diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c
index a5d04166d4..f75af1e398 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c
@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ event new_event(int type, int length, char *buffer, void *database)
   e.buffer = buffer;
 
   f = get_format(database, type);
+  if (f.count > T_MAX_ARGS) {
+    printf("fatal: the T trace %s is defined to take %d arguments, but T_MAX_ARGS is %d. "
+           "Increase T_MAX_ARGS in event.h and recompile all the tracers (make clean; make).\n",
+           event_name_from_id(database, type), f.count, T_MAX_ARGS);
+    exit(1);
+  }
 
   e.ecount = f.count;