diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fcb932b1..ff5448d1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@
 - **aiken-project**: The `aiken.toml` file no longer supports `v1` and `v2` for the plutus version field. @rvcas
 - **aiken-project**: `Error::TomlLoading` now looks much better - [see](https://github.com/aiken-lang/aiken/issues/1032#issuecomment-2562122101). @rvcas
 
+### Fixed
+
+- **aiken**: Fixed the panic error when using `aiken uplc decode` on cbor encoded flat bytes. @rvcas
+
 ## v1.1.9 - 2024-12-13
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/uplc/decode.rs b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/uplc/decode.rs
index c6eb74d3..6da04226 100644
--- a/crates/aiken/src/cmd/uplc/decode.rs
+++ b/crates/aiken/src/cmd/uplc/decode.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use miette::IntoDiagnostic;
+use miette::{Context, IntoDiagnostic};
 use std::{path::PathBuf, println};
 use uplc::ast::{DeBruijn, Name, NamedDeBruijn, Program};
 
@@ -39,16 +39,14 @@ pub fn exec(
         std::fs::read(&input).into_diagnostic()?
     };
 
-    let pretty_uplc = match from {
+    let program: Program<Name> = match from {
         Format::Name => {
-            let program: Program<Name> = if cbor {
+            if cbor {
                 let mut flat_buffer = Vec::new();
                 Program::from_cbor(&bytes, &mut flat_buffer).into_diagnostic()?
             } else {
                 Program::from_flat(&bytes).into_diagnostic()?
-            };
-
-            program.to_pretty()
+            }
         }
         Format::NamedDebruijn => {
             let program: Program<NamedDeBruijn> = if cbor {
@@ -58,9 +56,10 @@ pub fn exec(
                 Program::from_flat(&bytes).into_diagnostic()?
             };
 
-            let program: Program<Name> = program.try_into().unwrap();
-
-            program.to_pretty()
+            program
+                .try_into()
+                .into_diagnostic()
+                .context("failed to decode, maybe try `--cbor`")?
         }
         Format::Debruijn => {
             let program: Program<DeBruijn> = if cbor {
@@ -70,13 +69,14 @@ pub fn exec(
                 Program::from_flat(&bytes).into_diagnostic()?
             };
 
-            let program: Program<Name> = program.try_into().unwrap();
-
-            program.to_pretty()
+            program
+                .try_into()
+                .into_diagnostic()
+                .context("failed to decode, maybe try `--cbor`")?
         }
     };
 
-    println!("{pretty_uplc}");
+    println!("{}", program.to_pretty());
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/uplc/src/debruijn.rs b/crates/uplc/src/debruijn.rs
index 8e6d69a9..bd793d17 100644
--- a/crates/uplc/src/debruijn.rs
+++ b/crates/uplc/src/debruijn.rs
@@ -461,7 +461,12 @@ impl Converter {
 
     fn get_unique(&mut self, index: &DeBruijn) -> Result<Unique, Error> {
         for scope in self.levels.iter().rev() {
-            let index = Level(self.current_level.0 - index.inner());
+            let index = Level(
+                self.current_level
+                    .0
+                    .checked_sub(index.inner())
+                    .ok_or(Error::FreeIndex(*index))?,
+            );
 
             if let Some(unique) = scope.get_right(&index) {
                 return Ok(*unique);
diff --git a/examples/gift_card/plutus.json b/examples/gift_card/plutus.json
index 740ac23d..1c7f2ef7 100644
--- a/examples/gift_card/plutus.json
+++ b/examples/gift_card/plutus.json
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "plutusVersion": "v3",
     "compiler": {
       "name": "Aiken",
-      "version": "v1.1.6+18054ee"
+      "version": "v1.1.9+2217206"
     },
     "license": "Apache-2.0"
   },