diff --git a/apply.c b/apply.c
index b6dd1066a0..61df3bdcd0 100644
--- a/apply.c
+++ b/apply.c
@@ -4981,7 +4981,8 @@ static int apply_option_parse_p(const struct option *opt,
 
 	BUG_ON_OPT_NEG(unset);
 
-	state->p_value = atoi(arg);
+	if (strtol_i(arg, 10, &state->p_value) < 0 || state->p_value < 0)
+		die("<num> has to be a non-negative integer");
 	state->p_value_known = 1;
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/t/t4120-apply-popt.sh b/t/t4120-apply-popt.sh
index 697e86c0ff..3fdcfecc52 100755
--- a/t/t4120-apply-popt.sh
+++ b/t/t4120-apply-popt.sh
@@ -23,6 +23,27 @@ test_expect_success setup '
 	rmdir süb
 '
 
+test_expect_success 'git apply -p 1 patch' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf t" &&
+	git apply -p 1 $TEST_DIRECTORY/t4120/patch &&
+	test_path_is_dir t
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'apply fails due to non-num -p' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf t test" &&
+	test_must_fail git apply -p malformed $TEST_DIRECTORY/t4120/patch
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'apply fails due to trailing non-digit in -p' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf t test" &&
+	test_must_fail git apply -p 2q $TEST_DIRECTORY/t4120/patch
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'apply fails due to negative number in -p' '
+	test_when_finished "rm -rf t test" &&
+	test_must_fail git apply -p -1 $TEST_DIRECTORY/t4120/patch
+'
+
 test_expect_success 'apply git diff with -p2' '
 	cp file1.saved file1 &&
 	git apply -p2 patch.file
diff --git a/t/t4120/patch b/t/t4120/patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bfccc708dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t4120/patch
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+From 90ad11d5b2d437e82d4d992f72fb44c2227798b5 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Mroik <mroik@delayed.space>
+Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2026 23:25:00 +0100
+Subject: [PATCH] Test
+
+---
+ t/test/test | 0
+ 1 file changed, 0 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)
+ create mode 100644 t/test/test
+
+diff --git a/t/test/test b/t/test/test
+new file mode 100644
+index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
+--
+2.53.0.851.ga537e3e6e9