diff --git a/dexlib2/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib2/util/Preconditions.java b/dexlib2/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib2/util/Preconditions.java
index e5745846..990986b9 100644
--- a/dexlib2/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib2/util/Preconditions.java
+++ b/dexlib2/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib2/util/Preconditions.java
@@ -220,13 +220,14 @@ public class Preconditions {
     }
 
     public static <L extends List<? extends Number>> L checkArrayPayloadElements(int elementWidth, L elements) {
-        // mask of all bits that do not fit into an 'elementWidth'-byte number
-        long bitmask = -1L << (elementWidth * 8);
+        long maxValue = (1L << ((8 * elementWidth) - 1)) - 1;
+        long minValue = -maxValue - 1;
 
         for (Number element : elements) {
-            if ((element.longValue() & bitmask) != 0) {
+            if (element.longValue() < minValue || element.longValue() > maxValue) {
                 throw new IllegalArgumentException(
-                        String.format("Number %d must fit into a %d-byte number", element.longValue(), elementWidth));
+                        String.format("%d does not fit into a %d-byte signed integer",
+                                element.longValue(), elementWidth));
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/dexlib2/src/test/java/org/jf/util/PreconditionsTest.java b/dexlib2/src/test/java/org/jf/util/PreconditionsTest.java
index 08d02e19..ba3b6fde 100644
--- a/dexlib2/src/test/java/org/jf/util/PreconditionsTest.java
+++ b/dexlib2/src/test/java/org/jf/util/PreconditionsTest.java
@@ -1,23 +1,41 @@
 package org.jf.util;
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.List;
-import org.jf.dexlib2.Opcode;
-import org.jf.dexlib2.iface.instruction.formats.ArrayPayload;
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import org.jf.dexlib2.util.Preconditions;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class PreconditionsTest {
 
+  private void verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(int elementWidth, long value) {
+    Preconditions.checkArrayPayloadElements(elementWidth, ImmutableList.of(value));
+  }
+
+  private void verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(int elementWidth, long value) {
+    try {
+      Preconditions.checkArrayPayloadElements(elementWidth, ImmutableList.of(value));
+      Assert.fail();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+      // expected exception
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void checkArrayPayloadElements() {
-    int intSize = 4;
-    int bigNumber = 16843071;
-    List<Number> numbers = new ArrayList<>();
-    numbers.add(bigNumber);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(8, Long.MAX_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(8, Long.MIN_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(4, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(4, Integer.MIN_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(2, Short.MAX_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(2, Short.MIN_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(1, Byte.MAX_VALUE);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsValid(1, Byte.MIN_VALUE);
 
-    // Shouldn't throw any exceptions, payload is correct.
-    Preconditions.checkArrayPayloadElements(intSize, numbers);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(4, ((long) Integer.MAX_VALUE) + 1);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(4, ((long) Integer.MIN_VALUE) - 1);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(2, ((long) Short.MAX_VALUE) + 1);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(2, ((long) Short.MIN_VALUE) - 1);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(1, ((long) Byte.MAX_VALUE) + 1);
+    verifyArrayPayloadElementIsInvalid(1, ((long) Byte.MIN_VALUE) - 1);
   }
 }