diff --git a/src/array_string.rs b/src/array_string.rs
index c642e2b..076544f 100644
--- a/src/array_string.rs
+++ b/src/array_string.rs
@@ -12,15 +12,20 @@ use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::str::Utf8Error;
 
 use crate::CapacityError;
+use crate::LenUint;
 use crate::char::encode_utf8;
 
 #[cfg(feature="serde")]
 use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize, Serializer, Deserializer};
 
+
 /// A string with a fixed capacity.
 ///
 /// The `ArrayString` is a string backed by a fixed size array. It keeps track
-/// of its length.
+/// of its length, and is parameterized by `CAP` for the maximum capacity.
+///
+/// `CAP` is of type `usize` but is range limited to `u32::MAX`; attempting to create larger
+/// arrayvecs with larger capacity will panic.
 ///
 /// The string is a contiguous value that you can store directly on the stack
 /// if needed.
@@ -28,7 +33,7 @@ use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize, Serializer, Deserializer};
 pub struct ArrayString<const CAP: usize> {
     // the `len` first elements of the array are initialized
     xs: [MaybeUninit<u8>; CAP],
-    len: usize,
+    len: LenUint,
 }
 
 impl<const CAP: usize> Default for ArrayString<CAP>
@@ -55,6 +60,7 @@ impl<const CAP: usize> ArrayString<CAP>
     /// ```
     #[cfg(not(feature="unstable-const-fn"))]
     pub fn new() -> ArrayString<CAP> {
+        assert_capacity_limit!(CAP);
         unsafe {
             ArrayString { xs: MaybeUninit::uninit().assume_init(), len: 0 }
         }
@@ -62,6 +68,7 @@ impl<const CAP: usize> ArrayString<CAP>
 
     #[cfg(feature="unstable-const-fn")]
     pub const fn new() -> ArrayString<CAP> {
+        assert_capacity_limit!(CAP);
         unsafe {
             ArrayString { xs: MaybeUninit::uninit().assume_init(), len: 0 }
         }
@@ -69,7 +76,7 @@ impl<const CAP: usize> ArrayString<CAP>
 
     /// Return the length of the string.
     #[inline]
-    pub fn len(&self) -> usize { self.len }
+    pub fn len(&self) -> usize { self.len as usize }
 
     /// Returns whether the string is empty.
     #[inline]
@@ -347,8 +354,9 @@ impl<const CAP: usize> ArrayString<CAP>
     /// This method uses *debug assertions* to check the validity of `length`
     /// and may use other debug assertions.
     pub unsafe fn set_len(&mut self, length: usize) {
+        // type invariant that capacity always fits in LenUint
         debug_assert!(length <= self.capacity());
-        self.len = length;
+        self.len = length as LenUint;
     }
 
     /// Return a string slice of the whole `ArrayString`.
@@ -371,7 +379,7 @@ impl<const CAP: usize> Deref for ArrayString<CAP>
     #[inline]
     fn deref(&self) -> &str {
         unsafe {
-            let sl = slice::from_raw_parts(self.as_ptr(), self.len);
+            let sl = slice::from_raw_parts(self.as_ptr(), self.len());
             str::from_utf8_unchecked(sl)
         }
     }
@@ -382,7 +390,8 @@ impl<const CAP: usize> DerefMut for ArrayString<CAP>
     #[inline]
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut str {
         unsafe {
-            let sl = slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.as_mut_ptr(), self.len);
+            let len = self.len();
+            let sl = slice::from_raw_parts_mut(self.as_mut_ptr(), len);
             str::from_utf8_unchecked_mut(sl)
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/arrayvec.rs b/src/arrayvec.rs
index d1fa24a..2ab9b0d 100644
--- a/src/arrayvec.rs
+++ b/src/arrayvec.rs
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ use std::mem::MaybeUninit;
 #[cfg(feature="serde")]
 use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize, Serializer, Deserializer};
 
+use crate::LenUint;
 use crate::errors::CapacityError;
 use crate::arrayvec_impl::ArrayVecImpl;
 
@@ -29,17 +30,18 @@ use crate::arrayvec_impl::ArrayVecImpl;
 /// the number of initialized elements. The `ArrayVec<T, CAP>` is parameterized
 /// by `T` for the element type and `CAP` for the maximum capacity.
 ///
+/// `CAP` is of type `usize` but is range limited to `u32::MAX`; attempting to create larger
+/// arrayvecs with larger capacity will panic.
+///
 /// The vector is a contiguous value (storing the elements inline) that you can store directly on
 /// the stack if needed.
 ///
-/// It offers a simple API but also dereferences to a slice, so
-/// that the full slice API is available.
-///
-/// ArrayVec can be converted into a by value iterator.
+/// It offers a simple API but also dereferences to a slice, so that the full slice API is
+/// available. The ArrayVec can be converted into a by value iterator.
 pub struct ArrayVec<T, const CAP: usize> {
     // the `len` first elements of the array are initialized
     xs: [MaybeUninit<T>; CAP],
-    len: usize,
+    len: LenUint,
 }
 
 impl<T, const CAP: usize> Drop for ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
@@ -76,6 +78,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
     /// ```
     #[cfg(not(feature="unstable-const-fn"))]
     pub fn new() -> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
+        assert_capacity_limit!(CAP);
         unsafe {
             ArrayVec { xs: MaybeUninit::uninit().assume_init(), len: 0 }
         }
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
 
     #[cfg(feature="unstable-const-fn")]
     pub const fn new() -> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
+        assert_capacity_limit!(CAP);
         unsafe {
             ArrayVec { xs: MaybeUninit::uninit().assume_init(), len: 0 }
         }
@@ -97,7 +101,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
     /// array.pop();
     /// assert_eq!(array.len(), 2);
     /// ```
-    #[inline]
+    #[inline(always)]
     pub fn len(&self) -> usize { self.len as usize }
 
     /// Returns whether the `ArrayVec` is empty.
@@ -475,8 +479,9 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
     /// This method uses *debug assertions* to check that `length` is
     /// not greater than the capacity.
     pub unsafe fn set_len(&mut self, length: usize) {
+        // type invariant that capacity always fits in LenUint
         debug_assert!(length <= self.capacity());
-        self.len = length;
+        self.len = length as LenUint;
     }
 
     /// Copy all elements from the slice and append to the `ArrayVec`.
@@ -569,7 +574,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
 
         // Calling `set_len` creates a fresh and thus unique mutable references, making all
         // older aliases we created invalid. So we cannot call that function.
-        self.len = start;
+        self.len = start as LenUint;
 
         unsafe {
             Drain {
@@ -626,7 +631,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVecImpl for ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
 
     unsafe fn set_len(&mut self, length: usize) {
         debug_assert!(length <= CAP);
-        self.len = length;
+        self.len = length as LenUint;
     }
 
     fn as_ptr(&self) -> *const Self::Item {
@@ -769,7 +774,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> Iterator for IntoIter<T, CAP> {
     type Item = T;
 
     fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
-        if self.index == self.v.len {
+        if self.index == self.v.len() {
             None
         } else {
             unsafe {
@@ -788,7 +793,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> Iterator for IntoIter<T, CAP> {
 
 impl<T, const CAP: usize> DoubleEndedIterator for IntoIter<T, CAP> {
     fn next_back(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
-        if self.index == self.v.len {
+        if self.index == self.v.len() {
             None
         } else {
             unsafe {
@@ -963,7 +968,7 @@ impl<T, const CAP: usize> ArrayVec<T, CAP> {
             value: &mut self.len,
             data: len,
             f: move |&len, self_len| {
-                **self_len = len;
+                **self_len = len as LenUint;
             }
         };
         let mut iter = iterable.into_iter();
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index e0a5817..53a5e16 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 //!
 #![doc(html_root_url="https://docs.rs/arrayvec/0.5/")]
 #![cfg_attr(not(feature="std"), no_std)]
-#![cfg_attr(feature="unstable-const-fn", feature(const_fn, const_maybe_uninit_assume_init))]
+#![cfg_attr(feature="unstable-const-fn", feature(const_fn, const_maybe_uninit_assume_init, const_panic))]
 
 #[cfg(feature="serde")]
 extern crate serde;
@@ -31,6 +31,18 @@ extern crate serde;
 #[cfg(not(feature="std"))]
 extern crate core as std;
 
+pub(crate) type LenUint = u32;
+
+macro_rules! assert_capacity_limit {
+    ($cap:expr) => {
+        if std::mem::size_of::<usize>() > std::mem::size_of::<LenUint>() {
+            if CAP > LenUint::MAX as usize {
+                panic!("ArrayVec: largest supported capacity is u32::MAX")
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 mod arrayvec_impl;
 mod arrayvec;
 mod array_string;
diff --git a/tests/tests.rs b/tests/tests.rs
index b89529e..f4698e0 100644
--- a/tests/tests.rs
+++ b/tests/tests.rs
@@ -295,17 +295,17 @@ fn test_compact_size() {
     // 4 bytes + padding + length
     type ByteArray = ArrayVec<u8,  4>;
     println!("{}", mem::size_of::<ByteArray>());
-    assert!(mem::size_of::<ByteArray>() <= 2 * mem::size_of::<usize>());
+    assert!(mem::size_of::<ByteArray>() <= 2 * mem::size_of::<u32>());
 
     // just length
     type EmptyArray = ArrayVec<u8,  0>;
     println!("{}", mem::size_of::<EmptyArray>());
-    assert!(mem::size_of::<EmptyArray>() <= mem::size_of::<usize>());
+    assert!(mem::size_of::<EmptyArray>() <= mem::size_of::<u32>());
 
     // 3 elements + padding + length
     type QuadArray = ArrayVec<u32,  3>;
     println!("{}", mem::size_of::<QuadArray>());
-    assert!(mem::size_of::<QuadArray>() <= 4 * 4 + mem::size_of::<usize>());
+    assert!(mem::size_of::<QuadArray>() <= 4 * 4 + mem::size_of::<u32>());
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -711,3 +711,19 @@ fn test_try_from_argument() {
     let v = ArrayString::<16>::try_from(format_args!("Hello {}", 123)).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(&v, "Hello 123");
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn allow_max_capacity_arrayvec_type() {
+    // this type is allowed to be used (but can't be constructed)
+    let _v: ArrayVec<(), {usize::MAX}>;
+}
+
+#[should_panic(expected="ArrayVec: largest supported")]
+#[test]
+fn deny_max_capacity_arrayvec_value() {
+    if mem::size_of::<usize>() <= mem::size_of::<u32>() {
+        panic!("This test does not work on this platform. 'ArrayVec: largest supported'");
+    }
+    // this type is allowed to be used (but can't be constructed)
+    let _v: ArrayVec<(), {usize::MAX}> = ArrayVec::new();
+}