diff --git a/src/bufferutils.js b/src/bufferutils.js
index ac340e9..e24735f 100644
--- a/src/bufferutils.js
+++ b/src/bufferutils.js
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 var assert = require('assert')
 var opcodes = require('./opcodes')
 
+// https://github.com/feross/buffer/blob/master/index.js#L1127
+function verifuint(value, max) {
+  assert(typeof value === 'number', 'cannot write a non-number as a number')
+  assert(value >= 0, 'specified a negative value for writing an unsigned value')
+  assert(value <= max, 'value is larger than maximum value for type')
+  assert(Math.floor(value) === value, 'value has a fractional component')
+}
+
 function pushDataSize(i) {
   return i < opcodes.OP_PUSHDATA1 ? 1
     : i < 0xff        ? 2
@@ -47,9 +55,7 @@ function readUInt64LE(buffer, offset) {
   var b = buffer.readUInt32LE(offset + 4)
   b *= 0x100000000
 
-  // Javascript Safe Integer limitation
-  // assert(Number.isSafeInteger(value), 'value must be < 2^53')
-  assert(b + a < 0x0020000000000000, 'value must be < 2^53')
+  verifuint(b + a, 0x001fffffffffffff)
 
   return b + a
 }
@@ -104,10 +110,6 @@ function writePushDataInt(buffer, number, offset) {
 
   // 32 bit
   } else {
-    // Javascript Safe Integer limitation
-    // assert(Number.isSafeInteger(value), 'value must be < 2^53')
-    assert(number < 0x0020000000000000, 'value must be < 2^53')
-
     buffer.writeUInt8(opcodes.OP_PUSHDATA4, offset)
     buffer.writeUInt32LE(number, offset + 1)
 
@@ -117,9 +119,7 @@ function writePushDataInt(buffer, number, offset) {
 }
 
 function writeUInt64LE(buffer, value, offset) {
-  // Javascript Safe Integer limitation
-  // assert(Number.isSafeInteger(value), 'value must be < 2^53')
-  assert(value < 0x0020000000000000, 'value must be < 2^53')
+  verifuint(value, 0x001fffffffffffff)
 
   buffer.writeInt32LE(value & -1, offset)
   buffer.writeUInt32LE(Math.floor(value / 0x100000000), offset + 4)
diff --git a/test/bufferutils.js b/test/bufferutils.js
index 72cec2d..d56dbcd 100644
--- a/test/bufferutils.js
+++ b/test/bufferutils.js
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@ describe('bufferutils', function() {
         assert.equal(number, f.dec)
       })
     })
+
+    fixtures.invalid.forEach(function(f) {
+      it('throws on ' + f.description, function() {
+        var buffer = new Buffer(f.hex64, 'hex')
+
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          bufferutils.readUInt64LE(buffer, 0)
+        }, new RegExp(f.exception))
+      })
+    })
   })
 
   describe('readVarInt', function() {
@@ -51,6 +61,16 @@ describe('bufferutils', function() {
         assert.equal(d.size, buffer.length)
       })
     })
+
+    fixtures.invalid.forEach(function(f) {
+      it('throws on ' + f.description, function() {
+        var buffer = new Buffer(f.hexVI, 'hex')
+
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          bufferutils.readVarInt(buffer, 0)
+        }, new RegExp(f.exception))
+      })
+    })
   })
 
   describe('varIntSize', function() {
@@ -75,17 +95,6 @@ describe('bufferutils', function() {
         assert.equal(buffer.slice(0, n).toString('hex'), f.hexPD)
       })
     })
-
-    fixtures.invalid.forEach(function(f) {
-      it('throws on ' + f.description, function() {
-        var buffer = new Buffer(5)
-        buffer.fill(0)
-
-        assert.throws(function() {
-          bufferutils.writePushDataInt(buffer, f.dec, 0)
-        }, /value must be < 2\^53/)
-      })
-    })
   })
 
   describe('writeUInt64LE', function() {
@@ -106,7 +115,7 @@ describe('bufferutils', function() {
 
         assert.throws(function() {
           bufferutils.writeUInt64LE(buffer, f.dec, 0)
-        }, /value must be < 2\^53/)
+        }, new RegExp(f.exception))
       })
     })
   })
@@ -129,7 +138,7 @@ describe('bufferutils', function() {
 
         assert.throws(function() {
           bufferutils.writeVarInt(buffer, f.dec, 0)
-        }, /value must be < 2\^53/)
+        }, new RegExp(f.exception))
       })
     })
   })
diff --git a/test/fixtures/buffer.json b/test/fixtures/buffer.json
index 116e70a..8c6881d 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/buffer.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/buffer.json
@@ -85,11 +85,17 @@
   "invalid": [
     {
       "description": "n === 2^53",
-      "value": 9007199254740992
+      "exception": "value is larger than maximum value for type",
+      "hex64": "0000000000002000",
+      "hexVI": "ff0000000000000020",
+      "dec": 9007199254740992
     },
     {
       "description": "n > 2^53",
-      "value": 18374686479671624000
+      "exception": "value is larger than maximum value for type",
+      "hex64": "0100000000002000",
+      "hexVI": "ff0100000000000020",
+      "dec": 9007199254740993
     }
   ]
 }