diff --git a/src/light.c b/src/light.c
index ec6bda128..c8bcec567 100644
--- a/src/light.c
+++ b/src/light.c
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ candle_light_range(struct obj *obj)
         long n = obj->quan;
 
         radius = 1; /* always incremented at least once */
-        while(radius*radius <= n) {
+        while(radius*radius <= n && radius < MAX_RADIUS) {
             radius++;
         }
     } else {