diff --git a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp
index c369ebf65c..42ef2aa80b 100644
--- a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.cpp
@@ -1305,13 +1305,13 @@ void LEGACY_PLUGIN::loadPAD( MODULE* aModule )
             int     netcode = intParse( line + SZ( "Ne" ), &data );
 
             // Store the new code mapping
-            pad->SetNetCode( m_netCodes[netcode] );
+            pad->SetNetCode( getNetCode( netcode ) );
 
             // read Netname
             ReadDelimitedText( buf, data, sizeof(buf) );
 #ifndef NDEBUG
             if( m_board )
-                assert( m_board->FindNet( m_netCodes[netcode] )->GetNetname() ==
+                assert( m_board->FindNet( getNetCode( netcode ) )->GetNetname() ==
                         FROM_UTF8( StrPurge( buf ) ) );
 #endif /* NDEBUG */
         }
@@ -2102,7 +2102,7 @@ void LEGACY_PLUGIN::loadTrackList( int aStructType )
                 via->SetLayerPair( LAYER_N_FRONT, LAYER_N_BACK );
         }
 
-        newTrack->SetNetCode( m_netCodes[net_code] );
+        newTrack->SetNetCode( getNetCode( net_code ) );
         newTrack->SetState( flags, true );
 
         m_board->Add( newTrack );
@@ -2250,7 +2250,7 @@ void LEGACY_PLUGIN::loadZONE_CONTAINER()
             // Init the net code only, not the netname, to be sure
             // the zone net name is the name read in file.
             // (When mismatch, the user will be prompted in DRC, to fix the actual name)
-            zc->BOARD_CONNECTED_ITEM::SetNetCode( m_netCodes[netcode] );
+            zc->BOARD_CONNECTED_ITEM::SetNetCode( getNetCode( netcode ) );
         }
 
         else if( TESTLINE( "ZLayer" ) )     // layer found
diff --git a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h
index 96747bf84d..37f0ef2f45 100644
--- a/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h
+++ b/pcbnew/legacy_plugin.h
@@ -139,6 +139,16 @@ protected:
     double  diskToBiu;              ///< convert from disk engineering units to BIUs
                                     ///< with this scale factor
 
+    ///> Converts net code using the mapping table if available,
+    ///> otherwise returns unchanged net code
+    inline int getNetCode( int aNetCode )
+    {
+        if( aNetCode < (int) m_netCodes.size() )
+            return m_netCodes[aNetCode];
+
+        return aNetCode;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Function biuParse
      * parses an ASCII decimal floating point value and scales it into a BIU
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_parser.cpp b/pcbnew/pcb_parser.cpp
index 8c883099ad..4bf36597af 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_parser.cpp
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_parser.cpp
@@ -2201,7 +2201,7 @@ D_PAD* PCB_PARSER::parseD_PAD( MODULE* aParent ) throw( IO_ERROR, PARSE_ERROR )
             break;
 
         case T_net:
-            pad->SetNetCode( m_netCodes[parseInt( "net number" )] );
+            pad->SetNetCode( getNetCode( parseInt( "net number" ) ) );
             NeedSYMBOLorNUMBER();
             assert( FromUTF8() == m_board->FindNet( pad->GetNetCode() )->GetNetname() );
             NeedRIGHT();
@@ -2299,7 +2299,7 @@ TRACK* PCB_PARSER::parseTRACK() throw( IO_ERROR, PARSE_ERROR )
             break;
 
         case T_net:
-            track->SetNetCode( m_netCodes[parseInt( "net number" )] );
+            track->SetNetCode( getNetCode( parseInt( "net number" ) ) );
             break;
 
         case T_tstamp:
@@ -2377,7 +2377,7 @@ VIA* PCB_PARSER::parseVIA() throw( IO_ERROR, PARSE_ERROR )
             break;
 
         case T_net:
-            via->SetNetCode( m_netCodes[parseInt( "net number" )] );
+            via->SetNetCode( getNetCode( parseInt( "net number" ) ) );
             NeedRIGHT();
             break;
 
@@ -2429,7 +2429,7 @@ ZONE_CONTAINER* PCB_PARSER::parseZONE_CONTAINER() throw( IO_ERROR, PARSE_ERROR )
             // Init the net code only, not the netname, to be sure
             // the zone net name is the name read in file.
             // (When mismatch, the user will be prompted in DRC, to fix the actual name)
-            zone->SetNetCode( m_netCodes[parseInt( "net number" )] );
+            zone->SetNetCode( getNetCode( parseInt( "net number" ) ) );
             NeedRIGHT();
             break;
 
diff --git a/pcbnew/pcb_parser.h b/pcbnew/pcb_parser.h
index a07beb3bec..2169bf9ed5 100644
--- a/pcbnew/pcb_parser.h
+++ b/pcbnew/pcb_parser.h
@@ -69,6 +69,16 @@ class PCB_PARSER : public PCB_LEXER
     LAYER_MSK_MAP       m_layerMasks;       ///< map layer names to their masks
     std::vector<int>    m_netCodes;         ///< net codes mapping for boards being loaded
 
+    ///> Converts net code using the mapping table if available,
+    ///> otherwise returns unchanged net code
+    inline int getNetCode( int aNetCode )
+    {
+        if( aNetCode < (int) m_netCodes.size() )
+            return m_netCodes[aNetCode];
+
+        return aNetCode;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Function init
      * clears and re-establishes m_layerMap with the default layer names.