diff --git a/tivars/data.py b/tivars/data.py
index e9a2699..ef1dd9b 100644
--- a/tivars/data.py
+++ b/tivars/data.py
@@ -202,7 +202,12 @@ def set(cls, value: _T, *, length: int = None, **kwargs) -> bytes:
         :return: The little-endian representation of ``value``
         """
 
-        return int.to_bytes(value, length if length is not None else 2, 'little')
+        length = length if length is not None else 2
+        try:
+            return int.to_bytes(value, length, 'little')
+
+        except OverflowError:
+            raise OverflowError(f"{value} cannot fit in a field of width {length}")
 
 
 class String(Converter):