diff --git a/src/pynwb/file.py b/src/pynwb/file.py
index 564820caf..4ba75632e 100644
--- a/src/pynwb/file.py
+++ b/src/pynwb/file.py
@@ -341,6 +341,11 @@ def create_electrode_table_region(self, **kwargs):
             msg = "no electrodes available. add electrodes before creating a region"
             raise RuntimeError(msg)
         region = getargs('region', kwargs)
+        for idx in region:
+            if idx < 0 or idx >= len(self.ec_electrodes):
+                raise IndexError('The index ' + str(idx) +
+                                 ' is out of range for the ElectrodeTable of length '
+                                 + str(len(self.ec_electrodes)))
         desc = getargs('description', kwargs)
         name = getargs('name', kwargs)
         return ElectrodeTableRegion(self.ec_electrodes, region, desc, name)
diff --git a/tests/unit/pynwb_tests/test_file.py b/tests/unit/pynwb_tests/test_file.py
index e80e16036..8f94f10df 100644
--- a/tests/unit/pynwb_tests/test_file.py
+++ b/tests/unit/pynwb_tests/test_file.py
@@ -60,6 +60,21 @@ def test_create_electrode_group(self):
         self.assertEqual(elecgrp.location, loc)
         self.assertIs(elecgrp.device, d)
 
+    def test_create_electrode_group_invalid_index(self):
+        """
+        Test the case where the user creates an electrode table region with
+        indexes that are out of range of the amount of electrodes added.
+        """
+        nwbfile = NWBFile('a', 'b', 'c', datetime.now())
+        device = nwbfile.create_device('a', 'b')
+        elecgrp = nwbfile.create_electrode_group('a', 'b', 'c', device=device, location='a')
+        for i in range(4):
+            nwbfile.add_electrode(i, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan, np.nan, group=elecgrp,
+                                  location='a', filtering='a', description='a')
+        with self.assertRaises(IndexError) as err:
+            nwbfile.create_electrode_table_region(list(range(6)), 'test')
+        self.assertTrue('out of range' in str(err.exception))
+
     def test_epoch_tags(self):
         tags1 = ['t1', 't2']
         tags2 = ['t3', 't4']