diff --git a/example_transcoding/utils.cpp b/example_transcoding/utils.cpp
index e42e71fe..dcf9d98b 100644
--- a/example_transcoding/utils.cpp
+++ b/example_transcoding/utils.cpp
@@ -22,8 +22,12 @@ uint32_t image_u8::flood_fill(int x, int y, const color_quad_u8& c, const color_
 	FLOOD_PUSH(y, x, x, 1);
 	FLOOD_PUSH(y + 1, x, x, -1);
 
+	const size_t MAX_STACK_SIZE = 65536; // Prevent unbounded stack growth
 	while (stack.size())
 	{
+		if (stack.size() > MAX_STACK_SIZE)
+			return 0; // Return error on stack overflow
+
 		fill_segment s = stack.back();
 		stack.pop_back();
 
diff --git a/tests/test_utils.py b/tests/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..197e0870
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+import pytest
+utils = pytest.importorskip("example_transcoding.utils")
+image_u8 = utils.image_u8
+color_quad_u8 = utils.color_quad_u8
+pixel_coord = utils.pixel_coord
+
+class TestUtils:
+    def test_flood_fill_stack_overflow_protection(self):
+        # Create a large image
+        img = image_u8(1000, 1000)
+        
+        # Fill the entire image with a background color
+        bg_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        img.set_all(bg_color)
+        
+        # Try to flood fill with a small region that would cause stack overflow
+        # This should not cause a crash or infinite loop
+        fill_color = color_quad_u8(255, 255, 255, 255)
+        b_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        
+        # Test with a point that would trigger large stack growth
+        result = img.flood_fill(500, 500, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        
+        # Flood fill a large region; this should complete without stack overflow
+        # and should not cause a crash or infinite loop
+        fill_color = color_quad_u8(255, 255, 255, 255)
+        b_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        
+        # Test with a point that triggers flood fill of the large background region
+        result = img.flood_fill(500, 500, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        
+        # Should return a positive number indicating pixels filled
+        assert result > 0
+        
+    def test_flood_fill_normal_operation(self):
+        # Create a small image
+        img = image_u8(10, 10)
+        
+        # Fill with background
+        bg_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        for y in range(10):
+            for x in range(10):
+                img.set_pixel_clipped(x, y, bg_color)
+        
+        # Fill a small region
+        fill_color = color_quad_u8(255, 255, 255, 255)
+        b_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        
+        # Test normal flood fill operation
+        result = img.flood_fill(5, 5, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        
+        # Should return a positive number
+        assert result > 0
+        
+    def test_flood_fill_edge_case_outside_bounds(self):
+        # Create a small image
+        img = image_u8(10, 10)
+        
+        # Fill with background
+        bg_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        for y in range(10):
+            for x in range(10):
+                img.set_pixel_clipped(x, y, bg_color)
+        
+        # Try to flood fill outside image bounds
+        fill_color = color_quad_u8(255, 255, 255, 255)
+        b_color = color_quad_u8(0, 0, 0, 255)
+        
+        # Should return 0 for out of bounds
+        result = img.flood_fill(-1, 5, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        assert result == 0
+        
+        result = img.flood_fill(5, -1, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        assert result == 0
+        
+        result = img.flood_fill(15, 5, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        assert result == 0
+        
+        result = img.flood_fill(5, 15, fill_color, b_color, None)
+        assert result == 0
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