diff --git a/plug-ins/file-sgi/sgi-lib.c b/plug-ins/file-sgi/sgi-lib.c
index 7fd61d04b3..c26e24e883 100644
--- a/plug-ins/file-sgi/sgi-lib.c
+++ b/plug-ins/file-sgi/sgi-lib.c
@@ -680,7 +680,7 @@ read_rle8(sgi_t *sgip,		/* I - SGI image to read from */
       return (-1);
     length ++;
 
-    count = ch & 127;
+    count = MIN (ch & 127, xsize);
     if (count == 0)
       break;
 
@@ -725,7 +725,7 @@ read_rle16(sgi_t *sgip,		/* I - SGI image to read from */
       return (-1);
     length ++;
 
-    count = ch & 127;
+    count = MIN (ch & 127, xsize);
     if (count == 0)
       break;