diff --git a/eth/filters/filter_system.go b/eth/filters/filter_system.go
index d2ebf5a622..7a7cd38c9d 100644
--- a/eth/filters/filter_system.go
+++ b/eth/filters/filter_system.go
@@ -300,6 +300,9 @@ func (es *EventSystem) subscribe(sub *subscription) *Subscription {
 // given criteria to the given logs channel. Default value for the from and to
 // block is "latest". If the fromBlock > toBlock an error is returned.
 func (es *EventSystem) SubscribeLogs(crit ethereum.FilterQuery, logs chan []*types.Log) (*Subscription, error) {
+	if len(crit.Topics) > maxTopics {
+		return nil, errExceedMaxTopics
+	}
 	var from, to rpc.BlockNumber
 	if crit.FromBlock == nil {
 		from = rpc.LatestBlockNumber
diff --git a/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go b/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
index f29cf16f6c..6bd32787e8 100644
--- a/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
+++ b/eth/filters/filter_system_test.go
@@ -320,6 +320,8 @@ func TestLogFilterCreation(t *testing.T) {
 			{FilterCriteria{FromBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.PendingBlockNumber.Int64()), ToBlock: big.NewInt(100)}, false},
 			// from block "higher" than to block
 			{FilterCriteria{FromBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.PendingBlockNumber.Int64()), ToBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.LatestBlockNumber.Int64())}, false},
+			// topics more than 4
+			{FilterCriteria{Topics: [][]common.Hash{{}, {}, {}, {}, {}}}, false},
 		}
 	)
 
@@ -351,6 +353,7 @@ func TestInvalidLogFilterCreation(t *testing.T) {
 		0: {FromBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.PendingBlockNumber.Int64()), ToBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.LatestBlockNumber.Int64())},
 		1: {FromBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.PendingBlockNumber.Int64()), ToBlock: big.NewInt(100)},
 		2: {FromBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.LatestBlockNumber.Int64()), ToBlock: big.NewInt(100)},
+		3: {Topics: [][]common.Hash{{}, {}, {}, {}, {}}},
 	}
 
 	for i, test := range testCases {
@@ -376,6 +379,7 @@ func TestInvalidGetLogsRequest(t *testing.T) {
 		0: {BlockHash: &blockHash, FromBlock: big.NewInt(100)},
 		1: {BlockHash: &blockHash, ToBlock: big.NewInt(500)},
 		2: {BlockHash: &blockHash, FromBlock: big.NewInt(rpc.LatestBlockNumber.Int64())},
+		3: {BlockHash: &blockHash, Topics: [][]common.Hash{{}, {}, {}, {}, {}}},
 	}
 
 	for i, test := range testCases {