diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 1516b9b4..f75f40c9 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ Requires libvips v8.12.2
 
 * Increase control over sensitivity to invalid images via `failOn`, deprecate `failOnError` (equivalent to `failOn: 'warning'`).
 
+* Improve error message when attempting to render SVG input greater than 32767x32767.
+  [#3167](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/3167)
+
 * Ensure `create` input image has correct bit depth and colour space.
   [#3139](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/3139)
 
diff --git a/src/pipeline.cc b/src/pipeline.cc
index 269d225b..c0ada83a 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.cc
+++ b/src/pipeline.cc
@@ -241,8 +241,10 @@ class PipelineWorker : public Napi::AsyncWorker {
             // Reload SVG file
             image = VImage::svgload(const_cast<char*>(baton->input->file.data()), option);
           }
-
           sharp::SetDensity(image, baton->input->density);
+          if (image.width() > 32767 || image.height() > 32767) {
+            throw vips::VError("Input SVG image will exceed 32767x32767 pixel limit when scaled");
+          }
         } else if (inputImageType == sharp::ImageType::PDF) {
           option->set("n", baton->input->pages);
           option->set("page", baton->input->page);
@@ -260,6 +262,10 @@ class PipelineWorker : public Napi::AsyncWorker {
 
           sharp::SetDensity(image, baton->input->density);
         }
+      } else {
+        if (inputImageType == sharp::ImageType::SVG && (image.width() > 32767 || image.height() > 32767)) {
+          throw vips::VError("Input SVG image exceeds 32767x32767 pixel limit");
+        }
       }
 
       // Any pre-shrinking may already have been done
diff --git a/test/unit/svg.js b/test/unit/svg.js
index abe2edc1..4e11922e 100644
--- a/test/unit/svg.js
+++ b/test/unit/svg.js
@@ -136,6 +136,20 @@ describe('SVG input', function () {
     assert.strictEqual(info.channels, 4);
   });
 
+  it('Fails to render SVG larger than 32767x32767', () =>
+    assert.rejects(
+      () => sharp(Buffer.from('<svg width="32768" height="1" />')).toBuffer(),
+      /Input SVG image exceeds 32767x32767 pixel limit/
+    )
+  );
+
+  it('Fails to render scaled SVG larger than 32767x32767', () =>
+    assert.rejects(
+      () => sharp(Buffer.from('<svg width="32767" height="1" />')).resize(32768).toBuffer(),
+      /Input SVG image will exceed 32767x32767 pixel limit when scaled/
+    )
+  );
+
   it('Detects SVG passed as a string', () =>
     assert.rejects(
       () => sharp('<svg></svg>').toBuffer(),