diff --git a/leopard/leopard.nim b/leopard/leopard.nim
index 4bac400..fda40b8 100644
--- a/leopard/leopard.nim
+++ b/leopard/leopard.nim
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ proc init[TT: Leo](
   if parity > buffers:
     return err("number of parity buffers cannot exceed number of data buffers!")
 
-  if buffers + parity > 65536:
+  if (buffers + parity) > 65536:
     return err("number of parity and data buffers cannot exceed 65536!")
 
   once:
diff --git a/tests/testleopard.nim b/tests/testleopard.nim
index 251af12..8c5cb00 100644
--- a/tests/testleopard.nim
+++ b/tests/testleopard.nim
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@ suite "Leopard Parametrization":
       LeoEncoder.init(64, 1, 2).error ==
       "number of parity buffers cannot exceed number of data buffers!"
 
+  test "Should not allow data + parity to exceed 65536":
+    check:
+      LeoEncoder.init(64, 65536 + 1, 0).error ==
+      "number of parity and data buffers cannot exceed 65536!"
+
+      LeoEncoder.init(64, 32768 + 1, 32768).error ==
+      "number of parity and data buffers cannot exceed 65536!"
+
   test "Should not allow encoding with invalid data buffer counts":
     var
       leo = LeoEncoder.init(64, 4, 2).tryGet()