diff --git a/src/sparsematrix.jl b/src/sparsematrix.jl
index 51ff5caf..3ba28bba 100644
--- a/src/sparsematrix.jl
+++ b/src/sparsematrix.jl
@@ -4128,9 +4128,10 @@ function is_hermsym(A::AbstractSparseMatrixCSC, check::Function)
 
                 offset = tracker[row]
 
-                # If the matrix is unsymmetric, there might not exist
-                # a rowval[offset]
-                if offset > length(rowval)
+                # If the matrix is unsymmetric, the tracker may have moved
+                # past the last stored entry of column `row`, meaning the
+                # partner entry A[col, row] does not exist
+                if offset > colptr[row+1] - 1
                     return false
                 end
 
@@ -4145,8 +4146,13 @@ function is_hermsym(A::AbstractSparseMatrixCSC, check::Function)
                         return false
                     end
                     offset += 1
-                    row2 = rowval[offset]
                     tracker[row] += 1
+                    # Column `row` ran out of stored entries before
+                    # reaching row `col`, so A[col, row] does not exist
+                    if offset > colptr[row+1] - 1
+                        return false
+                    end
+                    row2 = rowval[offset]
                 end
 
                 # Non zero A[i,j] exists but A[j,i] does not exist
diff --git a/test/linalg.jl b/test/linalg.jl
index 758ed3cb..290a4ea4 100644
--- a/test/linalg.jl
+++ b/test/linalg.jl
@@ -520,6 +520,15 @@ end
     nonzeros(A)[end - 3]  = 2.0
     @test issymmetric(A) == false
 
+    # stored zeros must not cause out-of-bounds access when the
+    # partner column runs out of stored entries
+    A = sparse([3, 1], [2, 3], [1.0, 0.0], 3, 3)
+    @test issymmetric(A) == false
+    @test ishermitian(A) == false
+    A = sparse([1, 2], [2, 1], [0.0, 0.0], 2, 2)
+    @test issymmetric(A) == true
+    @test ishermitian(A) == true
+
     # 16521
     @test issymmetric(sparse([0 0; 1 0])) == false
     @test issymmetric(sparse([0 1; 0 0])) == false