Embodiments herein relate to protection of a standby amplifier of a memory device. Specifically, an input voltage of the standby amplifier may be reduced to decrease an occurrence of damage to the standby amplifier or components thereof. In some embodiments, the input voltage may be reduced using a voltage divider that provides the reduced input voltage to the standby amplifier during a power up operation. Upon completion of the power up operation, the input voltage of the standby amplifier may return to an operating voltage. The reduced input voltage may reduce the occurrence of damage to the standby amplifier by maintaining a gate to drain voltage of one or more transistors of the standby amplifier below a maximum.