diff --git a/lib/contracts/deploy.js b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
index dfb6bf244..bb001314b 100644
--- a/lib/contracts/deploy.js
+++ b/lib/contracts/deploy.js
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ class Deploy {
           deployedAddress = deployedAddress.substr(2);
         }
         let linkReference = '__' + filename + ":" + contractObj.className;
+        if (linkReference.length > 40) {
+          return callback(new Error(linkReference + " is too long, try reducing the path of the contract (" + filename + ") and/or its name " + contractObj.className));
+        }
         let toReplace = linkReference + "_".repeat(40 - linkReference.length);
         if (contractCode.indexOf(linkReference) >= 0 && deployedAddress === undefined) {
           let libraryName = contractObj.className;