diff --git a/src/search.f90 b/src/search.f90
index 67e8c8e2b3..2d3c0cc3de 100644
--- a/src/search.f90
+++ b/src/search.f90
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ module search
   use error,     only: fatal_error
   use global,    only: message
 
+  integer, parameter :: MAX_ITERATION = 64
+
 contains
 
 !===============================================================================
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ contains
 
     integer :: L
     integer :: R
+    integer :: n_iteration
     real(8) :: testval
 
     L = 1
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@ contains
        call fatal_error()
     end if
     
+    n_iteration = 0
     do while (R - L > 1)
        
        ! Check boundaries
@@ -49,6 +53,13 @@ contains
        elseif (val < testval) then
           R = array_index
        end if
+
+       ! check for large number of iterations
+       n_iteration = n_iteration + 1
+       if (n_iteration == MAX_ITERATION) then
+          message = "Reached maximum number of iterations on binary search."
+          call fatal_error()
+       end if
     end do
 
     array_index = L