diff --git a/docs/usage.md b/docs/usage.md
index a4ec38d..07c4fb9 100644
--- a/docs/usage.md
+++ b/docs/usage.md
@@ -35,6 +35,11 @@ The only required parameter to ``hyperscan.Database`` is
 rest of the parameters, including **ids**, **elements**, and **flags**
 are optional.
 
+Expression IDs and flag values must be integers in the unsigned 32-bit range
+(`0` through `2**32 - 1`). Values outside this range raise `OverflowError`
+instead of being truncated. Flags can be supplied as a single integer or a
+sequence of integers; the native engine also checks supported flag combinations.
+
 ```python
 import hyperscan
 
diff --git a/src/hyperscan/extension.c b/src/hyperscan/extension.c
index e072d10..5fa8e98 100644
--- a/src/hyperscan/extension.c
+++ b/src/hyperscan/extension.c
@@ -344,6 +344,20 @@ static int Database_init(Database *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
   return 0;
 }
 
+static int parse_uint32(PyObject *value, uint32_t *result)
+{
+  unsigned long number = PyLong_AsUnsignedLong(value);
+  if (PyErr_Occurred())
+    return -1;
+  if (number > UINT32_MAX) {
+    PyErr_SetString(
+      PyExc_OverflowError, "value exceeds an unsigned 32-bit integer");
+    return -1;
+  }
+  *result = (uint32_t)number;
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static PyObject *Database_compile(
   Database *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
@@ -416,9 +430,11 @@ static PyObject *Database_compile(
   if (ids == NULL)
     goto memory_error;
 
-  globalflag = (oflags == Py_None ? 0 : PyLong_AsUnsignedLong(oflags));
-
-  PyErr_Clear();
+  globalflag = 0;
+  if (
+    oflags != Py_None && !PySequence_Check(oflags) &&
+    parse_uint32(oflags, &globalflag) < 0)
+    goto python_error;
 
   for (uint64_t i = 0; i < elements; i++) {
     const char *expression;
@@ -450,8 +466,7 @@ static PyObject *Database_compile(
 
     if (PyObject_IsTrue(oids)) {
       oid = PySequence_ITEM(oids, i);
-      expr_id = PyLong_AsUnsignedLong(oid);
-      if (PyErr_Occurred())
+      if (parse_uint32(oid, &expr_id) < 0)
         break;
     } else {
       expr_id = i;
@@ -461,8 +476,7 @@ static PyObject *Database_compile(
       oflag = PySequence_ITEM(oflags, i);
       if (PyErr_Occurred())
         break;
-      expr_flags = PyLong_AsUnsignedLong(oflag);
-      if (PyErr_Occurred())
+      if (parse_uint32(oflag, &expr_flags) < 0)
         break;
     } else {
       expr_flags = globalflag;
diff --git a/tests/test_compile_parameters.py b/tests/test_compile_parameters.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d09d846
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_compile_parameters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+import pytest
+
+import hyperscan
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(params=["regex", "literal", "chimera"])
+def compiler(request):
+    chimera = request.param == "chimera"
+    db = hyperscan.Database(
+        chimera=chimera,
+        mode=hyperscan.CH_MODE_GROUPS if chimera else hyperscan.HS_MODE_BLOCK,
+    )
+
+    def compile(**kwargs):
+        db.compile(expressions=[b"foo"], literal=request.param == "literal", **kwargs)
+
+    return (
+        db,
+        compile,
+        hyperscan.CH_FLAG_CASELESS if chimera else hyperscan.HS_FLAG_CASELESS,
+    )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "flags, error",
+    [
+        (0.0, TypeError),
+        (-1, OverflowError),
+        (1 << 32, OverflowError),
+        ([1 << 32], OverflowError),
+        ([0.0], TypeError),
+        (object(), TypeError),
+    ],
+)
+def test_invalid_compile_flags(compiler, flags, error):
+    _, compile, _ = compiler
+    with pytest.raises(error):
+        compile(flags=flags)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("identifier", [-1, 1 << 32, (1 << 32) + 7])
+def test_invalid_compile_ids(compiler, identifier):
+    _, compile, _ = compiler
+    with pytest.raises(OverflowError):
+        compile(ids=[identifier])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("identifier", [0, (1 << 32) - 1])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("sequence_flags", [False, True])
+def test_valid_compile_parameter_boundaries(compiler, identifier, sequence_flags):
+    db, compile, flag = compiler
+    compile(ids=[identifier], flags=[flag] if sequence_flags else flag)
+    matches = []
+    db.scan(b"FOO", match_event_handler=lambda *args: matches.append(args[0]))
+    assert matches == [identifier]