diff --git Python-2.6.4/Modules/posixmodule.c Python-2.6.4/Modules/posixmodule.c

--- Python-2.6.4/Modules/posixmodule.c

+++ Python-2.6.4/Modules/posixmodule.c

@@ -1997,6 +1997,8 @@

char *res = NULL;

PyObject *dynamic_return;

+ int maxsize = pathconf(".", _PC_PATH_MAX);

+

Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS

do {

bufsize = bufsize + bufsize_incr;

@@ -2013,7 +2015,7 @@

if (res == NULL) {

free(tmpbuf);

}

- } while ((res == NULL) && (errno == ERANGE));

+ } while ((res == NULL) && (errno == ERANGE) && (bufsize < maxsize));

Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS

if (res == NULL)