diff --git a/pyroaring/abstract_bitmap.pxi b/pyroaring/abstract_bitmap.pxi
index ab30abc..c29926d 100644
--- a/pyroaring/abstract_bitmap.pxi
+++ b/pyroaring/abstract_bitmap.pxi
@@ -12,9 +12,18 @@ try:
 except NameError: # python 3
     pass
 
-cdef croaring.roaring_bitmap_t *deserialize_ptr(char *buff):
+cdef croaring.roaring_bitmap_t *deserialize_ptr(bytes buff):
     cdef croaring.roaring_bitmap_t *ptr
-    ptr = croaring.roaring_bitmap_portable_deserialize(buff)
+    cdef const char *reason_failure = NULL
+    buff_size = len(buff)
+    ptr = croaring.roaring_bitmap_portable_deserialize_safe(buff, buff_size)
+    if ptr == NULL:
+      raise ValueError("Could not deserialize bitmap!!")
+    # Validate the bitmap
+    if not croaring.roaring_bitmap_internal_validate(ptr, &reason_failure):
+        # If validation fails, free the bitmap and raise an exception
+        croaring.roaring_bitmap_free(ptr)
+        raise ValueError(f"Invalid bitmap: {reason_failure.decode('utf-8')}")
     return ptr
 
 cdef croaring.roaring64_bitmap_t *deserialize64_ptr(bytes buff):
@@ -744,7 +753,7 @@ cdef class AbstractBitMap:
 
 
     @classmethod
-    def deserialize(cls, char *buff):
+    def deserialize(cls, bytes buff):
         """
         Generate a bitmap from the given serialization. See AbstractBitMap.serialize for the reverse operation.
 
diff --git a/pyroaring/croaring.pxd b/pyroaring/croaring.pxd
index ed5a33b..4192733 100644
--- a/pyroaring/croaring.pxd
+++ b/pyroaring/croaring.pxd
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ cdef extern from "roaring.h":
     size_t roaring_bitmap_portable_size_in_bytes(const roaring_bitmap_t *ra)
     size_t roaring_bitmap_portable_serialize(const roaring_bitmap_t *ra, char *buf)
     roaring_bitmap_t *roaring_bitmap_portable_deserialize(const char *buf)
+    roaring_bitmap_t *roaring_bitmap_portable_deserialize_safe(const char *buf, size_t maxbytes)
+    bool roaring_bitmap_internal_validate(const roaring_bitmap_t *r, const char **reason)
     roaring_uint32_iterator_t *roaring_iterator_create(const roaring_bitmap_t *ra)
     bool roaring_uint32_iterator_advance(roaring_uint32_iterator_t *it)
     uint32_t roaring_uint32_iterator_read(roaring_uint32_iterator_t *it, uint32_t* buf, uint32_t count)