diff --git a/record.py b/record.py
index 48d863f..58b4168 100644
--- a/record.py
+++ b/record.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class RecordCollection():
                 try:
                     current[spl[0]] = spl[1]
                 except IndexError:
+                    # TODO: maybe add line numbers?
                     raise FileParsingError(f"error parsing '{i}'")
 
             else:
@@ -61,9 +62,17 @@ class RecordCollection():
         for i in self.objects:
             current = self.objects[i]
             try:
-                for j, k in zip(
-                    current['inherit'].split(' '),
+                inherit = current['inherit'].split(' ')
+                inherit_order = \
                     [int(i) for i in current['inherit_order'].split(' ')]
+
+                # TODO: add more precise error checking
+                if not len(inherit) == len(inherit_order):
+                    raise FileParsingError("len(inherit) != len(inherit_order)")
+
+                for j, k in zip(
+                    inherit,
+                    inherit_order
                 ):
 
                     current.parents[j] = self.objects[j]