diff --git a/net/tap.c b/net/tap.c
index e464f62b47..57ffb09885 100644
--- a/net/tap.c
+++ b/net/tap.c
@@ -807,6 +807,10 @@ static int tap_parse_fds_and_queues(const NetdevTapOptions *tap, int **fds,
             error_setg(errp, "queues exceeds maximum %d", INT_MAX);
             return -1;
         }
+        if (tap->queues == 0) {
+            error_setg(errp, "queues must be greater than zero");
+            return -1;
+        }
         queues = tap->queues;
         *fds = NULL;
     } else if (tap->fd || tap->fds) {
diff --git a/net/util.c b/net/util.c
index 1998a6554e..8265f15548 100644
--- a/net/util.c
+++ b/net/util.c
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ int net_parse_fds(const char *fds_param, int **fds, int expected_nfds,
         return -1;
     }
 
+    if (nfds == 0) {
+        error_setg(errp, "no fds passed");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     *fds = g_new(int, nfds);
 
     for (i = 0; i < nfds; i++) {