diff --git a/apps/speed.c b/apps/speed.c
index c10a8ee19..50522ae25 100644
--- a/apps/speed.c
+++ b/apps/speed.c
@@ -1214,7 +1214,7 @@ int speed_main(int argc, char **argv)
 #ifndef NO_FORK
     int multi = 0;
 #endif
-    int async_jobs = 0;
+    unsigned int async_jobs = 0;
 #if !defined(OPENSSL_NO_RSA) || !defined(OPENSSL_NO_DSA) \
     || !defined(OPENSSL_NO_EC)
     long rsa_count = 1;
@@ -1393,6 +1393,12 @@ int speed_main(int argc, char **argv)
                            prog);
                 goto opterr;
             }
+            if (async_jobs > 99999) {
+                BIO_printf(bio_err,
+                           "%s: too many async_jobs\n",
+                           prog);
+                goto opterr;
+            }
 #endif
             break;
         case OPT_MISALIGN: