diff --git a/linux/labels_baremetal b/linux/labels_baremetal
index ce80777e..c1db3ad6 100755
Binary files a/linux/labels_baremetal and b/linux/labels_baremetal differ
diff --git a/linux/labels_baremetal.subx b/linux/labels_baremetal.subx
index 54d45425..be1dc768 100644
--- a/linux/labels_baremetal.subx
+++ b/linux/labels_baremetal.subx
@@ -435,6 +435,10 @@ emit-output:  # in: (addr stream byte), out: (addr buffered-file), labels: (addr
     #         emit(out, *address, 4)
     #       else if has-metadata?(word-slice, "disp8")
     #         value = *address - address-of-next-instruction
+    #         if value > 127
+    #           abort
+    #         if value < -128
+    #           abort
     #         emit(out, value, 1)
     #       else if has-metadata?(word-slice, "disp32")
     #         if far-jump-or-call?
@@ -1013,6 +1017,12 @@ $emit-output:emit-disp8:
     # var value/eax: int = *address - address-of-next-instruction
     8b/copy                         0/mod/indirect  6/rm32/esi    .           .             .           0/r32/eax   .               .                 # copy *esi to eax
     29/subtract                     3/mod/direct    0/rm32/eax    .           .             .           3/r32/ebx   .               .                 # subtract ebx from eax
+    # if (value > 127) abort
+    3d/compare-eax-and  0x7f/imm32
+    0f 8f/jump-if->  $emit-output:error-disp8-too-large/disp32
+    # if (value < -128) abort
+    3d/compare-eax-and  -0x80/imm32
+    0f 8c/jump-if-<  $emit-output:error-disp8-too-large/disp32
     # emit-hex(out, value, 1)
     # . . push args
     68/push  1/imm32
@@ -1139,6 +1149,66 @@ $emit-output:abort:
     e8/call  syscall_exit/disp32
     # never gets here
 
+$emit-output:error-disp8-too-large:
+    # print(stderr, word-slice ": label too far below for /disp8; use /disp32")
+    # . write-slice-buffered(Stderr, word-slice)
+    # . . push args
+    52/push-edx
+    68/push  Stderr/imm32
+    # . . call
+    e8/call  write-slice-buffered/disp32
+    # . . discard args
+    81          0/subop/add         3/mod/direct    4/rm32/esp    .           .             .           .           .               8/imm32           # add to esp
+    # . flush(Stderr)
+    # . . push args
+    68/push  Stderr/imm32
+    # . . call
+    e8/call  flush/disp32
+    # . . discard args
+    81          0/subop/add         3/mod/direct    4/rm32/esp    .           .             .           .           .               4/imm32           # add to esp
+    # . _write(2/stderr, msg)
+    # . . push args
+    68/push  ": label too far below for /disp8; use /disp32"/imm32
+    68/push  2/imm32/stderr
+    # . . call
+    e8/call  _write/disp32
+    # . . discard args
+    81          0/subop/add         3/mod/direct    4/rm32/esp    .           .             .           .           .               8/imm32           # add to esp
+    # . syscall_exit(1)
+    bb/copy-to-ebx  1/imm32
+    e8/call  syscall_exit/disp32
+    # never gets here
+
+$emit-output:error-disp8-too-small:
+    # print(stderr, word-slice ": label too far above for /disp8; use /disp32")
+    # . write-slice-buffered(Stderr, word-slice)
+    # . . push args
+    52/push-edx
+    68/push  Stderr/imm32
+    # . . call
+    e8/call  write-slice-buffered/disp32
+    # . . discard args
+    81          0/subop/add         3/mod/direct    4/rm32/esp    .           .             .           .           .               8/imm32           # add to esp
+    # . flush(Stderr)
+    # . . push args
+    68/push  Stderr/imm32
+    # . . call
+    e8/call  flush/disp32
+    # . . discard args
+    81          0/subop/add         3/mod/direct    4/rm32/esp    .           .             .           .           .               4/imm32           # add to esp
+    # . _write(2/stderr, msg)
+    # . . push args
+    68/push  ": label too far above for /disp8; use /disp32"/imm32
+    68/push  2/imm32/stderr
+    # . . call
+    e8/call  _write/disp32
+    # . . discard args
+    81          0/subop/add         3/mod/direct    4/rm32/esp    .           .             .           .           .               8/imm32           # add to esp
+    # . syscall_exit(1)
+    bb/copy-to-ebx  1/imm32
+    e8/call  syscall_exit/disp32
+    # never gets here
+
 test-emit-output-non-far-control-flow:
     # labels turn into absolute addresses if opcodes are not far jumps or calls
     #