diff --git a/src/timeseries/variablestorage.hpp b/src/timeseries/variablestorage.hpp
index e0ef75f6..a05b842e 100644
--- a/src/timeseries/variablestorage.hpp
+++ b/src/timeseries/variablestorage.hpp
@@ -186,8 +186,11 @@ bool variablestorage<T>::has(const uint64_t& hash)
 
     // did the table return garbage?
     //mphf might return an index, but it isn't actually what we want. double check the hash
-    if(_variables[idx].xxhash != hash)
+    if(idx > _variables.size() ||
+        _variables[idx].xxhash != hash)
+    {
         return false;
+    }
 
     return true;
 }