diff --git a/plugins/experimental/cache_promote/cache_promote.cc b/plugins/experimental/cache_promote/cache_promote.cc
index dab961d3420..056aaaba8d4 100644
--- a/plugins/experimental/cache_promote/cache_promote.cc
+++ b/plugins/experimental/cache_promote/cache_promote.cc
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "ts/remap.h"
 #include "ts/ink_config.h"
 
+#define DEFAULT_BUCKET_SIZE 10
 
 static const char *PLUGIN_NAME = "cache_promote";
 TSCont gNocacheCont;
@@ -138,8 +139,8 @@ class ChancePolicy : public PromotionPolicy
 
 
 //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-// The LRU based policy keeps track of <bucket> number of URLs, with a counter for each slot.
-// Objects are not promoted unless the counter reaches <hits> before it gets evicted. An
+// The LRU basedo policy keeps track of <bucket> number of URLs, with a counter for each slot.
+// Objects are not promted unless the counter reaches <hits> before it gets evicted. An
 // optional <chance> parameter can be used to sample hits, this can reduce contention and
 // churning in the LRU as well.
 //
@@ -209,6 +210,12 @@ class LRUPolicy : public PromotionPolicy
     switch (opt) {
     case 'b':
       _buckets = static_cast<unsigned>(strtol(optarg, NULL, 10));
+      if (_buckets <= 0) {
+        // buckets size of 0 doesn't make sense and is not supported. Set to default value of 10.
+        TSDebug(PLUGIN_NAME, "buckets size of 0 is not allowed. Use buckets size >= 10");
+        TSDebug(PLUGIN_NAME, "Setting to default bucket size of 10");
+        _buckets = DEFAULT_BUCKET_SIZE;
+      }
       break;
     case 'h':
       _hits = static_cast<unsigned>(strtol(optarg, NULL, 10));
@@ -249,6 +256,7 @@ class LRUPolicy : public PromotionPolicy
     map_it = _map.find(&hash);
     if (_map.end() != map_it) {
       // We have an entry in the LRU
+      TSReleaseAssert(_list.size() > 0); // mismatch in the LRUs hash and list
       if (++(map_it->second->second) >= _hits) {
         // Promoted! Cleanup the LRU, and signal success. Save the promoted entry on the freelist.
         TSDebug(PLUGIN_NAME, "saving the LRUEntry to the freelist");