diff --git a/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/pybind11/kinfam.cpp b/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/pybind11/kinfam.cpp
index b99515e6c..36b3ef261 100644
--- a/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/pybind11/kinfam.cpp
+++ b/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/pybind11/kinfam.cpp
@@ -175,8 +175,12 @@ void init_kinfam(pybind11::module &m)
     chain.def("addChain", &Chain::addChain);
     chain.def("getNrOfJoints", &Chain::getNrOfJoints);
     chain.def("getNrOfSegments", &Chain::getNrOfSegments);
-    chain.def("getSegment", (Segment& (Chain::*)(unsigned int)) &Chain::getSegment);
-    chain.def("getSegment", (const Segment& (Chain::*)(unsigned int) const) &Chain::getSegment);
+    chain.def("getSegment", [](const Chain &c, unsigned int nr)
+    {
+        if (nr >= c.getNrOfSegments())
+            throw py::index_error("Chain index out of range");
+        return c.getSegment(nr);
+    });
     chain.def("__repr__", [](const Chain &c)
     {
         std::ostringstream oss;
diff --git a/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/sip/kinfam.sip b/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/sip/kinfam.sip
index 4b68aa6e2..3df44ef2b 100644
--- a/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/sip/kinfam.sip
+++ b/python_orocos_kdl/PyKDL/sip/kinfam.sip
@@ -177,6 +177,17 @@ public:
     unsigned int getNrOfJoints()const;
     unsigned int getNrOfSegments()const;
 
+    Segment& getSegment(unsigned int nr);
+%MethodCode
+    if (a0 < 0 || a0 >= sipCpp->getNrOfSegments()) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "Chain index out of range");
+        sipError = sipErrorFail;
+    }
+    else {
+        sipRes = &(sipCpp->getSegment(a0));
+    }
+%End
+
     const std::string* __repr__() const;
 %MethodCode
     std::ostringstream oss;
@@ -184,9 +195,6 @@ public:
     std::string s(oss.str());
     sipRes=&s;
 %End
-
-    const Segment& getSegment(unsigned int nr)const /Factory/;
-
 };
 
 class Tree {