diff --git a/deluge/bencode.py b/deluge/bencode.py
index df8cc85c28..c42ba85194 100644
--- a/deluge/bencode.py
+++ b/deluge/bencode.py
@@ -22,8 +22,11 @@ class BTFailure(Exception):
 LIST_DELIM = b'l'
 BYTE_SEP = b':'
 
+# The max depth permitted for recursive functions. Depths above this will throw a BTFailure.
+MAX_DEPTH: int = 100
 
-def decode_int(x, f):
+
+def decode_int(x, f, depth=0):
     f += 1
     newf = x.index(END_DELIM, f)
     n = int(x[f:newf])
@@ -34,28 +37,36 @@ def decode_int(x, f):
     return (n, newf + 1)
 
 
-def decode_string(x, f):
+def decode_string(x, f, depth=0):
     colon = x.index(BYTE_SEP, f)
     n = int(x[f:colon])
+    # The length must be numeric digits only
+    if not x[f:colon].isdigit():
+        raise ValueError
+    n = int(x[f:colon])
     if x[f : f + 1] == b'0' and colon != f + 1:
         raise ValueError
     colon += 1
     return (x[colon : colon + n], colon + n)
 
 
-def decode_list(x, f):
+def decode_list(x, f, depth):
+    if depth > MAX_DEPTH:
+        raise BTFailure('Too much nesting in list')
     r, f = [], f + 1
     while x[f : f + 1] != END_DELIM:
-        v, f = decode_func[x[f : f + 1]](x, f)
+        v, f = decode_func[x[f : f + 1]](x, f, depth + 1)
         r.append(v)
     return (r, f + 1)
 
 
-def decode_dict(x, f):
+def decode_dict(x, f, depth):
+    if depth > MAX_DEPTH:
+        raise BTFailure('Too much nesting in dict')
     r, f = {}, f + 1
     while x[f : f + 1] != END_DELIM:
-        k, f = decode_string(x, f)
-        r[k], f = decode_func[x[f : f + 1]](x, f)
+        k, f = decode_string(x, f, depth + 1)
+        r[k], f = decode_func[x[f : f + 1]](x, f, depth + 1)
     return (r, f + 1)
 
 
@@ -77,7 +88,7 @@ def decode_dict(x, f):
 
 def bdecode(x):
     try:
-        r, __ = decode_func[x[0:1]](x, 0)
+        r, __ = decode_func[x[0:1]](x, 0, 0)
     except (LookupError, TypeError, ValueError):
         raise BTFailure('Not a valid bencoded string')
     else:
@@ -111,14 +122,18 @@ def encode_bytes(x, r):
     r.extend((str(len(x)).encode('utf8'), BYTE_SEP, x))
 
 
-def encode_list(x, r):
+def encode_list(x, r, depth):
+    if depth > MAX_DEPTH:
+        raise BTFailure('Too much nesting in list')
     r.append(LIST_DELIM)
     for i in x:
-        encode_func[type(i)](i, r)
+        encode_func[type(i)](i, r, depth + 1)
     r.append(END_DELIM)
 
 
-def encode_dict(x, r):
+def encode_dict(x, r, depth):
+    if depth > MAX_DEPTH:
+        raise BTFailure('Too much nesting in dict')
     r.append(DICT_DELIM)
     for k, v in sorted(x.items()):
         try:
@@ -126,22 +141,22 @@ def encode_dict(x, r):
         except AttributeError:
             pass
         r.extend((str(len(k)).encode('utf8'), BYTE_SEP, k))
-        encode_func[type(v)](v, r)
+        encode_func[type(v)](v, r, depth + 1)
     r.append(END_DELIM)
 
 
 encode_func = {}
-encode_func[Bencached] = encode_bencached
-encode_func[int] = encode_int
+encode_func[Bencached] = lambda x, r, d: encode_bencached(x, r)
+encode_func[int] = lambda x, r, d: encode_int(x, r)
 encode_func[list] = encode_list
 encode_func[tuple] = encode_list
 encode_func[dict] = encode_dict
-encode_func[bool] = encode_bool
-encode_func[str] = encode_string
-encode_func[bytes] = encode_bytes
+encode_func[bool] = lambda x, r, d: encode_bool(x, r)
+encode_func[str] = lambda x, r, d: encode_string(x, r)
+encode_func[bytes] = lambda x, r, d: encode_bytes(x, r)
 
 
 def bencode(x):
     r = []
-    encode_func[type(x)](x, r)
+    encode_func[type(x)](x, r, 0)
     return b''.join(r)
diff --git a/deluge/tests/test_bencode.py b/deluge/tests/test_bencode.py
index a4a76818ff..af8040d436 100644
--- a/deluge/tests/test_bencode.py
+++ b/deluge/tests/test_bencode.py
@@ -30,3 +30,28 @@ def test_bdecode(self):
             bencode.bdecode(b'dEf')
         with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
             bencode.bdecode({'dEf': 123})
+
+    def test_bdecode_negative(self):
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bdecode(b'd-4:e')
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bdecode(b'd-0:i1ee')
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bdecode(b'd-1:i1ee')
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bdecode(b' 3:abc')
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bdecode(b' +3:abc')
+
+    def test_bencode_recursion_decode(self):
+        nesting_level = 200
+        data = b'l' * nesting_level + b'i1e' + b'e' * nesting_level
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bdecode(data)
+
+    def test_bencode_recursion_encode(self):
+        obj = 'a'
+        for _ in range(200):
+            obj = [obj]
+        with pytest.raises(bencode.BTFailure):
+            bencode.bencode(obj)