diff --git a/src/inventory.cpp b/src/inventory.cpp
index fb2dd245f..3bc67da1b 100644
--- a/src/inventory.cpp
+++ b/src/inventory.cpp
@@ -436,8 +436,7 @@ void InventoryList::deSerialize(std::istream &is)
 	u32 item_i = 0;
 	m_width = 0;
 
-	for(;;)
-	{
+	while (is.good()) {
 		std::string line;
 		std::getline(is, line, '\n');
 
@@ -447,14 +446,12 @@ void InventoryList::deSerialize(std::istream &is)
 		std::string name;
 		std::getline(iss, name, ' ');
 
-		if (name == "EndInventoryList") {
-			break;
-		}
+		if (name == "EndInventoryList")
+			return;
 
 		// This is a temporary backwards compatibility fix
-		if (name == "end") {
-			break;
-		}
+		if (name == "end")
+			return;
 
 		if (name == "Width") {
 			iss >> m_width;
@@ -476,6 +473,14 @@ void InventoryList::deSerialize(std::istream &is)
 			m_items[item_i++].clear();
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Contents given to deSerialize() were not terminated properly: throw error.
+
+	std::ostringstream ss;
+	ss << "Malformatted inventory list. list="
+		<< m_name << ", read " << item_i << " of " << getSize()
+		<< " ItemStacks." << std::endl;
+	throw SerializationError(ss.str());
 }
 
 InventoryList::InventoryList(const InventoryList &other)
@@ -859,8 +864,7 @@ void Inventory::deSerialize(std::istream &is)
 {
 	clear();
 
-	for(;;)
-	{
+	while (is.good()) {
 		std::string line;
 		std::getline(is, line, '\n');
 
@@ -869,14 +873,12 @@ void Inventory::deSerialize(std::istream &is)
 		std::string name;
 		std::getline(iss, name, ' ');
 
-		if (name == "EndInventory") {
-			break;
-		}
+		if (name == "EndInventory")
+			return;
 
 		// This is a temporary backwards compatibility fix
-		if (name == "end") {
-			break;
-		}
+		if (name == "end")
+			return;
 
 		if (name == "List") {
 			std::string listname;
@@ -895,6 +897,13 @@ void Inventory::deSerialize(std::istream &is)
 			throw SerializationError("invalid inventory specifier: " + name);
 		}
 	}
+
+	// Contents given to deSerialize() were not terminated properly: throw error.
+
+	std::ostringstream ss;
+	ss << "Malformatted inventory (damaged?). "
+		<< m_lists.size() << " lists read." << std::endl;
+	throw SerializationError(ss.str());
 }
 
 InventoryList * Inventory::addList(const std::string &name, u32 size)
diff --git a/src/remoteplayer.cpp b/src/remoteplayer.cpp
index e7c2462b6..3a72106de 100644
--- a/src/remoteplayer.cpp
+++ b/src/remoteplayer.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,12 @@ void RemotePlayer::deSerialize(std::istream &is, const std::string &playername,
 		} catch (SettingNotFoundException &e) {}
 	}
 
-	inventory.deSerialize(is);
+	try {
+		inventory.deSerialize(is);
+	} catch (SerializationError &e) {
+		errorstream << "Failed to deserialize player inventory. player_name="
+			<< name << " " << e.what() << std::endl;
+	}
 
 	if (!inventory.getList("craftpreview") && inventory.getList("craftresult")) {
 		// Convert players without craftpreview