diff --git a/drivers/mtd/ubi/build.c b/drivers/mtd/ubi/build.c
index f4b01a9ded249adb84d6387e72633d53b1095a4a..4f50b2db62950612d4f8ab79600d51e7c7472d86 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/ubi/build.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/ubi/build.c
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@
 #include <ubi_uboot.h>
 #include "ubi.h"
 
+#if (CONFIG_SYS_MALLOC_LEN < (512 << 10))
+#error Malloc area too small for UBI, increase CONFIG_SYS_MALLOC_LEN to >= 512k
+#endif
+
 /* Maximum length of the 'mtd=' parameter */
 #define MTD_PARAM_LEN_MAX 64