diff --git a/include/gauxc/shell.hpp b/include/gauxc/shell.hpp
index 7f27170c..01d35f42 100644
--- a/include/gauxc/shell.hpp
+++ b/include/gauxc/shell.hpp
@@ -138,6 +138,12 @@ class alignas(256) Shell {
     alpha_( alpha ), coeff_( coeff ), O_( O ),
     nprim_( nprim.get() ), l_( l.get() ), pure_( pure.get() ) {
 
+    if(nprim_ > detail::shell_nprim_max) {
+      std::ostringstream oss;
+      oss << "Shell has too many primitives! expected <= " << detail::shell_nprim_max << " actual value " << nprim_ << "!\n";
+      throw std::out_of_range(oss.str());
+    }
+
     if( _normalize ) normalize();
     compute_shell_cutoff();