diff --git a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/Scan.java b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/Scan.java
index 1d9b1302a72..a518ffb58cd 100644
--- a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/Scan.java
+++ b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/Scan.java
@@ -362,8 +362,16 @@ public class Scan extends Query {
    * @param startRow row to start scan on (inclusive)
    * Note: In order to make startRow exclusive add a trailing 0 byte
    * @return this
+   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if startRow does not meet criteria
+   * for a row key (when length exceeds {@link HConstants#MAX_ROW_LENGTH})
    */
   public Scan setStartRow(byte [] startRow) {
+    if (Bytes.len(startRow) > HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+        "startRow's length must be less than or equal to " +
+        HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH + " to meet the criteria" +
+        " for a row key.");
+    }
     this.startRow = startRow;
     return this;
   }
@@ -376,8 +384,16 @@ public class Scan extends Query {
    * use {@link #setRowPrefixFilter(byte[])}.
    * The 'trailing 0' will not yield the desired result.</p>
    * @return this
+   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if stopRow does not meet criteria
+   * for a row key (when length exceeds {@link HConstants#MAX_ROW_LENGTH})
    */
   public Scan setStopRow(byte [] stopRow) {
+    if (Bytes.len(stopRow) > HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+        "stopRow's length must be less than or equal to " +
+        HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH + " to meet the criteria" +
+        " for a row key.");
+    }
     this.stopRow = stopRow;
     return this;
   }
diff --git a/hbase-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/TestScan.java b/hbase-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/TestScan.java
index d843723e0fe..5f771cd66c1 100644
--- a/hbase-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/TestScan.java
+++ b/hbase-client/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/TestScan.java
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@ import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.testclassification.SmallTests;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.HConstants;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.protobuf.ProtobufUtil;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.protobuf.generated.ClientProtos;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.security.visibility.Authorizations;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.testclassification.SmallTests;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.util.Bytes;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -131,5 +132,31 @@ public class TestScan {
       fail("should not throw exception");
     }
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testSetStartRowAndSetStopRow() {
+    Scan scan = new Scan();
+    scan.setStartRow(null);
+    scan.setStartRow(new byte[1]);
+    scan.setStartRow(new byte[HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH]);
+    try {
+      scan.setStartRow(new byte[HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH+1]);
+      fail("should've thrown exception");
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      fail("expected IllegalArgumentException to be thrown");
+    }
+
+    scan.setStopRow(null);
+    scan.setStopRow(new byte[1]);
+    scan.setStopRow(new byte[HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH]);
+    try {
+      scan.setStopRow(new byte[HConstants.MAX_ROW_LENGTH+1]);
+      fail("should've thrown exception");
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException iae) {
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      fail("expected IllegalArgumentException to be thrown");
+    }
+  }
 }