diff --git a/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py b/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py
index 365446f..1ffbc1d 100644
--- a/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py
+++ b/scripts/tracetool/__init__.py
@@ -191,6 +191,10 @@
         self.event_trans = event_trans
         self.event_exec = event_exec
 
+        if len(args) > 10:
+            raise ValueError("Event '%s' has more than maximum permitted "
+                             "argument count" % name)
+
         if orig is None:
             self.original = weakref.ref(self)
         else: