diff --git a/Modules/_bsddb.c b/Modules/_bsddb.c
index cee447bfc6..61120fae52 100644
--- a/Modules/_bsddb.c
+++ b/Modules/_bsddb.c
@@ -6696,21 +6696,29 @@ DBEnv_log_file(DBEnvObject* self, PyObject* args)
         if (err == EINVAL) {
             free(name);
             size *= 2;
+            if (size>=(1<<17)) {
+              /*
+              ** the final buffer we try is too small, we will
+              ** get this exception:
+              ** DBInvalidArgError:
+              **    (22, 'Invalid argument -- DB_ENV->log_file: name buffer is too short')
+              */
+              RETURN_IF_ERR();
+              assert(0);  /* Unreachable... supposely */
+              return NULL;
+            }
+            // go through the loop again, trying a bigger buffer
         } else if (err) {
             free(name);
             RETURN_IF_ERR();
             assert(0);  /* Unreachable... supposely */
             return NULL;
+        } else {
+          // everything is fine
+          break;
         }
-/*
-** If the final buffer we try is too small, we will
-** get this exception:
-** DBInvalidArgError:
-**    (22, 'Invalid argument -- DB_ENV->log_file: name buffer is too short')
-*/
-    } while ((err == EINVAL) && (size<(1<<17)));
 
-    RETURN_IF_ERR();  /* Maybe the size is not the problem */
+    } while (1);
 
     retval = Py_BuildValue("s", name);
     free(name);