We study stability of the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK_{4}) model with a large but finite number of fermions N with respect to a perturbation, quadratic in fermionic operators. We develop analytic perturbation theory in the amplitude of the SYK_{2} perturbation and demonstrate stability of the SYK_{4} infrared asymptotic behavior characterized by a Green function G(τ)∝1/τ^{3/2}, with respect to weak perturbation. This result is supported by exact numerical diagonalization. Our results open the way to build a theory of non-Fermi-liquid states of strongly interacting fermions.