diff --git a/Create.c b/Create.c
index c136473..7c6979a 100644
--- a/Create.c
+++ b/Create.c
@@ -66,11 +66,13 @@ static int default_layout(struct supertype *st, int level, int verbose)
 
 
 int Create(struct supertype *st, char *mddev,
-	   int chunk, int level, int layout, unsigned long long size, int raiddisks, int sparedisks,
+	   int chunk, int level, int layout, unsigned long long size,
+	   int raiddisks, int sparedisks,
 	   char *name, char *homehost, int *uuid,
 	   int subdevs, struct mddev_dev *devlist,
 	   int runstop, int verbose, int force, int assume_clean,
-	   char *bitmap_file, int bitmap_chunk, int write_behind, int delay, int autof)
+	   char *bitmap_file, int bitmap_chunk, int write_behind,
+	   int delay, int autof)
 {
 	/*
 	 * Create a new raid array.
@@ -395,6 +397,12 @@ int Create(struct supertype *st, char *mddev,
 			close(fd);
 		}
 	}
+	if (raiddisks + sparedisks > st->max_devs) {
+		fprintf(stderr, Name ": Too many devices:"
+			" %s metadata only supports %d\n",
+			st->ss->name, st->max_devs);
+		return 1;
+	}
 	if (have_container)
 		info.array.working_disks = raiddisks;
 	if (fail) {
diff --git a/Grow.c b/Grow.c
index e605591..6e88d6d 100644
--- a/Grow.c
+++ b/Grow.c
@@ -1017,6 +1017,11 @@ int Grow_reshape(char *devname, int fd, int quiet, char *backup_file,
 		fprintf(stderr, Name ": Unable to determine metadata format for %s\n", devname);
 		return 1;
 	}
+	if (raid_disks > st->max_devs) {
+		fprintf(stderr, Name ": Cannot increase raid-disks on this array"
+			" beyond %d\n", st->max_devs);
+		return 1;
+	}
 
 	/* in the external case we need to check that the requested reshape is
 	 * supported, and perform an initial check that the container holds the
diff --git a/mdadm.c b/mdadm.c
index c5acd43..187ad89 100644
--- a/mdadm.c
+++ b/mdadm.c
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	int layout = UnSet;
 	char *layout_str = NULL;
 	int raiddisks = 0;
-	int max_disks = MD_SB_DISKS; /* just a default */
 	int sparedisks = 0;
 	struct mddev_ident ident;
 	char *configfile = NULL;
@@ -384,7 +383,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 				fprintf(stderr, Name ": unrecognised metadata identifier: %s\n", optarg);
 				exit(2);
 			}
-			max_disks = ss->max_devs;
 			continue;
 
 		case O(MANAGE,'W'):
@@ -1122,11 +1120,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 
 	if (raiddisks) {
-		if (raiddisks > max_disks) {
-			fprintf(stderr, Name ": invalid number of raid devices: %d\n",
-				raiddisks);
-			exit(2);
-		}
 		if (raiddisks == 1 &&  !force && level != -5) {
 			fprintf(stderr, Name ": '1' is an unusual number of drives for an array, so it is probably\n"
 				"     a mistake.  If you really mean it you will need to specify --force before\n"
@@ -1134,13 +1127,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			exit(2);
 		}
 	}
-	if (sparedisks) {
-		if ( sparedisks > max_disks - raiddisks) {
-			fprintf(stderr, Name ": invalid number of spare-devices: %d\n",
-				sparedisks);
-			exit(2);
-		}
-	}
 
 	if (homehost == NULL)
 		homehost = conf_get_homehost(&require_homehost);