--- texi2dvi.orig	2009-10-26 13:55:49.658841311 +0100
+++ texi2dvi	2009-10-26 14:14:50.478841780 +0100
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ escape="\\"
 expand=         # t for expansion via makeinfo
 includes=
 line_error=true # Pass --file-line-error to TeX.
+max_iters=-1    # just keep going
 no_line_error=false  # absolutely do not pass --file-line-error to TeX
 oname=          # --output
 out_lang=dvi
@@ -331,6 +332,7 @@ Build modes:
 			 defaults to TEXI2DVI_BUILD_DIRECTORY [$build_dir]
   --mostly-clean       remove the auxiliary files and directories
 			 but not the output
+  --max-iterations=N   don't process files more than N times
 
 The MODE specifies where the TeX compilation takes place, and, as a
 consequence, how auxiliary files are treated.  The build mode
@@ -1093,6 +1095,13 @@ run_tex_suite ()
   local cycle=0
 
   while :; do
+    # check for probably LaTeX loop (e.g. varioref)
+    if test $cycle -eq $max_iters; then
+      error 0 "Maximum of $max_iters cycles exceeded"
+      break
+    fi
+
+    # report progress
     cycle=`expr $cycle + 1`
     verbose "Cycle $cycle for $command_line_filename"
 
@@ -1524,6 +1533,7 @@ while test x"$1" != x"$arg_sep"; do
     -l | --lang | --language) shift; set_language=$1;;
     --mostly-clean) action=mostly-clean;;
     --no-line-error) no_line_error=true;;
+    --max-iterations) shift; max_iters=$1;;
     -o | --out  | --output)
       shift
       # Make it absolute, just in case we also have --clean, or whatever.