diff --git a/src/common.cc b/src/common.cc
index 357a8a7a..4167c37c 100644
--- a/src/common.cc
+++ b/src/common.cc
@@ -375,6 +375,10 @@ uint8_t cpu_percentage(struct text_object *obj) {
 }
 
 double cpu_barval(struct text_object *obj) {
+  if (static_cast<unsigned int>(obj->data.i) > info.cpu_count) {
+    NORM_ERR("obj->data.i %i info.cpu_count %i", obj->data.i, info.cpu_count);
+    CRIT_ERR(nullptr, nullptr, "attempting to use more CPUs than you have!");
+  }
   if (info.cpu_usage != nullptr) { return info.cpu_usage[obj->data.i]; }
   return 0.;
 }
diff --git a/tests/test-common.cc b/tests/test-common.cc
index 3f227e4c..eefca57d 100644
--- a/tests/test-common.cc
+++ b/tests/test-common.cc
@@ -160,11 +160,10 @@ TEST_CASE("cpu_percentage and cpu_barval return correct values") {
     info.cpu_usage[0] = 0.253;
     info.cpu_usage[1] = 0.507;
 
-    REQUIRE(cpu_barval(&obj2) == 0);
-
     // This does not exist in Catch2, but would be nice to have since that's
     // what happens in this case.
     // REQUIRE_EXIT(cpu_percentage(&obj2));
+    // REQUIRE_EXIT(cpu_barval(&obj2));
 
     delete[] info.cpu_usage;
   }