diff --git a/e2fsck/message.c b/e2fsck/message.c
index 22c71631..b2e3e0f0 100644
--- a/e2fsck/message.c
+++ b/e2fsck/message.c
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ static void print_pathname(ext2_filsys fs, ext2_ino_t dir, ext2_ino_t ino)
  */
 static _INLINE_ void expand_at_expression(e2fsck_t ctx, char ch,
 					  struct problem_context *pctx,
-					  int *first)
+					  int *first, int recurse)
 {
 	const char **cpp, *str;
 	
@@ -223,13 +223,13 @@ static _INLINE_ void expand_at_expression(e2fsck_t ctx, char ch,
 		if (ch == *cpp[0])
 			break;
 	}
-	if (*cpp) {
+	if (*cpp && recurse < 10) {
 		str = _(*cpp) + 1;
 		if (*first && islower(*str)) {
 			*first = 0;
 			fputc(toupper(*str++), stdout);
 		}
-		print_e2fsck_message(ctx, str, pctx, *first);
+		print_e2fsck_message(ctx, str, pctx, *first, recurse+1);
 	} else
 		printf("@%c", ch);
 }
@@ -456,7 +456,8 @@ static _INLINE_ void expand_percent_expression(ext2_filsys fs, char ch,
 }	
 
 void print_e2fsck_message(e2fsck_t ctx, const char *msg,
-			  struct problem_context *pctx, int first)
+			  struct problem_context *pctx, int first,
+			  int recurse)
 {
 	ext2_filsys fs = ctx->fs;
 	const char *	cp;
@@ -466,7 +467,7 @@ void print_e2fsck_message(e2fsck_t ctx, const char *msg,
 	for (cp = msg; *cp; cp++) {
 		if (cp[0] == '@') {
 			cp++;
-			expand_at_expression(ctx, *cp, pctx, &first);
+			expand_at_expression(ctx, *cp, pctx, &first, recurse);
 		} else if (cp[0] == '%' && cp[1] == 'I') {
 			cp += 2;
 			expand_inode_expression(*cp, pctx);
diff --git a/e2fsck/problem.c b/e2fsck/problem.c
index 87de6459..0b6fd39c 100644
--- a/e2fsck/problem.c
+++ b/e2fsck/problem.c
@@ -1675,7 +1675,7 @@ int fix_problem(e2fsck_t ctx, problem_t code, struct problem_context *pctx)
 			       ctx->device_name : ctx->filesystem_name);
 		}
 		if (*message)
-			print_e2fsck_message(ctx, _(message), pctx, 1);
+			print_e2fsck_message(ctx, _(message), pctx, 1, 0);
 	}
 	if (!(ptr->flags & PR_PREEN_OK) && (ptr->prompt != PROMPT_NONE))
 		preenhalt(ctx);
diff --git a/e2fsck/problem.h b/e2fsck/problem.h
index 28fe9646..f5f7212f 100644
--- a/e2fsck/problem.h
+++ b/e2fsck/problem.h
@@ -918,5 +918,6 @@ void clear_problem_context(struct problem_context *ctx);
 
 /* message.c */
 void print_e2fsck_message(e2fsck_t ctx, const char *msg,
-			  struct problem_context *pctx, int first);
+			  struct problem_context *pctx, int first, 
+			  int recurse);