diff --git a/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs b/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs
index 75e26e5c94091e..b52d6a665b3aaa 100644
--- a/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs
+++ b/programs/bpf_loader/src/syscalls.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use solana_sdk::{
     message::Message,
     process_instruction::{stable_log, ComputeMeter, InvokeContext, Logger},
     program_error::ProgramError,
-    pubkey::{Pubkey, PubkeyError},
+    pubkey::{Pubkey, PubkeyError, MAX_SEEDS},
 };
 use std::{
     alloc::Layout,
@@ -534,6 +534,9 @@ impl<'a> SyscallObject<BPFError> for SyscallCreateProgramAddress<'a> {
         // TODO need ref?
         let untranslated_seeds =
             translate_slice!(&[&u8], seeds_addr, seeds_len, ro_regions, self.loader_id)?;
+        if untranslated_seeds.len() > MAX_SEEDS {
+            return Ok(1);
+        }
         let seeds = untranslated_seeds
             .iter()
             .map(|untranslated_seed| {
@@ -548,9 +551,7 @@ impl<'a> SyscallObject<BPFError> for SyscallCreateProgramAddress<'a> {
             .collect::<Result<Vec<_>, EbpfError<BPFError>>>()?;
         let program_id = translate_type!(Pubkey, program_id_addr, ro_regions, self.loader_id)?;
 
-        let new_address = match Pubkey::create_program_address(&seeds, program_id)
-            .map_err(SyscallError::BadSeeds)
-        {
+        let new_address = match Pubkey::create_program_address(&seeds, program_id) {
             Ok(address) => address,
             Err(_) => return Ok(1),
         };
@@ -828,6 +829,9 @@ impl<'a> SyscallInvokeSigned<'a> for SyscallInvokeSignedRust<'a> {
                 ro_regions,
                 self.loader_id
             )?;
+            if signers_seeds.len() > MAX_SEEDS {
+                return Err(SyscallError::BadSeeds(PubkeyError::MaxSeedLengthExceeded).into());
+            }
             for signer_seeds in signers_seeds.iter() {
                 let untranslated_seeds = translate_slice!(
                     &[u8],
@@ -1081,6 +1085,9 @@ impl<'a> SyscallInvokeSigned<'a> for SyscallInvokeSignedC<'a> {
                 ro_regions,
                 self.loader_id
             )?;
+            if signers_seeds.len() > MAX_SEEDS {
+                return Err(SyscallError::BadSeeds(PubkeyError::MaxSeedLengthExceeded).into());
+            }
             Ok(signers_seeds
                 .iter()
                 .map(|signer_seeds| {
diff --git a/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs b/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs
index af7c73903678d0..50597839f861b3 100644
--- a/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs
+++ b/sdk/program/src/pubkey.rs
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ use num_derive::{FromPrimitive, ToPrimitive};
 use std::{convert::TryFrom, fmt, mem, str::FromStr};
 use thiserror::Error;
 
-/// maximum length of derived pubkey seed
+/// maximum length of derived `Pubkey` seed
 pub const MAX_SEED_LEN: usize = 32;
+/// Maximum number of seeds
+pub const MAX_SEEDS: usize = 16;
 
 #[derive(Error, Debug, Serialize, Clone, PartialEq, FromPrimitive, ToPrimitive)]
 pub enum PubkeyError {
@@ -136,15 +138,21 @@ impl Pubkey {
         seeds: &[&[u8]],
         program_id: &Pubkey,
     ) -> Result<Pubkey, PubkeyError> {
+        if seeds.len() > MAX_SEEDS {
+            return Err(PubkeyError::MaxSeedLengthExceeded);
+        }
+        for seed in seeds.iter() {
+            if seed.len() > MAX_SEED_LEN {
+                return Err(PubkeyError::MaxSeedLengthExceeded);
+            }
+        }
+
         // Perform the calculation inline, calling this from within a program is
         // not supported
         #[cfg(not(target_arch = "bpf"))]
         {
             let mut hasher = crate::hash::Hasher::default();
             for seed in seeds.iter() {
-                if seed.len() > MAX_SEED_LEN {
-                    return Err(PubkeyError::MaxSeedLengthExceeded);
-                }
                 hasher.hash(seed);
             }
             hasher.hashv(&[program_id.as_ref(), "ProgramDerivedAddress".as_ref()]);