diff --git a/src/core/init.c b/src/core/init.c
index 5e0b522c..ea2d3d22 100644
--- a/src/core/init.c
+++ b/src/core/init.c
@@ -155,6 +155,9 @@
 #if (MEM_USE_POOLS && !MEMP_USE_CUSTOM_POOLS)
   #error "MEM_USE_POOLS requires custom pools (MEMP_USE_CUSTOM_POOLS) to be enabled in your lwipopts.h"
 #endif
+#if (PBUF_POOL_BUFSIZE <= MEM_ALIGNMENT)
+  #error "PBUF_POOL_BUFSIZE must be grater than MEM_ALIGNMENT or the offset may take the full first pbuf"
+#endif
 
 
 /* Compile-time checks for deprecated options.
diff --git a/src/core/pbuf.c b/src/core/pbuf.c
index e1c28548..e860f69b 100644
--- a/src/core/pbuf.c
+++ b/src/core/pbuf.c
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ pbuf_alloc(pbuf_layer layer, u16_t length, pbuf_type type)
     LWIP_ASSERT("check p->payload + p->len does not overflow pbuf",
                 ((u8_t*)p->payload + p->len <=
                  (u8_t*)p + SIZEOF_STRUCT_PBUF + PBUF_POOL_BUFSIZE_ALIGNED));
+    LWIP_ASSERT("PBUF_POOL_BUFSIZE must be bigger than MEM_ALIGNMENT", p->len != 0);
     /* set reference count (needed here in case we fail) */
     p->ref = 1;