diff --git a/mikeio/dfsu/_dfsu.py b/mikeio/dfsu/_dfsu.py
index 82c4cf4c8..7c89fd84c 100644
--- a/mikeio/dfsu/_dfsu.py
+++ b/mikeio/dfsu/_dfsu.py
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ def _read_dfsu_header(self, dfs):
                     element_ids=el_ids,
                     node_ids=node_ids,
                     n_layers=dfs.NumberOfLayers,
-                    n_sigma=dfs.NumberOfSigmaLayers,
+                    n_sigma=min(dfs.NumberOfSigmaLayers, dfs.NumberOfLayers),
                     validate=False,
                 )
             elif self._type == DfsuFileType.DfsuSpectral1D: