diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 4fd96df51..cb5031dab 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@
 * MKVToolNix GUI: multiplexer: fixed escaping the `mkvmerge` argument in the
   "Show command-line options" dialog for the "Windows (cmd.exe)" mode. Fixes
   #3164.
+* mkvmerge, mkvextract: HEVC/H.265 parser: fixed the programs aborting when
+  parsing VPS or SPS NALUs with invalid content due to unhandled
+  exceptions. Fixes #3162.
 
 
 # Version 59.0.0 "Shining Star" 2021-07-10
diff --git a/src/common/hevc.cpp b/src/common/hevc.cpp
index 74d92bb41..a253af779 100644
--- a/src/common/hevc.cpp
+++ b/src/common/hevc.cpp
@@ -498,9 +498,9 @@ vps_info_t::clear() {
   *this = vps_info_t{};
 }
 
-bool
-parse_vps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
-          vps_info_t &vps) {
+static bool
+parse_vps_internal(memory_cptr const &buffer,
+                   vps_info_t &vps) {
   auto size = buffer->get_size();
   mtx::bits::reader_c r(buffer->get_buffer(), size);
   mtx::bits::writer_c w{};
@@ -569,11 +569,22 @@ parse_vps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
   return true;
 }
 
-memory_cptr
-parse_sps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
-          sps_info_t &sps,
-          std::vector<vps_info_t> &m_vps_info_list,
-          bool keep_ar_info) {
+bool
+parse_vps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
+          vps_info_t &vps) {
+  try {
+    return parse_vps_internal(buffer, vps);
+  } catch (mtx::mm_io::exception &) {
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
+static memory_cptr
+parse_sps_internal(memory_cptr const &buffer,
+                   sps_info_t &sps,
+                   std::vector<vps_info_t> &vps_info_list,
+                   bool keep_ar_info) {
   auto size = buffer->get_size();
   mtx::bits::reader_c r(buffer->get_buffer(), size);
   mtx::bits::writer_c w{};
@@ -597,15 +608,15 @@ parse_sps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
   sps.temporal_id_nesting_flag = w.copy_bits(1, r); // sps_temporal_id_nesting_flag
 
   size_t vps_idx;
-  for (vps_idx = 0; m_vps_info_list.size() > vps_idx; ++vps_idx)
-    if (m_vps_info_list[vps_idx].id == sps.vps_id)
+  for (vps_idx = 0; vps_info_list.size() > vps_idx; ++vps_idx)
+    if (vps_info_list[vps_idx].id == sps.vps_id)
       break;
-  if (m_vps_info_list.size() == vps_idx)
+  if (vps_info_list.size() == vps_idx)
     return {};
 
   sps.vps = vps_idx;
 
-  auto &vps = m_vps_info_list[vps_idx];
+  auto &vps = vps_info_list[vps_idx];
 
   profile_tier_copy(r, w, vps, sps.max_sub_layers_minus1);  // profile_tier_level(sps_max_sub_layers_minus1)
 
@@ -707,6 +718,19 @@ parse_sps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
   return new_sps;
 }
 
+memory_cptr
+parse_sps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
+          sps_info_t &sps,
+          std::vector<vps_info_t> &vps_info_list,
+          bool keep_ar_info) {
+  try {
+    return parse_sps_internal(buffer, sps, vps_info_list, keep_ar_info);
+  } catch (mtx::mm_io::exception &) {
+  }
+
+  return {};
+}
+
 bool
 parse_pps(memory_cptr const &buffer,
           pps_info_t &pps) {
diff --git a/src/common/hevc.h b/src/common/hevc.h
index 3e050b5c6..71767cb45 100644
--- a/src/common/hevc.h
+++ b/src/common/hevc.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ struct par_extraction_t {
 };
 
 bool parse_vps(memory_cptr const &buffer, vps_info_t &vps);
-memory_cptr parse_sps(memory_cptr const &buffer, sps_info_t &sps, std::vector<vps_info_t> &m_vps_info_list, bool keep_ar_info = false);
+memory_cptr parse_sps(memory_cptr const &buffer, sps_info_t &sps, std::vector<vps_info_t> &vps_info_list, bool keep_ar_info = false);
 bool parse_pps(memory_cptr const &buffer, pps_info_t &pps);
 bool parse_sei(memory_cptr const &buffer, user_data_t &user_data);
 bool handle_sei_payload(mm_mem_io_c &byte_reader, unsigned int sei_payload_type, unsigned int sei_payload_size, user_data_t &user_data);