diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4bb1f86..0a87c59 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -214,7 +214,18 @@ console.log(deep);
 // }
 ```
 
-The depth limit helps mitigate abuse when **qs** is used to parse user input, and it is recommended to keep it a reasonably small number.
+You can configure **qs** to throw an error when parsing nested input beyond this depth using the `strictDepth` option (defaulted to false):
+
+```js
+try {
+  qs.parse('a[b][c][d][e][f][g][h][i]=j', { depth: 1, strictDepth: true });
+} catch (err) {
+  assert(err instanceof RangeError);
+  assert.strictEqual(err.message, 'Input depth exceeded depth option of 1 and strictDepth is true');
+}
+```
+
+The depth limit helps mitigate abuse when **qs** is used to parse user input, and it is recommended to keep it a reasonably small number. The strictDepth option adds a layer of protection by throwing an error when the limit is exceeded, allowing you to catch and handle such cases.
 
 For similar reasons, by default **qs** will only parse up to 1000 parameters. This can be overridden by passing a `parameterLimit` option:
 
diff --git a/src/parse.ts b/src/parse.ts
index 3612d15..97372e2 100644
--- a/src/parse.ts
+++ b/src/parse.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ const defaults = {
 	parameterLimit: 1000,
 	parseArrays: true,
 	plainObjects: false,
+	strictDepth: false,
 	strictNullHandling: false,
 } as NonNullableProperties<ParseOptions>;
 
@@ -219,9 +220,14 @@ function parseKeys(
 		keys.push(segment[1]);
 	}
 
-	// If there's a remainder, just add whatever is left
+	// If there's a remainder, check strictDepth option for throw, else just add whatever is left
 
 	if (segment) {
+		if (options.strictDepth) {
+			throw new RangeError(
+				'Input depth exceeded depth option of ' + options.depth + ' and strictDepth is true',
+			);
+		}
 		keys.push('[' + key.slice(segment.index) + ']');
 	}
 
@@ -307,6 +313,7 @@ function normalize_parse_options(
 		parseArrays: opts.parseArrays !== false,
 		plainObjects:
 			typeof opts.plainObjects === 'boolean' ? opts.plainObjects : defaults.plainObjects,
+		strictDepth: typeof opts.strictDepth === 'boolean' ? !!opts.strictDepth : defaults.strictDepth,
 		strictNullHandling:
 			typeof opts.strictNullHandling === 'boolean'
 				? opts.strictNullHandling
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index eb32593..5ed7448 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ export type ParseBaseOptions = {
 	allowPrototypes?: boolean;
 	allowSparse?: boolean;
 	parameterLimit?: number;
+	strictDepth?: boolean;
 	strictNullHandling?: boolean;
 	ignoreQueryPrefix?: boolean;
 	charset?: 'utf-8' | 'iso-8859-1';
diff --git a/test/parse.test.ts b/test/parse.test.ts
index 221006b..c4468e7 100644
--- a/test/parse.test.ts
+++ b/test/parse.test.ts
@@ -1267,3 +1267,64 @@ test('`duplicates` option', function (t) {
 	// );
 	expect(parse('foo=bar&foo=baz', { duplicates: 'last' })).toEqual({ foo: 'baz' });
 });
+
+describe('qs strictDepth option - throw cases', function (t) {
+	test('throws an exception when depth exceeds the limit with strictDepth: true', function () {
+		expect(() => {
+			parse('a[b][c][d][e][f][g][h][i]=j', { depth: 1, strictDepth: true });
+		}).toThrowError(RangeError);
+	});
+
+	test('throws an exception for multiple nested arrays with strictDepth: true', function () {
+		expect(() => {
+			parse('a[0][1][2][3][4]=b', { depth: 3, strictDepth: true });
+		}).toThrowError(RangeError);
+	});
+
+	test('throws an exception for nested objects and arrays with strictDepth: true', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			parse('a[b][c][0][d][e]=f', { depth: 3, strictDepth: true });
+		}).toThrowError(RangeError);
+	});
+
+	test('throws an exception for different types of values with strictDepth: true', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			parse('a[b][c][d][e]=true&a[b][c][d][f]=42', { depth: 3, strictDepth: true });
+		}).toThrowError(RangeError);
+	});
+});
+
+describe('qs strictDepth option - non-throw cases', function (t) {
+	test('when depth is 0 and strictDepth true, do not throw', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			parse('a[b][c][d][e]=true&a[b][c][d][f]=42', { depth: 0, strictDepth: true });
+		}).not.toThrow();
+	});
+
+	test('parses successfully when depth is within the limit with strictDepth: true', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			parse('a[b]=c', { depth: 1, strictDepth: true });
+		}).not.toThrow();
+	});
+
+	test('does not throw an exception when depth exceeds the limit with strictDepth: false', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			const result = parse('a[b][c][d][e][f][g][h][i]=j', { depth: 1 });
+			expect(result).toEqual({ a: { b: { '[c][d][e][f][g][h][i]': 'j' } } });
+		}).not.toThrow();
+	});
+
+	test('parses successfully when depth is within the limit with strictDepth: false', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			const result = parse('a[b]=c', { depth: 1 });
+			expect(result).toEqual({ a: { b: 'c' } });
+		}).not.toThrow();
+	});
+
+	test('does not throw when depth is exactly at the limit with strictDepth: true', function (st) {
+		expect(() => {
+			const result = parse('a[b][c]=d', { depth: 2, strictDepth: true });
+			expect(result).toEqual({ a: { b: { c: 'd' } } });
+		}).not.toThrow();
+	});
+});