A bellows guard blocks movement of an item from a surface location of a flat sorter toward an adjacent bellows. The bellows guard may be mounted on a frame of the flat sorter proximate a carrier that receives the item. The bellows guard includes a vertical extension that is higher than the surface location to block movement of the item toward the bellows. The bellows guard may include a base for mounting the bellows guard to the frame and the base may be confined to the frame to enable pivoting moving of the carrier.