diff --git a/contracts/LiquidPledgingBase.sol b/contracts/LiquidPledgingBase.sol
index 14c3835..b961a66 100644
--- a/contracts/LiquidPledgingBase.sol
+++ b/contracts/LiquidPledgingBase.sol
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ contract LiquidPledgingBase is Escapable {
         assert(m.adminType == PledgeAdminType.Project);
         if (m.parentProject == 0) return(1);
         PledgeAdmin storage parentNM = findAdmin(m.parentProject);
-        return getProjectLevel(parentNM);
+        return getProjectLevel(parentNM) + 1;
     }
 
     /// @notice A getter to find if a specified Project has been canceled
diff --git a/test/NormalOperation.js b/test/NormalOperation.js
index fa42a7e..34dc488 100644
--- a/test/NormalOperation.js
+++ b/test/NormalOperation.js
@@ -333,4 +333,33 @@ describe('LiquidPledging test', function () {
     const nAdmins = await liquidPledging.numberOfPledgeAdmins();
     assert.equal(nAdmins, utils.toDecimal(nAdminsBefore) + 1);
   });
+
+  it('should throw if projectLevel > 20', async () => {
+    let nAdmins = await liquidPledging.numberOfPledgeAdmins();
+
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel1', '', adminProject1, 0, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel2', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel3', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel4', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel5', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel6', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel7', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel8', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel9', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel10', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel11', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel12', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel13', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel14', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel15', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel16', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel17', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel18', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel19', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel20', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+
+    assertFail(async () => {
+      await liquidPledging.addProject('ProjectLevel21', '', adminProject1, ++nAdmins, 86400, 0, { from: adminProject1 });
+    });
+  })
 });