diff --git a/fs/binfmt_em86.c b/fs/binfmt_em86.c
index 4e6cce57d113..037a3e2b045b 100644
--- a/fs/binfmt_em86.c
+++ b/fs/binfmt_em86.c
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ static int load_em86(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 			return -ENOEXEC;
 	}
 
-	bprm->recursion_depth++; /* Well, the bang-shell is implicit... */
 	allow_write_access(bprm->file);
 	fput(bprm->file);
 	bprm->file = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/binfmt_misc.c b/fs/binfmt_misc.c
index b0b70fbea06c..9be335fb8a7c 100644
--- a/fs/binfmt_misc.c
+++ b/fs/binfmt_misc.c
@@ -117,10 +117,6 @@ static int load_misc_binary(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 	if (!enabled)
 		goto _ret;
 
-	retval = -ENOEXEC;
-	if (bprm->recursion_depth > BINPRM_MAX_RECURSION)
-		goto _ret;
-
 	/* to keep locking time low, we copy the interpreter string */
 	read_lock(&entries_lock);
 	fmt = check_file(bprm);
@@ -197,8 +193,6 @@ static int load_misc_binary(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 	if (retval < 0)
 		goto _error;
 
-	bprm->recursion_depth++;
-
 	retval = search_binary_handler(bprm);
 	if (retval < 0)
 		goto _error;
diff --git a/fs/binfmt_script.c b/fs/binfmt_script.c
index 8c954997e7f7..1610a91637e5 100644
--- a/fs/binfmt_script.c
+++ b/fs/binfmt_script.c
@@ -22,15 +22,13 @@ static int load_script(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 	char interp[BINPRM_BUF_SIZE];
 	int retval;
 
-	if ((bprm->buf[0] != '#') || (bprm->buf[1] != '!') ||
-	    (bprm->recursion_depth > BINPRM_MAX_RECURSION))
+	if ((bprm->buf[0] != '#') || (bprm->buf[1] != '!'))
 		return -ENOEXEC;
 	/*
 	 * This section does the #! interpretation.
 	 * Sorta complicated, but hopefully it will work.  -TYT
 	 */
 
-	bprm->recursion_depth++;
 	allow_write_access(bprm->file);
 	fput(bprm->file);
 	bprm->file = NULL;
diff --git a/fs/exec.c b/fs/exec.c
index 721a29929511..d5eb9e605ffd 100644
--- a/fs/exec.c
+++ b/fs/exec.c
@@ -1356,6 +1356,10 @@ int search_binary_handler(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 	struct linux_binfmt *fmt;
 	pid_t old_pid, old_vpid;
 
+	/* This allows 4 levels of binfmt rewrites before failing hard. */
+	if (depth > 5)
+		return -ELOOP;
+
 	retval = security_bprm_check(bprm);
 	if (retval)
 		return retval;
@@ -1380,12 +1384,8 @@ int search_binary_handler(struct linux_binprm *bprm)
 			if (!try_module_get(fmt->module))
 				continue;
 			read_unlock(&binfmt_lock);
+			bprm->recursion_depth = depth + 1;
 			retval = fn(bprm);
-			/*
-			 * Restore the depth counter to its starting value
-			 * in this call, so we don't have to rely on every
-			 * load_binary function to restore it on return.
-			 */
 			bprm->recursion_depth = depth;
 			if (retval >= 0) {
 				if (depth == 0) {
diff --git a/include/linux/binfmts.h b/include/linux/binfmts.h
index 2630c9b41a86..a4c2b565c835 100644
--- a/include/linux/binfmts.h
+++ b/include/linux/binfmts.h
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ struct linux_binprm {
 #define BINPRM_FLAGS_EXECFD_BIT 1
 #define BINPRM_FLAGS_EXECFD (1 << BINPRM_FLAGS_EXECFD_BIT)
 
-#define BINPRM_MAX_RECURSION 4
-
 /* Function parameter for binfmt->coredump */
 struct coredump_params {
 	siginfo_t *siginfo;