diff --git a/sys/dev/raid/dpt/dpt_scsi.c b/sys/dev/raid/dpt/dpt_scsi.c
index ebc9e1a..91d5d27 100644
--- a/sys/dev/raid/dpt/dpt_scsi.c
+++ b/sys/dev/raid/dpt/dpt_scsi.c
@@ -1311,6 +1311,14 @@ dpt_init(struct dpt_softc *dpt)
 	dpt->irq	 = conf.IRQ;
 	dpt->dma_channel = (8 - conf.DMA_channel) & 7;
 	dpt->channels	 = conf.MAX_CHAN + 1;
+	/* MAX_CHAN is a controller-fed 3-bit field; sims[]/paths[]/hostid[]
+	 * in the softc are sized MAX_CHANNELS.  Clamp before dpt_attach()
+	 * walks the channel count. */
+	if (dpt->channels > MAX_CHANNELS) {
+		kprintf("dpt%d: controller reported %d channels; clamping to %d\n",
+		       dpt->unit, dpt->channels, MAX_CHANNELS);
+		dpt->channels = MAX_CHANNELS;
+	}
 	dpt->state	|= DPT_HA_OK;
 	if (conf.SECOND)
 		dpt->primary = FALSE;