diff --git a/eth2/utils/ssz/src/decode.rs b/eth2/utils/ssz/src/decode.rs
index fc1198964..4db68e27f 100644
--- a/eth2/utils/ssz/src/decode.rs
+++ b/eth2/utils/ssz/src/decode.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ impl<'a> SszDecoderBuilder<'a> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    fn apply_offsets(&mut self) -> Result<(), DecodeError> {
+    fn finalize(&mut self) -> Result<(), DecodeError> {
         if !self.offsets.is_empty() {
             // Check to ensure the first offset points to the byte immediately following the
             // fixed-length bytes.
@@ -124,13 +124,21 @@ impl<'a> SszDecoderBuilder<'a> {
             if let Some(last) = self.offsets.last() {
                 self.items[last.position] = &self.bytes[last.offset..]
             }
+        } else {
+            // If the container is fixed-length, ensure there are no excess bytes.
+            if self.items_index != self.bytes.len() {
+                return Err(DecodeError::InvalidByteLength {
+                    len: self.bytes.len(),
+                    expected: self.items_index,
+                });
+            }
         }
 
         Ok(())
     }
 
     pub fn build(mut self) -> Result<SszDecoder<'a>, DecodeError> {
-        self.apply_offsets()?;
+        self.finalize()?;
 
         Ok(SszDecoder { items: self.items })
     }
diff --git a/eth2/utils/ssz/tests/tests.rs b/eth2/utils/ssz/tests/tests.rs
index 5a880492d..94632203b 100644
--- a/eth2/utils/ssz/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/eth2/utils/ssz/tests/tests.rs
@@ -106,6 +106,22 @@ mod round_trip {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn fixed_len_excess_bytes() {
+        let fixed = FixedLen { a: 1, b: 2, c: 3 };
+
+        let mut bytes = fixed.as_ssz_bytes();
+        bytes.append(&mut vec![0]);
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            FixedLen::from_ssz_bytes(&bytes),
+            Err(DecodeError::InvalidByteLength {
+                len: 15,
+                expected: 14,
+            })
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn vec_of_fixed_len_struct() {
         let items: Vec<FixedLen> = vec![
@@ -138,6 +154,22 @@ mod round_trip {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn variable_len_excess_bytes() {
+        let variable = VariableLen {
+            a: 1,
+            b: vec![2],
+            c: 3,
+        };
+
+        let mut bytes = variable.as_ssz_bytes();
+        bytes.append(&mut vec![0]);
+
+        // The error message triggered is not so helpful, it's caught by a side-effect. Just
+        // checking there is _some_ error is fine.
+        assert!(VariableLen::from_ssz_bytes(&bytes).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn first_offset_skips_byte() {
         let bytes = vec![