diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtils.java
index b29231deeea..d61b4f92fad 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtils.java
@@ -278,6 +278,19 @@ public static String random(int count, int start, int end, final boolean letters
                     "Parameter end (" + end + ") must be greater than start (" + start + ")");
         } else if (start < 0 || end < 0) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Character positions MUST be >= 0");
+        } else if (chars != null && (start >= chars.length || end > chars.length)) {
+            final StringBuilder errorMsg = new StringBuilder();
+            final int charsLength = chars.length;
+            if (start >= charsLength) {
+                errorMsg.append("Parameter start (").append(start).append(") must be less than chars array length ").append(charsLength);
+            }
+            if (end > charsLength) {
+                if (errorMsg.length() > 0) {
+                    errorMsg.append("; ");
+                }
+                errorMsg.append("Parameter end (").append(end).append(") must be less than or equal to chars array length ").append(charsLength);
+            }
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(errorMsg.toString());
         }
 
         if (end > Character.MAX_CODE_POINT) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtilsTest.java b/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtilsTest.java
index 3602fbc6461..4da52236181 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/RandomStringUtilsTest.java
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ void testExceptionsRandom() {
         assertIllegalArgumentException(() -> RandomStringUtils.random(8, 32, 48, false, true));
         assertIllegalArgumentException(() -> RandomStringUtils.random(8, 32, 65, true, false));
         assertIllegalArgumentException(() -> RandomStringUtils.random(1, Integer.MIN_VALUE, -10, false, false, null));
+        assertIllegalArgumentException(() -> RandomStringUtils.random(2, 4, 5, false, false, new char[] { 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd' }, new Random()));
+        assertIllegalArgumentException(() -> RandomStringUtils.random(2, 1, 5, false, false, new char[] { 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd' }, new Random()));
     }
 
     @ParameterizedTest