Size: uint64(len(tail))},
+		},
+	}
+
+	r := NewIndexReadSeeker(idx, store)
+
+	done := make(chan error, 1)
+	go func() {
+		buf := make([]byte, 64)
+		_, err := r.Read(buf)
+		done <- err
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case err := <-done:
+		require.Error(t, err)
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "unexpected size for chunk")
+	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Read did not return; likely spinning in a zero-progress loop")
+	}
+}
+
+// TestIndexReadSeekerValid verifies the read path still returns the correct
+// content for a well-formed multi-chunk index, including a null chunk served
+// from memory, and that seeking works.
+func TestIndexReadSeekerValid(t *testing.T) {
+	head := []byte("hello, world")
+	null := make([]byte, ChunkSizeMaxDefault)
+	tail := []byte("goodbye, world")
+
+	store := &TestStore{Chunks: map[ChunkID][]byte{
+		chunkID(head): head,
+		chunkID(tail): tail,
+		// the null chunk is intentionally not stored; it must be served from memory
+	}}
+
+	idx := Index{
+		Index: FormatIndex{ChunkSizeMax: ChunkSizeMaxDefault},
+		Chunks: []IndexChunk{
+			{ID: chunkID(head), Start: 0, Size: uint64(len(head))},
+			{ID: NewNullChunk(ChunkSizeMaxDefault).ID, Start: uint64(len(head)), Size: ChunkSizeMaxDefault},
+			{ID: chunkID(tail), Start: uint64(len(head)) + ChunkSizeMaxDefault, Size: uint64(len(tail))},
+		},
+	}
+
+	want := bytes.Join([][]byte{head, null, tail}, nil)
+
+	// Full sequential read.
+	r := NewIndexReadSeeker(idx, store)
+	got, err := io.ReadAll(r)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, want, got)
+
+	// Seek to the start of the last chunk and read its content.
+	off := int64(len(head)) + int64(ChunkSizeMaxDefault)
+	_, err = r.Seek(off, io.SeekStart)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	got, err = io.ReadAll(r)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, tail, got)
+}