diff --git a/parameters/path_parameters.go b/parameters/path_parameters.go
index c5fd7ac..2b162c6 100644
--- a/parameters/path_parameters.go
+++ b/parameters/path_parameters.go
@@ -42,9 +42,11 @@ func (v *paramValidator) ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(request *http.Request, p
 			HowToFix: errors.HowToFixPath,
 		}}
 	}
-	// split the path into segments
-	submittedSegments := strings.Split(paths.StripRequestPath(request, v.document), helpers.Slash)
-	pathSegments := strings.Split(pathValue, helpers.Slash)
+	// split the path into segments, dropping empty segments so that a request
+	// path containing a double slash (e.g. //test/path) does not shift the
+	// index alignment between submitted and template segments.
+	submittedSegments := nonEmptyPathSegments(paths.StripRequestPath(request, v.document))
+	pathSegments := nonEmptyPathSegments(pathValue)
 
 	// get the operation method for error reporting
 	operation := strings.ToLower(request.Method)
@@ -54,12 +56,17 @@ func (v *paramValidator) ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(request *http.Request, p
 	var validationErrors []*errors.ValidationError
 	for _, p := range params {
 		if p.In == helpers.Path {
+			// a mismatch in segment counts means the submitted path cannot be
+			// aligned with the template (e.g. an extra empty segment from a
+			// double slash); reject it rather than silently mis-validating.
+			if len(submittedSegments) != len(pathSegments) {
+				validationErrors = append(validationErrors,
+					errors.PathParameterMissing(p, pathValue, request.URL.Path))
+				continue
+			}
+
 			// var paramTemplate string
 			for x := range pathSegments {
-				if pathSegments[x] == "" { // skip empty segments
-					continue
-				}
-
 				var rgx *regexp.Regexp
 
 				if v.options.RegexCache != nil {
@@ -83,6 +90,11 @@ func (v *paramValidator) ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(request *http.Request, p
 				}
 
 				matches := rgx.FindStringSubmatch(submittedSegments[x])
+				if matches == nil {
+					validationErrors = append(validationErrors,
+						errors.PathParameterMissing(p, pathValue, request.URL.Path))
+					break
+				}
 				matches = matches[1:]
 
 				// Check if it is well-formed.
@@ -380,6 +392,21 @@ func (v *paramValidator) ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(request *http.Request, p
 	return true, nil
 }
 
+// nonEmptyPathSegments splits a path on "/" and drops empty segments, so that
+// leading, trailing, or repeated slashes do not introduce empty entries that
+// would shift index alignment between submitted and template segments.
+func nonEmptyPathSegments(path string) []string {
+	raw := strings.Split(path, helpers.Slash)
+	segments := make([]string, 0, len(raw))
+	for _, segment := range raw {
+		if segment == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		segments = append(segments, segment)
+	}
+	return segments
+}
+
 func (v *paramValidator) resolveNumber(sch *base.Schema, p *v3.Parameter, isLabel bool, isMatrix bool, paramValue string, pathValue string, renderedSchema string) (string, float64, []*errors.ValidationError) {
 	if isLabel && p.Style == helpers.LabelStyle {
 		paramValueParsed, err := strconv.ParseFloat(paramValue[1:], 64)
diff --git a/parameters/path_parameters_test.go b/parameters/path_parameters_test.go
index 5972439..e1d5fde 100644
--- a/parameters/path_parameters_test.go
+++ b/parameters/path_parameters_test.go
@@ -2348,3 +2348,79 @@ paths:
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, cache.storeCount, "No new stores on cache hit")
 	assert.EqualValues(t, 1, cache.hitCount, "Second OData lookup should hit cache")
 }
+
+func TestValidatePathParamsWithPathItem_DoubleSlashDoesNotPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	// Regression test for #274: ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem panics for
+	// request paths containing a leading double slash (e.g. //test/path/x),
+	// because path segments and submitted segments differ in length.
+	spec := `openapi: 3.1.0
+paths:
+  /test/path/{param}:
+    get:
+      operationId: testParam
+      parameters:
+        - in: path
+          name: param
+          required: true
+          schema:
+            type: string
+      responses:
+        "200":
+          description: ok`
+
+	doc, _ := libopenapi.NewDocument([]byte(spec))
+	m, _ := doc.BuildV3Model()
+	v := NewParameterValidator(&m.Model)
+
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "https://example.com//test/path/fubar", nil)
+	pathItem := m.Model.Paths.PathItems.GetOrZero("/test/path/{param}")
+	require.NotNil(t, pathItem)
+
+	// the leading double slash collapses to an empty segment that must be
+	// dropped, so the remaining segments still align and 'fubar' is validated
+	// against {param} instead of being silently accepted against the wrong
+	// segment.
+	valid, errs := v.ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(req, pathItem, "/test/path/{param}")
+	assert.True(t, valid)
+	assert.Empty(t, errs)
+
+	// When the submitted path has fewer segments than the spec path it can no
+	// longer be aligned, so it must be rejected rather than mis-validated.
+	shortReq, _ := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "https://example.com/test/path", nil)
+	valid, errs = v.ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(shortReq, pathItem, "/test/path/{param}")
+	assert.False(t, valid)
+	assert.Len(t, errs, 1)
+}
+
+func TestValidatePathParamsWithPathItem_RegexNoMatchContinues(t *testing.T) {
+	// When a submitted path segment does not match the regex for a
+	// constrained path template segment (e.g. {id:[0-9]+} vs "abc"), the
+	// guard must not panic and must return a validation error.
+	spec := `openapi: 3.1.0
+paths:
+  /items/{id:[0-9]+}:
+    get:
+      operationId: getItem
+      parameters:
+        - in: path
+          name: id
+          required: true
+          schema:
+            type: integer
+      responses:
+        "200":
+          description: ok`
+
+	doc, _ := libopenapi.NewDocument([]byte(spec))
+	m, _ := doc.BuildV3Model()
+	v := NewParameterValidator(&m.Model)
+
+	// "abc" does not match ^([0-9]+)$; expect invalid + at least one error.
+	req, _ := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "https://example.com/items/abc", nil)
+	pathItem := m.Model.Paths.PathItems.GetOrZero("/items/{id:[0-9]+}")
+	require.NotNil(t, pathItem)
+
+	valid, errs := v.ValidatePathParamsWithPathItem(req, pathItem, "/items/{id:[0-9]+}")
+	assert.False(t, valid)
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, errs)
+}