diff --git a/bpf/aya-bpf/src/helpers.rs b/bpf/aya-bpf/src/helpers.rs
index b740f4b9..715f25a2 100644
--- a/bpf/aya-bpf/src/helpers.rs
+++ b/bpf/aya-bpf/src/helpers.rs
@@ -430,6 +430,11 @@ pub unsafe fn bpf_probe_read_user_str_bytes(
         return Err(-1);
     }
 
+    // verifier complains if this check is missing on v5.19
+    if len < 1 {
+        return Err(-1);
+    }
+
     // len includes NULL byte
     Ok(&dest[..len - 1])
 }
@@ -583,6 +588,11 @@ pub unsafe fn bpf_probe_read_kernel_str_bytes(
         return Err(-1);
     }
 
+    // verifier complains if this check is missing on v5.19
+    if len < 1 {
+        return Err(-1);
+    }
+
     // len includes NULL byte
     Ok(&dest[..len - 1])
 }