diff --git a/server/errors.go b/server/errors.go
index 3354d3f3..b8ebb11b 100644
--- a/server/errors.go
+++ b/server/errors.go
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ var (
 	// ErrMaxPayload represents an error condition when the payload is too big.
 	ErrMaxPayload = errors.New("Maximum Payload Exceeded")
 
+	// ErrMaxControlLine represents an error condition when the control line is too big.
+	ErrMaxControlLine = errors.New("Maximum Control Line Exceeded")
+
 	// ErrReservedPublishSubject represents an error condition when sending to a reserved subject, e.g. _SYS.>
 	ErrReservedPublishSubject = errors.New("Reserved Internal Subject")
 )
diff --git a/server/parser.go b/server/parser.go
index d61e404e..f64d70fe 100644
--- a/server/parser.go
+++ b/server/parser.go
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ func (c *client) parse(buf []byte) error {
 	var i int
 	var b byte
 
+	mcl := c.srv.opts.MaxControlLine
+
 	// snapshot this, and reset when we receive a
 	// proper CONNECT if needed.
 	authSet := c.isAuthTimerSet()
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ func (c *client) parse(buf []byte) error {
 				if err := c.processPub(arg); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
-				c.drop, c.as, c.state = 0, i+1, MSG_PAYLOAD
+				c.drop, c.as, c.state = OP_START, i+1, MSG_PAYLOAD
 				// If we don't have a saved buffer then jump ahead with
 				// the index. If this overruns what is left we fall out
 				// and process split buffer.
@@ -631,14 +633,26 @@ func (c *client) parse(buf []byte) error {
 			goto parseErr
 		}
 	}
+
 	// Check for split buffer scenarios for any ARG state.
-	if (c.state == SUB_ARG || c.state == UNSUB_ARG || c.state == PUB_ARG ||
+	if c.state == SUB_ARG || c.state == UNSUB_ARG || c.state == PUB_ARG ||
 		c.state == MSG_ARG || c.state == MINUS_ERR_ARG ||
-		c.state == CONNECT_ARG || c.state == INFO_ARG) && c.argBuf == nil {
-		c.argBuf = c.scratch[:0]
-		c.argBuf = append(c.argBuf, buf[c.as:i-c.drop]...)
-		// FIXME(dlc), check max control line len
+		c.state == CONNECT_ARG || c.state == INFO_ARG {
+		// Setup a holder buffer to deal with split buffer scenario.
+		if c.argBuf == nil {
+			c.argBuf = c.scratch[:0]
+			c.argBuf = append(c.argBuf, buf[c.as:i-c.drop]...)
+		}
+		// Check for violations of control line length here. Note that this is not
+		// exact at all but the performance hit is too great to be precise, and
+		// catching here should prevent memory exhaustion attacks.
+		if len(c.argBuf) > mcl {
+			c.sendErr("Maximum Control Line Exceeded")
+			c.closeConnection()
+			return ErrMaxControlLine
+		}
 	}
+
 	// Check for split msg
 	if (c.state == MSG_PAYLOAD || c.state == MSG_END) && c.msgBuf == nil {
 		// We need to clone the pubArg if it is still referencing the
diff --git a/test/proto_test.go b/test/proto_test.go
index 26950e35..c58c8257 100644
--- a/test/proto_test.go
+++ b/test/proto_test.go
@@ -264,3 +264,20 @@ func TestIncompletePubArg(t *testing.T) {
 	send(pub + goodBuf + pub + goodBuf + pub + badBuf + pub + badBuf2)
 	expect(errRe)
 }
+
+func TestControlLineMaximums(t *testing.T) {
+	s := runProtoServer()
+	defer s.Shutdown()
+
+	c := createClientConn(t, "localhost", PROTO_TEST_PORT)
+	defer c.Close()
+
+	send, expect := setupConn(t, c)
+
+	pubTooLong := "PUB foo "
+	for i := 0; i < 32; i++ {
+		pubTooLong += "2222222222"
+	}
+	send(pubTooLong)
+	expect(errRe)
+}
diff --git a/test/test.go b/test/test.go
index 3d11fb45..e475129c 100644
--- a/test/test.go
+++ b/test/test.go
@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@ type tLogger interface {
 
 // DefaultTestOptions are default options for the unit tests.
 var DefaultTestOptions = server.Options{
-	Host:   "localhost",
-	Port:   4222,
-	NoLog:  true,
-	NoSigs: true,
+	Host:           "localhost",
+	Port:           4222,
+	NoLog:          true,
+	NoSigs:         true,
+	MaxControlLine: 256,
 }
 
 // RunDefaultServer starts a new Go routine based server using the default options