diff --git a/ext/standard/streamsfuncs.c b/ext/standard/streamsfuncs.c
index 1c49b26ac7d..1cfce579b02 100644
--- a/ext/standard/streamsfuncs.c
+++ b/ext/standard/streamsfuncs.c
@@ -419,6 +419,11 @@ PHP_FUNCTION(stream_get_contents)
 		Z_PARAM_LONG(desiredpos)
 	ZEND_PARSE_PARAMETERS_END();
 
+	if (maxlen < 0 && maxlen != PHP_STREAM_COPY_ALL) {
+		php_error_docref(NULL, E_WARNING, "Length must be greater than or equal to zero, or -1");
+		RETURN_FALSE;
+	}
+
 	php_stream_from_zval(stream, zsrc);
 
 	if (desiredpos >= 0) {
diff --git a/ext/standard/tests/streams/stream_get_contents_negative_length.phpt b/ext/standard/tests/streams/stream_get_contents_negative_length.phpt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3d52729a2f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/standard/tests/streams/stream_get_contents_negative_length.phpt
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+--TEST--
+stream_get_contents() with negative max length
+--FILE--
+<?php
+
+$tmp = tmpfile();
+fwrite($tmp, "abcd");
+var_dump(stream_get_contents($tmp, 2, 1));
+var_dump(stream_get_contents($tmp, -2));
+
+?>
+--EXPECTF--
+string(2) "bc"
+
+Warning: stream_get_contents(): Length must be greater than or equal to zero, or -1 in %s on line %d
+bool(false)