diff --git a/hal/lib/athena/DIO.cpp b/hal/lib/athena/DIO.cpp
index 8ed5c4bfb9..18517f4a8d 100644
--- a/hal/lib/athena/DIO.cpp
+++ b/hal/lib/athena/DIO.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ HAL_DigitalHandle HAL_InitializeDIOPort(HAL_PortHandle portHandle,
   if (*status != 0) return HAL_kInvalidHandle;
 
   int16_t channel = getPortHandleChannel(portHandle);
-  if (channel == InvalidHandleIndex) {
+  if (channel == InvalidHandleIndex || channel >= kNumDigitalChannels) {
     *status = PARAMETER_OUT_OF_RANGE;
     return HAL_kInvalidHandle;
   }