diff --git a/rpyc/core/netref.py b/rpyc/core/netref.py
index a5e9a2eb..eed559d5 100644
--- a/rpyc/core/netref.py
+++ b/rpyc/core/netref.py
@@ -251,6 +251,9 @@ def method(self, start, stop, *args):
         def __array__(self):
             # Note that protocol=-1 will only work between python
             # interpreters of the same version.
+            if not object.__getattribute__(self,'____conn__')._config["allow_pickle"]:
+                # Security check that server side allows pickling per #551
+                raise ValueError("pickling is disabled")
             return pickle.loads(syncreq(self, consts.HANDLE_PICKLE, -1))
         __array__.__doc__ = doc
         return __array__