diff --git a/src/lua_script.c b/src/lua_script.c
index 6bd1a81c5..c504cc6f3 100644
--- a/src/lua_script.c
+++ b/src/lua_script.c
@@ -980,8 +980,17 @@ static UINT8 ArchiveValue(int TABLESINDEX, int myindex)
 			lua_pop(gL, 1);
 		}
 		if (!found)
+		{
 			t++;
 
+			if (t == 0)
+			{
+				CONS_Alert(CONS_ERROR, "Too many tables to archive!\n");
+				WRITEUINT8(save_p, ARCH_NULL);
+				return 0;
+			}
+		}
+
 		WRITEUINT8(save_p, ARCH_TABLE);
 		WRITEUINT16(save_p, t);