diff --git a/builtin/log.c b/builtin/log.c
index 99e33b3651..796e9e5746 100644
--- a/builtin/log.c
+++ b/builtin/log.c
@@ -263,7 +263,13 @@ static int cmd_log_walk(struct rev_info *rev)
 	 * retain that state information if replacing rev->diffopt in this loop
 	 */
 	while ((commit = get_revision(rev)) != NULL) {
-		log_tree_commit(rev, commit);
+		if (!log_tree_commit(rev, commit) &&
+		    rev->max_count >= 0)
+			/*
+			 * We decremented max_count in get_revision,
+			 * but we didn't actually show the commit.
+			 */
+			rev->max_count++;
 		if (!rev->reflog_info) {
 			/* we allow cycles in reflog ancestry */
 			free(commit->buffer);
diff --git a/t/t4013-diff-various.sh b/t/t4013-diff-various.sh
index b8f81d07c3..5daa0f2a0c 100755
--- a/t/t4013-diff-various.sh
+++ b/t/t4013-diff-various.sh
@@ -210,6 +210,9 @@ log -m -p master
 log -SF master
 log -S F master
 log -SF -p master
+log -SF master --max-count=0
+log -SF master --max-count=1
+log -SF master --max-count=2
 log -GF master
 log -GF -p master
 log -GF -p --pickaxe-all master
diff --git a/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=0 b/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=0
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c1fc6c8731
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=0
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+$ git log -SF master --max-count=0
+$
diff --git a/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=1 b/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c981a03814
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=1
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+$ git log -SF master --max-count=1
+commit 9a6d4949b6b76956d9d5e26f2791ec2ceff5fdc0
+Author: A U Thor <author@example.com>
+Date:   Mon Jun 26 00:02:00 2006 +0000
+
+    Third
+$
diff --git a/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=2 b/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a6c55fd482
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t4013/diff.log_-SF_master_--max-count=2
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+$ git log -SF master --max-count=2
+commit 9a6d4949b6b76956d9d5e26f2791ec2ceff5fdc0
+Author: A U Thor <author@example.com>
+Date:   Mon Jun 26 00:02:00 2006 +0000
+
+    Third
+$