diff --git a/x/opchild/types/errors.go b/x/opchild/types/errors.go
index 3135eb10..a1efba47 100644
--- a/x/opchild/types/errors.go
+++ b/x/opchild/types/errors.go
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@ var (
 	ErrDepositAlreadyFinalized         = errorsmod.Register(ModuleName, 9, "deposit already finalized")
 	ErrInvalidAmount                   = errorsmod.Register(ModuleName, 10, "invalid amount")
 	ErrInvalidSequence                 = errorsmod.Register(ModuleName, 11, "invalid sequence")
+	ErrZeroMaxValidators               = errorsmod.Register(ModuleName, 12, "max validators must be non-zero")
 )
diff --git a/x/opchild/types/params.go b/x/opchild/types/params.go
index 1c405946..cc14edd0 100644
--- a/x/opchild/types/params.go
+++ b/x/opchild/types/params.go
@@ -48,5 +48,9 @@ func (p Params) Validate() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	if p.MaxValidators == 0 {
+		return ErrZeroMaxValidators
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }