diff --git a/vlib/builtin/array.v b/vlib/builtin/array.v
index 5fab9eef0c..78591e8852 100644
--- a/vlib/builtin/array.v
+++ b/vlib/builtin/array.v
@@ -136,8 +136,11 @@ pub fn (s array) slice(start, _end int) array {
 	if start > end {
 		panic('invalid slice index: $start > $end')
 	}
-	if end >= s.len {
-		end = s.len
+	if end > s.len {
+		panic('runtime error: slice bounds out of range ($end >= $s.len)') 
+	}
+	if start < 0 { 
+		panic('runtime error: slice bounds out of range ($start < 0)') 
 	}
 	l := end - start
 	res := array {