diff --git a/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py b/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py
index 3be7b8d23e..1742b36ed6 100644
--- a/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py
+++ b/interfaces/cython/cantera/test/test_thermo.py
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ def test_species(self):
             self.assertEqual(name, self.phase.species_name(i))
             self.assertEqual(i, self.phase.species_index(name))
             self.assertEqual(i, self.phase.species_index(i))
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(ct.CanteraError, 'IndexError thrown by Phase::checkSpeciesIndex'):
+            self.phase.species(self.phase.n_species)
 
     def test_elements(self):
         self.assertEqual(self.phase.n_elements, 3)
diff --git a/src/thermo/Phase.cpp b/src/thermo/Phase.cpp
index b3293b8fcd..03ed524c50 100644
--- a/src/thermo/Phase.cpp
+++ b/src/thermo/Phase.cpp
@@ -990,6 +990,7 @@ shared_ptr<Species> Phase::species(const std::string& name) const
 
 shared_ptr<Species> Phase::species(size_t k) const
 {
+    checkSpeciesIndex(k);
     return m_species.at(m_speciesNames[k]);
 }