diff --git a/src/chainparams.cpp b/src/chainparams.cpp
index 46d40784b..eaf16d61a 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparams.cpp
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@
 // Distributed under the MIT software license, see the accompanying
 // file COPYING or http://www.opensource.org/licenses/mit-license.php.
 
-#include "chainparams.h"
+#include "main.h"
+#include "crypto/equihash.h"
 
 #include "util.h"
 #include "utilstrencodings.h"
@@ -59,8 +60,10 @@ public:
         nMinerThreads = 0;
         nMaxTipAge = 24 * 60 * 60;
         nPruneAfterHeight = 100000;
-        nEquihashN = 200;
-        nEquihashK = 9;
+        const size_t N = 200, K = 9;
+        BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(equihash_parameters_acceptable(N, K));
+        nEquihashN = N;
+        nEquihashK = K;
 
         /**
          * Build the genesis block. Note that the output of its generation
@@ -222,8 +225,10 @@ public:
         pchMessageStart[3] = 0x5f;
         nMinerThreads = 1;
         nMaxTipAge = 24 * 60 * 60;
-        nEquihashN = 48;
-        nEquihashK = 5;
+        const size_t N = 48, K = 5;
+        BOOST_STATIC_ASSERT(equihash_parameters_acceptable(N, K));
+        nEquihashN = N;
+        nEquihashK = K;
         genesis.nTime = 1296688602;
         genesis.nBits = 0x207fffff;
         genesis.nNonce = uint256S("0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000002");
diff --git a/src/crypto/equihash.cpp b/src/crypto/equihash.cpp
index f56f367dd..523f18c45 100644
--- a/src/crypto/equihash.cpp
+++ b/src/crypto/equihash.cpp
@@ -419,10 +419,12 @@ bool Equihash<N,K>::BasicSolve(const eh_HashState& base_state,
             for (int l = 0; l < j - 1; l++) {
                 for (int m = l + 1; m < j; m++) {
                     FullStepRow<FinalFullWidth> res(X[i+l], X[i+m], hashLen, lenIndices, 0);
-                    if (DistinctIndices(X[i+l], X[i+m], hashLen, lenIndices) &&
-                            validBlock(res.GetIndices(hashLen, 2*lenIndices,
-                                                      CollisionBitLength))) {
-                        return true;
+                    if (DistinctIndices(X[i+l], X[i+m], hashLen, lenIndices)) {
+                        auto soln = res.GetIndices(hashLen, 2*lenIndices, CollisionBitLength);
+                        assert(soln.size() == equihash_solution_size(N, K));
+                        if (validBlock(soln)) {
+                            return true;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -691,7 +693,9 @@ bool Equihash<N,K>::OptimisedSolve(const eh_HashState& base_state,
         // We are at the top of the tree
         assert(X.size() == K+1);
         for (FullStepRow<FinalFullWidth> row : *X[K]) {
-            solns.insert(row.GetIndices(hashLen, lenIndices, CollisionBitLength));
+            auto soln = row.GetIndices(hashLen, lenIndices, CollisionBitLength);
+            assert(soln.size() == equihash_solution_size(N, K));
+            solns.insert(soln);
         }
         for (auto soln : solns) {
             if (validBlock(soln))
diff --git a/src/crypto/equihash.h b/src/crypto/equihash.h
index 43401b590..3f1c300b9 100644
--- a/src/crypto/equihash.h
+++ b/src/crypto/equihash.h
@@ -155,6 +155,10 @@ class EhSolverCancelledException : public std::exception
 
 inline constexpr const size_t max(const size_t A, const size_t B) { return A > B ? A : B; }
 
+inline constexpr size_t equihash_solution_size(unsigned int N, unsigned int K) {
+    return (1 << K)*(N/(K+1)+1)/8;
+}
+
 template<unsigned int N, unsigned int K>
 class Equihash
 {
diff --git a/src/gtest/test_block.cpp b/src/gtest/test_block.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a0cdc1162
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/gtest/test_block.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include "primitives/block.h"
+
+
+TEST(block_tests, header_size_is_expected) {
+    // Dummy header with an empty Equihash solution.
+    CBlockHeader header;
+    CDataStream ss(SER_NETWORK, PROTOCOL_VERSION);
+    ss << header;
+
+    ASSERT_EQ(ss.size(), CBlockHeader::HEADER_SIZE);
+}
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index 2ce1a5575..7a3057867 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@ static const unsigned int DATABASE_FLUSH_INTERVAL = 24 * 60 * 60;
 /** Maximum length of reject messages. */
 static const unsigned int MAX_REJECT_MESSAGE_LENGTH = 111;
 
+#define equihash_parameters_acceptable(N, K) \
+    ((CBlockHeader::HEADER_SIZE + equihash_solution_size(N, K))*MAX_HEADERS_RESULTS < \
+     MAX_PROTOCOL_MESSAGE_LENGTH-1000)
+
 struct BlockHasher
 {
     size_t operator()(const uint256& hash) const { return hash.GetCheapHash(); }
diff --git a/src/primitives/block.h b/src/primitives/block.h
index 1e83225d2..6180fb2ae 100644
--- a/src/primitives/block.h
+++ b/src/primitives/block.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class CBlockHeader
 {
 public:
     // header
+    static const size_t HEADER_SIZE=4+32+32+32+4+4+32; // excluding Equihash solution
     static const int32_t CURRENT_VERSION=4;
     int32_t nVersion;
     uint256 hashPrevBlock;