diff --git a/code/modules/uplink/uplink_items.dm b/code/modules/uplink/uplink_items.dm
index 06cd969d935..ed8cc80d50f 100644
--- a/code/modules/uplink/uplink_items.dm
+++ b/code/modules/uplink/uplink_items.dm
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 			per_category[possible_sale.category] = list()
 		per_category[possible_sale.category] += possible_sale
 
-	for (var/i in 1 to num)
+	for (var/i in 1 to min(length(per_category), num))
 		var/datum/uplink_category/item_category = pick(per_category)
 		var/datum/uplink_item/taken_item = pick(per_category[item_category])
 		per_category -= item_category