diff --git a/src/unix/sound.cpp b/src/unix/sound.cpp
index 04100babf9..997873bf90 100644
--- a/src/unix/sound.cpp
+++ b/src/unix/sound.cpp
@@ -626,12 +626,30 @@ typedef struct
 
 bool wxSound::LoadWAV(const wxUint8 *data, size_t length, bool copyData)
 {
-    WAVEFORMAT waveformat;
-    wxUint32 ul;
-
-    if (length < 32 + sizeof(WAVEFORMAT))
+    // the simplest wave file header consists of 44 bytes:
+    //
+    //      0   "RIFF"
+    //      4   file size - 8
+    //      8   "WAVE"
+    //
+    //      12  "fmt "
+    //      16  chunk size                  |
+    //      20  format tag                  |
+    //      22  number of channels          |
+    //      24  sample rate                 | WAVEFORMAT
+    //      28  average bytes per second    |
+    //      32  bytes per frame             |
+    //      34  bits per sample             |
+    //  
+    //      36  "data"
+    //      40  number of data bytes
+    //      44  (wave signal) data
+    //
+    // so check that we have at least as much
+    if ( length < 44 )
         return false;
 
+    WAVEFORMAT waveformat;
     memcpy(&waveformat, &data[FMT_INDEX + 4], sizeof(WAVEFORMAT));
     waveformat.uiSize = wxUINT32_SWAP_ON_BE(waveformat.uiSize);
     waveformat.uiFormatTag = wxUINT16_SWAP_ON_BE(waveformat.uiFormatTag);
@@ -641,6 +659,14 @@ bool wxSound::LoadWAV(const wxUint8 *data, size_t length, bool copyData)
     waveformat.uiBlockAlign = wxUINT16_SWAP_ON_BE(waveformat.uiBlockAlign);
     waveformat.uiBitsPerSample = wxUINT16_SWAP_ON_BE(waveformat.uiBitsPerSample);
 
+    // get the sound data size
+    wxUint32 ul;
+    memcpy(&ul, &data[FMT_INDEX + waveformat.uiSize + 12], 4);
+    ul = wxUINT32_SWAP_ON_BE(ul);
+
+    if ( length < ul + FMT_INDEX + waveformat.uiSize + 16 )
+        return false;
+
     if (memcmp(data, "RIFF", 4) != 0)
         return false;
     if (memcmp(&data[WAVE_INDEX], "WAVE", 4) != 0)
@@ -649,12 +675,6 @@ bool wxSound::LoadWAV(const wxUint8 *data, size_t length, bool copyData)
         return false;
     if (memcmp(&data[FMT_INDEX + waveformat.uiSize + 8], "data", 4) != 0)
         return false;
-    memcpy(&ul,&data[FMT_INDEX + waveformat.uiSize + 12], 4);
-    ul = wxUINT32_SWAP_ON_BE(ul);
-
-    //WAS: if (ul + FMT_INDEX + waveformat.uiSize + 16 != length)
-    if (ul + FMT_INDEX + waveformat.uiSize + 16 > length)
-        return false;
 
     if (waveformat.uiFormatTag != WAVE_FORMAT_PCM)
         return false;