diff --git a/configfile-scan.l b/configfile-scan.l
index 59127b0a..1c029aed 100644
--- a/configfile-scan.l
+++ b/configfile-scan.l
@@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ static sigjmp_buf *CONF_flex_fatal_jmp;
 static char *CONF_scanstr(const char *s);
 static int	CONF_flex_fatal(const char *msg);
 
-static bool ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, bool strict, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list);
+static bool ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, bool strict, int depth, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list);
 
-static bool ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, const char *base_dir, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list);
+static bool ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, int depth, const char *base_dir, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list);
 
-static bool ProcessConfigDirectory(const char *base_dir, const char *includedir, const char *calling_file,  KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list);
+static bool ProcessConfigDirectory(const char *base_dir, const char *includedir, const char *calling_file, int depth, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list);
 
 static char *AbsoluteConfigLocation(const char *base_dir, const char *location, const char *calling_file);
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ STRING			\'([^'\\\n]|\\.|\'\')*\'
 extern bool
 ProcessRepmgrConfigFile(const char *config_file, const char *base_dir, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
 {
-	return ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, config_file, NULL, true, NULL,  error_list, warning_list);
+	return ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, config_file, NULL, true, 0, NULL, error_list, warning_list);
 }
 
 
@@ -111,11 +111,11 @@ ProcessPostgresConfigFile(const char *config_file, const char *base_dir, KeyValu
 {
 	//printf("ProcessPostgresConfigFile(): base: %s file: %s\n", base_dir, config_file);
 
-	return ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, config_file, NULL, true, contents, error_list, warning_list);
+	return ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, config_file, NULL, true, 0, contents, error_list, warning_list);
 }
 
 static bool
-ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, bool strict, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
+ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, bool strict, int depth, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
 {
 	char	   *abs_path;
 	bool		success = true;
@@ -130,6 +130,19 @@ ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *cal
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * Reject too-deep include nesting depth.  This is just a safety check to
+	 * avoid dumping core due to stack overflow if an include file loops back
+	 * to itself.  The maximum nesting depth is pretty arbitrary.
+	 */
+	if (depth > 10)
+	{
+		item_list_append_format(error_list,
+								_("could not open configuration file \"%s\": maximum nesting depth exceeded"),
+								config_file);
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	abs_path = AbsoluteConfigLocation(base_dir, config_file, calling_file);
 
 	/* Reject direct recursion */
@@ -162,7 +175,7 @@ ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *cal
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		success = ProcessConfigFp(fp, abs_path, calling_file, base_dir, contents, error_list, warning_list);
+		success = ProcessConfigFp(fp, abs_path, calling_file, depth + 1, base_dir, contents, error_list, warning_list);
 	}
 
 	free(abs_path);
@@ -171,7 +184,7 @@ ProcessConfigFile(const char *base_dir, const char *config_file, const char *cal
 }
 
 static bool
-ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, const char *base_dir, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
+ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, int depth, const char *base_dir, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
 {
 	volatile bool OK = true;
 	volatile YY_BUFFER_STATE lex_buffer = NULL;
@@ -256,7 +269,7 @@ ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, con
 			 * processed immediately.
 			 */
 			if (!ProcessConfigDirectory(base_dir, opt_value, config_file,
-										contents,
+										depth + 1, contents,
 									    error_list, warning_list))
 				OK = false;
 			yy_switch_to_buffer(lex_buffer);
@@ -266,7 +279,7 @@ ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, con
 		else if (base_dir != NULL && strcasecmp(opt_name, "include_if_exists") == 0)
 		{
 			if (!ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, opt_value, config_file,
-								   false, contents,
+								   false, depth + 1, contents,
 								   error_list, warning_list))
 				OK = false;
 
@@ -277,7 +290,7 @@ ProcessConfigFp(FILE *fp, const char *config_file, const char *calling_file, con
 		else if (base_dir != NULL && strcasecmp(opt_name, "include") == 0)
 		{
 			if (!ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, opt_value, config_file,
-								   true, contents,
+								   true, depth + 1, contents,
 								   error_list, warning_list))
 				OK = false;
 
@@ -370,7 +383,7 @@ cleanup:
  * See ProcessConfigFp for further details.
  */
 static bool
-ProcessConfigDirectory(const char *base_dir, const char *includedir, const char *calling_file,  KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
+ProcessConfigDirectory(const char *base_dir, const char *includedir, const char *calling_file, int depth, KeyValueList *contents, ItemList *error_list, ItemList *warning_list)
 {
 	char	   *directory;
 	DIR		   *d;
@@ -471,7 +484,7 @@ ProcessConfigDirectory(const char *base_dir, const char *includedir, const char
 		for (i = 0; i < num_filenames; i++)
 		{
 			if (!ProcessConfigFile(base_dir, filenames[i], calling_file,
-								   true, contents,
+								   true, depth, contents,
 								   error_list, warning_list))
 			{
 				status = false;