diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp
index d1c9620..6d3f010 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.cpp
@@ -59,7 +59,12 @@
     if (!additionalData.empty())
     {
         auto ud = util::makeADUserDataSection(additionalData);
-        _optionalSections.push_back(std::move(ud));
+
+        // To be safe, check there isn't too much data
+        if (size() + ud->header().size <= _maxPELSize)
+        {
+            _optionalSections.push_back(std::move(ud));
+        }
     }
 
     _ph->setSectionCount(2 + _optionalSections.size());
diff --git a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.hpp b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.hpp
index c3c9f5a..24e5e56 100644
--- a/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.hpp
+++ b/extensions/openpower-pels/pel.hpp
@@ -324,6 +324,11 @@
      */
     void printSectionInJSON(const Section& section, std::string& buf,
                             std::map<uint16_t, size_t>& pluralSections) const;
+
+    /**
+     * @brief The maximum size a PEL can be in bytes.
+     */
+    static constexpr size_t _maxPELSize = 16384;
 };
 
 namespace util