diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/FieldIdItem.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/FieldIdItem.java
index a9290b1c..9b12895d 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/FieldIdItem.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/FieldIdItem.java
@@ -117,8 +117,20 @@ public class FieldIdItem extends Item<FieldIdItem> {
             out.annotate(4, "field_name: " + fieldName.getStringValue());
         }
 
-        out.writeShort(classType.getIndex());
-        out.writeShort(fieldType.getIndex());
+        int classIndex = classType.getIndex();
+        if (classIndex > 0xffff) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("Error writing field_id_item for %s. The type index of " +
+                    "defining class %s is too large", getFieldString(), classType.getTypeDescriptor()));
+        }
+        out.writeShort(classIndex);
+
+        int typeIndex = fieldType.getIndex();
+        if (typeIndex > 0xffff) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("Error writing field_id_item for %s. The type index of field " +
+                    "type %s is too large", getFieldString(), fieldType.getTypeDescriptor()));
+        }
+        out.writeShort(typeIndex);
+
         out.writeInt(fieldName.getIndex());
     }
 
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/MethodIdItem.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/MethodIdItem.java
index 0c6f5210..0ec962a8 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/MethodIdItem.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/MethodIdItem.java
@@ -112,8 +112,20 @@ public class MethodIdItem extends Item<MethodIdItem> {
             out.annotate(4, "method_name: " + methodName.getStringValue());
         }
 
-        out.writeShort(classType.getIndex());
-        out.writeShort(methodPrototype.getIndex());
+        int classIndex = classType.getIndex();
+        if (classIndex > 0xffff) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("Error writing method_id_item for %s. The type index of " +
+                    "defining class %s is too large", getMethodString(), classType.getTypeDescriptor()));
+        }
+        out.writeShort(classIndex);
+
+        int prototypeIndex = methodPrototype.getIndex();
+        if (prototypeIndex > 0xffff) {
+            throw new RuntimeException(String.format("Error writing method_id_item for %0. The prototype index of " +
+                    "method prototype %s is too large", getMethodString(), methodPrototype.getPrototypeString()));
+        }
+        out.writeShort(prototypeIndex);
+
         out.writeInt(methodName.getIndex());
     }
 
diff --git a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/TypeListItem.java b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/TypeListItem.java
index 34053bbb..50262ea1 100644
--- a/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/TypeListItem.java
+++ b/dexlib/src/main/java/org/jf/dexlib/TypeListItem.java
@@ -116,7 +116,12 @@ public class TypeListItem extends Item<TypeListItem> {
         }
         out.writeInt(typeList.length);
         for (TypeIdItem typeIdItem: typeList) {
-            out.writeShort(typeIdItem.getIndex());
+            int typeIndex = typeIdItem.getIndex();
+            if (typeIndex > 0xffff) {
+                throw new RuntimeException(String.format("Error writing type_list entry. The type index of " +
+                    "type %s is too large", typeIdItem.getTypeDescriptor()));
+            }
+            out.writeShort(typeIndex);
         }
     }