diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/DefaultSearchContext.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/DefaultSearchContext.java
index 433222b281a..3d6244e11b4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/DefaultSearchContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/internal/DefaultSearchContext.java
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ import org.elasticsearch.search.fetch.script.ScriptFieldsContext;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.fetch.source.FetchSourceContext;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.highlight.SearchContextHighlight;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.lookup.SearchLookup;
+import org.elasticsearch.search.query.QueryPhaseExecutionException;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.query.QuerySearchResult;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.rescore.RescoreSearchContext;
 import org.elasticsearch.search.scan.ScanContext;
@@ -213,6 +214,15 @@ public class DefaultSearchContext extends SearchContext {
      * Should be called before executing the main query and after all other parameters have been set.
      */
     public void preProcess() {
+        if (!(from() == -1 && size() == -1)) {
+            // from and size have been set.
+            int numHits = from() + size();
+            if (numHits < 0) {
+                String msg = "Result window is too large, from + size must be less than or equal to: [" + Integer.MAX_VALUE + "] but was [" + (((long) from()) + ((long) size())) + "]";
+                throw new QueryPhaseExecutionException(this, msg);
+            }
+        }
+
         if (query() == null) {
             parsedQuery(ParsedQuery.parsedMatchAllQuery());
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/query/QueryPhaseExecutionException.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/query/QueryPhaseExecutionException.java
index 233f73340e3..6d968fce6bb 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/query/QueryPhaseExecutionException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/search/query/QueryPhaseExecutionException.java
@@ -30,4 +30,8 @@ public class QueryPhaseExecutionException extends SearchContextException {
     public QueryPhaseExecutionException(SearchContext context, String msg, Throwable cause) {
         super(context, "Query Failed [" + msg + "]", cause);
     }
+
+    public QueryPhaseExecutionException(SearchContext context, String msg) {
+        super(context, msg);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/simple/SimpleSearchTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/simple/SimpleSearchTests.java
index 02e4354227c..1063175f22b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/simple/SimpleSearchTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/search/simple/SimpleSearchTests.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package org.elasticsearch.search.simple;
 
 import org.elasticsearch.ElasticsearchIllegalArgumentException;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.index.IndexRequestBuilder;
+import org.elasticsearch.action.search.SearchPhaseExecutionException;
 import org.elasticsearch.action.search.SearchResponse;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.settings.ImmutableSettings;
 import org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentFactory;
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ import static org.elasticsearch.common.xcontent.XContentFactory.jsonBuilder;
 import static org.elasticsearch.index.query.QueryBuilders.boolQuery;
 import static org.elasticsearch.index.query.QueryBuilders.rangeQuery;
 import static org.elasticsearch.test.hamcrest.ElasticsearchAssertions.*;
+import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.containsString;
 
 public class SimpleSearchTests extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
 
@@ -244,4 +246,17 @@ public class SimpleSearchTests extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
         assertHitCount(searchResponse, max);
         assertFalse(searchResponse.isTerminatedEarly());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testInsaneFrom() throws Exception {
+        createIndex("idx");
+        indexRandom(true, client().prepareIndex("idx", "type").setSource("{}"));
+
+        try {
+            client().prepareSearch("idx").setFrom(Integer.MAX_VALUE).get();
+            fail();
+        } catch (SearchPhaseExecutionException e) {
+            assertThat(e.getMessage(), containsString("Result window is too large, from + size must be less than or equal to:"));
+        }
+    }
 }