diff --git a/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php b/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php
index cf13496c..ee6e1c9d 100644
--- a/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php
+++ b/phpseclib/Net/SCP.php
@@ -247,6 +247,13 @@ class SCP
         $content = '';
         while ($size < $info['size']) {
             $data = $this->_receive();
+
+            // Terminate the loop in case the server repeatedly sends an empty response
+            if ($data === false) {
+                user_error('No data received from server', E_USER_NOTICE);
+                return false;
+            }
+
             // SCP usually seems to split stuff out into 16k chunks
             $size+= strlen($data);