diff --git a/fs/exec.c b/fs/exec.c
index 51d8629..e3a7e36d 100644
--- a/fs/exec.c
+++ b/fs/exec.c
@@ -1389,6 +1389,10 @@
 	struct linux_binfmt *fmt;
 	pid_t old_pid, old_vpid;
 
+	/* This allows 4 levels of binfmt rewrites before failing hard. */
+	if (depth > 5)
+		return -ELOOP;
+
 	retval = security_bprm_check(bprm);
 	if (retval)
 		return retval;
@@ -1413,12 +1417,8 @@
 			if (!try_module_get(fmt->module))
 				continue;
 			read_unlock(&binfmt_lock);
+			bprm->recursion_depth = depth + 1;
 			retval = fn(bprm, regs);
-			/*
-			 * Restore the depth counter to its starting value
-			 * in this call, so we don't have to rely on every
-			 * load_binary function to restore it on return.
-			 */
 			bprm->recursion_depth = depth;
 			if (retval >= 0) {
 				if (depth == 0) {