diff --git a/Lib/SimpleXMLRPCServer.py b/Lib/SimpleXMLRPCServer.py
index 1d4f00f..0846a68 100644
--- a/Lib/SimpleXMLRPCServer.py
+++ b/Lib/SimpleXMLRPCServer.py
@@ -247,10 +247,10 @@
         of changing method dispatch behavior.
         """
 
-        params, method = xmlrpclib.loads(data)
-
-        # generate response
         try:
+            params, method = xmlrpclib.loads(data)
+
+            # generate response
             if dispatch_method is not None:
                 response = dispatch_method(method, params)
             else:
@@ -423,6 +423,17 @@
     XML-RPC requests.
     """
 
+    # Class attribute listing the accessible path components;
+    # paths not on this list will result in a 404 error.
+    rpc_paths = ('/', '/RPC2')
+
+    def is_rpc_path_valid(self):
+        if self.rpc_paths:
+            return self.path in self.rpc_paths
+        else:
+            # If .rpc_paths is empty, just assume all paths are legal
+            return True
+
     def do_POST(self):
         """Handles the HTTP POST request.
 
@@ -430,6 +441,11 @@
         which are forwarded to the server's _dispatch method for handling.
         """
 
+        # Check that the path is legal
+        if not self.is_rpc_path_valid():
+            self.report_404()
+            return
+
         try:
             # Get arguments by reading body of request.
             # We read this in chunks to avoid straining
@@ -468,6 +484,18 @@
             self.wfile.flush()
             self.connection.shutdown(1)
 
+    def report_404 (self):
+            # Report a 404 error
+        self.send_response(404)
+        response = 'No such page'
+        self.send_header("Content-type", "text/plain")
+        self.send_header("Content-length", str(len(response)))
+        self.end_headers()
+        self.wfile.write(response)
+        # shut down the connection
+        self.wfile.flush()
+        self.connection.shutdown(1)
+
     def log_request(self, code='-', size='-'):
         """Selectively log an accepted request."""