diff --git a/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage.go b/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage.go
index d5a73daedb..6fcad97846 100644
--- a/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage.go
+++ b/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage.go
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 package osbuild
 
+import (
+	"fmt"
+
+	"github.com/osbuild/images/pkg/disk"
+)
+
 // Partition a target using sfdisk(8)
 
 type SfdiskStageOptions struct {
@@ -36,7 +42,18 @@ type SfdiskPartition struct {
 	UUID string `json:"uuid,omitempty"`
 }
 
+func (o SfdiskStageOptions) validate() error {
+	if o.Label == disk.PT_DOS.String() && len(o.Partitions) > 4 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("sfdisk stage creation failed: \"dos\" partition table only supports up to 4 partitions: got %d", len(o.Partitions))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func NewSfdiskStage(options *SfdiskStageOptions, device *Device) *Stage {
+	if err := options.validate(); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+
 	return &Stage{
 		Type:    "org.osbuild.sfdisk",
 		Options: options,
diff --git a/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage_test.go b/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage_test.go
index b6a659426a..e7cf19c1b6 100644
--- a/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage_test.go
+++ b/pkg/osbuild/sfdisk_stage_test.go
@@ -41,3 +41,22 @@ func TestNewSfdiskStage(t *testing.T) {
 	actualStageDOS := NewSfdiskStage(&options, device)
 	assert.Equal(t, expectedStage, actualStageDOS)
 }
+
+func TestNewSfdiskStageInvalid(t *testing.T) {
+
+	partition := SfdiskPartition{
+		// doesn't really matter
+	}
+
+	options := SfdiskStageOptions{
+		Label:      "dos",
+		UUID:       "D209C89E-EA5E-4FBD-B161-B461CCE297E0",
+		Partitions: []SfdiskPartition{partition, partition, partition, partition, partition}, // 5 partitions
+	}
+
+	device := NewLoopbackDevice(&LoopbackDeviceOptions{Filename: "disk.raw"})
+
+	assert.Panics(t, func() {
+		NewSfdiskStage(&options, device)
+	})
+}