diff --git a/collector/tcpstat_linux.go b/collector/tcpstat_linux.go
index 0a5f59f1..da652f97 100644
--- a/collector/tcpstat_linux.go
+++ b/collector/tcpstat_linux.go
@@ -118,6 +118,10 @@ func parseTCPStats(r io.Reader) (map[tcpConnectionState]float64, error) {
 		if len(parts) == 0 {
 			continue
 		}
+		if len(parts) < 4 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("invalid TCP stats line: %q", scanner.Text())
+		}
+
 		if strings.HasPrefix(parts[0], "sl") {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/collector/tcpstat_linux_test.go b/collector/tcpstat_linux_test.go
index 806ca223..ca9d9944 100644
--- a/collector/tcpstat_linux_test.go
+++ b/collector/tcpstat_linux_test.go
@@ -15,9 +15,30 @@ package collector
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func Test_parseTCPStatsError(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   string
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "too few fields",
+			in:   "hello world",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if _, err := parseTCPStats(strings.NewReader(tt.in)); err == nil {
+				t.Fatal("expected an error, but none occurred")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestTCPStat(t *testing.T) {
 	file, err := os.Open("fixtures/proc/net/tcpstat")
 	if err != nil {