diff --git a/plugin/file/file.go b/plugin/file/file.go
index 67b81e9a5..21039d8ec 100644
--- a/plugin/file/file.go
+++ b/plugin/file/file.go
@@ -166,15 +166,11 @@ func Parse(f io.Reader, origin, fileName string, serial int64) (*Zone, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
-	if !seenSOA {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("file %q has no SOA record for origin %s", fileName, origin)
-	}
 	if zp.Err() != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to parse file %q for origin %s with error %v", fileName, origin, zp.Err())
 	}
-
-	if err := zp.Err(); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+	if !seenSOA {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("file %q has no SOA record for origin %s", fileName, origin)
 	}
 
 	return z, nil
diff --git a/plugin/file/file_test.go b/plugin/file/file_test.go
index e1afc7f49..dd3be334a 100644
--- a/plugin/file/file_test.go
+++ b/plugin/file/file_test.go
@@ -57,3 +57,53 @@ www          IN  A      192.168.0.14
 mail         IN  A      192.168.0.15
 imap         IN  CNAME  mail
 `
+
+func TestParseMalformedSOA(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := Parse(strings.NewReader(dbMalformedSOA), "example.org.", "stdin", 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Zone %q should have failed to load", "example.org.")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "bad SOA zone parameter") {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected parse error containing 'bad SOA zone parameter', got: %s", err)
+	}
+}
+
+const dbMalformedSOA = `
+$TTL         1M
+$ORIGIN      example.org.
+
+@            IN  SOA    ns1.example.com. admin.example.com.  (
+                               abc ; Serial - invalid
+                               1200       ; Refresh
+                               144        ; Retry
+                               1814400    ; Expire
+                               2h )       ; Minimum
+@            IN  NS     ns1.example.com.
+
+www          IN  A      192.168.0.14
+`
+
+func TestParseSOASerialTooLarge(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := Parse(strings.NewReader(dbSOASerialTooLarge), "example.org.", "stdin", 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Zone %q should have failed to load", "example.org.")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "bad SOA zone parameter") {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected parse error containing 'bad SOA zone parameter', got: %s", err)
+	}
+}
+
+const dbSOASerialTooLarge = `
+$TTL         1M
+$ORIGIN      example.org.
+
+@            IN  SOA    ns1.example.com. admin.example.com.  (
+                               202512200817 ; Serial - exceeds 32-bit uint
+                               1200       ; Refresh
+                               144        ; Retry
+                               1814400    ; Expire
+                               2h )       ; Minimum
+@            IN  NS     ns1.example.com.
+
+www          IN  A      192.168.0.14
+`