diff --git a/bigcache_test.go b/bigcache_test.go
index 15f1dae..d3fe265 100644
--- a/bigcache_test.go
+++ b/bigcache_test.go
@@ -1041,7 +1041,63 @@ func TestEntryBiggerThanMaxShardSizeError(t *testing.T) {
 	err := cache.Set("key1", blob('a', 1024*1025))
 
 	// then
-	assertEqual(t, "entry is bigger than max shard size", err.Error())
+	assertEqual(t, ErrEntryTooBig, err)
+}
+
+func TestEntryBiggerThanMaxShardSizeDoesNotAllocateOrEvict(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// given
+	cache, err := New(context.Background(), Config{
+		Shards:             1,
+		LifeWindow:         5 * time.Second,
+		MaxEntriesInWindow: 1,
+		MaxEntrySize:       256,
+		HardMaxCacheSize:   1,
+	})
+	noError(t, err)
+	noError(t, cache.Set("existing", []byte("value")))
+	initialEntryBufferSize := len(cache.shards[0].entryBuffer)
+	initialQueueCapacity := cache.shards[0].entries.Capacity()
+
+	// when
+	err = cache.Set("too-large", blob('a', 1024*1025))
+
+	// then
+	assertEqual(t, ErrEntryTooBig, err)
+	assertEqual(t, initialEntryBufferSize, len(cache.shards[0].entryBuffer))
+	assertEqual(t, initialQueueCapacity, cache.shards[0].entries.Capacity())
+	value, getErr := cache.Get("existing")
+	noError(t, getErr)
+	assertEqual(t, []byte("value"), value)
+}
+
+func TestAppendEntryBiggerThanMaxShardSizeDoesNotAllocateOrEvict(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// given
+	cache, err := New(context.Background(), Config{
+		Shards:             1,
+		LifeWindow:         5 * time.Second,
+		MaxEntriesInWindow: 1,
+		MaxEntrySize:       256,
+		HardMaxCacheSize:   1,
+	})
+	noError(t, err)
+	noError(t, cache.Set("existing", []byte("value")))
+	initialEntryBufferSize := len(cache.shards[0].entryBuffer)
+	initialQueueCapacity := cache.shards[0].entries.Capacity()
+
+	// when
+	err = cache.Append("existing", blob('a', 1024*1025))
+
+	// then
+	assertEqual(t, ErrEntryTooBig, err)
+	assertEqual(t, initialEntryBufferSize, len(cache.shards[0].entryBuffer))
+	assertEqual(t, initialQueueCapacity, cache.shards[0].entries.Capacity())
+	value, getErr := cache.Get("existing")
+	noError(t, getErr)
+	assertEqual(t, []byte("value"), value)
 }
 
 func TestHashCollision(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/entry_not_found_error.go b/errors.go
similarity index 63%
rename from entry_not_found_error.go
rename to errors.go
index c219dd8..c50d970 100644
--- a/entry_not_found_error.go
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -5,4 +5,7 @@ import "errors"
 var (
 	// ErrEntryNotFound is an error type struct which is returned when entry was not found for provided key
 	ErrEntryNotFound = errors.New("Entry not found") //nolint:staticcheck // keep for backward compatibility
+
+	// ErrEntryTooBig is returned when an entry cannot fit in a shard queue.
+	ErrEntryTooBig = errors.New("entry is bigger than max shard size")
 )
diff --git a/queue/bytes_queue.go b/queue/bytes_queue.go
index 4cc43fe..e4c0041 100644
--- a/queue/bytes_queue.go
+++ b/queue/bytes_queue.go
@@ -106,6 +106,19 @@ func (q *BytesQueue) Push(data []byte) (int, error) {
 	return index, nil
 }
 
+// CanFit reports whether data of the given length can fit in the queue when
+// the queue is empty without exceeding its maximum capacity.
+func (q *BytesQueue) CanFit(dataLen int) bool {
+	if dataLen < 0 {
+		return false
+	}
+	if q.maxCapacity == 0 {
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return getNeededSize(dataLen) <= q.maxCapacity-leftMarginIndex
+}
+
 func (q *BytesQueue) allocateAdditionalMemory(minimum int) {
 	start := time.Now()
 	if q.capacity < minimum {
diff --git a/queue/bytes_queue_test.go b/queue/bytes_queue_test.go
index dc7bdd7..43b78b6 100644
--- a/queue/bytes_queue_test.go
+++ b/queue/bytes_queue_test.go
@@ -403,6 +403,17 @@ func TestMaxSizeLimit(t *testing.T) {
 	assertEqual(t, blob('b', 5), pop(queue))
 }
 
+func TestCanFit(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// given
+	queue := NewBytesQueue(30, 50, false)
+
+	// then
+	assertEqual(t, true, queue.CanFit(48))
+	assertEqual(t, false, queue.CanFit(49))
+}
+
 func TestPushEntryAfterAllocateAdditionMemory(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/shard.go b/shard.go
index 73ef86f..6cc9c61 100644
--- a/shard.go
+++ b/shard.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package bigcache
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 
@@ -118,6 +117,10 @@ func (s *cacheShard) getValidWrapEntry(key string, hashedKey uint64) ([]byte, er
 }
 
 func (s *cacheShard) set(key string, hashedKey uint64, entry []byte) error {
+	if !s.entries.CanFit(len(entry) + len(key) + headersSizeInBytes) {
+		return ErrEntryTooBig
+	}
+
 	currentTimestamp := uint64(s.clock.Epoch())
 
 	s.lock.Lock()
@@ -146,12 +149,16 @@ func (s *cacheShard) set(key string, hashedKey uint64, entry []byte) error {
 		}
 		if s.removeOldestEntry(NoSpace) != nil {
 			s.lock.Unlock()
-			return errors.New("entry is bigger than max shard size")
+			return ErrEntryTooBig
 		}
 	}
 }
 
 func (s *cacheShard) addNewWithoutLock(key string, hashedKey uint64, entry []byte) error {
+	if !s.entries.CanFit(len(entry) + len(key) + headersSizeInBytes) {
+		return ErrEntryTooBig
+	}
+
 	currentTimestamp := uint64(s.clock.Epoch())
 
 	if !s.cleanEnabled {
@@ -168,7 +175,7 @@ func (s *cacheShard) addNewWithoutLock(key string, hashedKey uint64, entry []byt
 			return nil
 		}
 		if s.removeOldestEntry(NoSpace) != nil {
-			return errors.New("entry is bigger than max shard size")
+			return ErrEntryTooBig
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -192,7 +199,7 @@ func (s *cacheShard) setWrappedEntryWithoutLock(currentTimestamp uint64, w []byt
 			return nil
 		}
 		if s.removeOldestEntry(NoSpace) != nil {
-			return errors.New("entry is bigger than max shard size")
+			return ErrEntryTooBig
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -210,6 +217,10 @@ func (s *cacheShard) append(key string, hashedKey uint64, entry []byte) error {
 		s.lock.Unlock()
 		return err
 	}
+	if !s.entries.CanFit(len(wrappedEntry) + len(entry)) {
+		s.lock.Unlock()
+		return ErrEntryTooBig
+	}
 
 	currentTimestamp := uint64(s.clock.Epoch())