diff --git a/python/paddle/fluid/layers/nn.py b/python/paddle/fluid/layers/nn.py
index 37b67ea993f779bb1aace08384e9f7804b05d091..dc1e56f13f3b1d4557affb7ed44cdd68e4c88d1f 100755
--- a/python/paddle/fluid/layers/nn.py
+++ b/python/paddle/fluid/layers/nn.py
@@ -4890,6 +4890,7 @@ def split(input, num_or_sections, dim=-1, name=None):
         if isinstance(dim, Variable):
             dim = dim.numpy()
             dim = dim.item(0)
+        assert len(input.shape) + dim >= 0, "(rank(x) + axis) must >= 0"
         dim = (len(input.shape) + dim) if dim < 0 else dim
         attrs += ('axis', dim)
 
@@ -4951,6 +4952,7 @@ def split(input, num_or_sections, dim=-1, name=None):
         dim.stop_gradient = True
         inputs['AxisTensor'] = dim
     else:
+        assert len(input.shape) + dim >= 0, "(rank(x) + axis) must >= 0"
         dim = (len(input_shape) + dim) if dim < 0 else dim
         attrs['axis'] = dim