diff --git a/src/default.ts b/src/default.ts
index 700a57e..34aab8b 100644
--- a/src/default.ts
+++ b/src/default.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ export class DEFAULT {
   encodeBytes = 0;
 
   decode(buf, offset?) {
-    if (!offset)
+    /// catch range errors
+    if (!offset || offset < 0 || offset > 12)
       offset = 0;
 
     const answer = new Answer();