diff --git a/src/sysdep.c b/src/sysdep.c
index cb361ec..c524656 100644
--- a/src/sysdep.c
+++ b/src/sysdep.c
@@ -2174,7 +2174,7 @@ emacs_backtrace (int backtrace_limit)
   else
     {
       buffer = main_backtrace_buffer;
-      npointers = backtrace (buffer, bounded_limit + 1);
+      npointers = backtrace (buffer, bounded_limit + 1 + (bounded_limit < 0));
     }
 
   if (npointers)