An apparatus detects a short of a class-D amplifier. A pulse detector detects an output PWM pulse exceeds a predetermined width and a controller differentiates whether the pulse width exceeding is caused by a short or by a large digital input signal occurring during normal operation based on an expected level of the digital input signal to a level of the digital input signal when the pulse width exceeds the predetermined width. The expected level is dynamically obtained in response to one or more previous PWM pulses exceeding the predetermined width during the normal operation and may be selected based on an amount the pulse exceeds the predetermined width. A lookup table of predetermined levels, selected based on impedance of a load, provides the expected level if the expected level has not yet been dynamically obtained when the pulse width exceeds.