diff --git a/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c b/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c
index a39a90c..e9ea39aa8 100644
--- a/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c
+++ b/libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@ static int symlook_default(SymLook *, const Obj_Entry *refobj);
 static int symlook_global(SymLook *, DoneList *);
 static void symlook_init_from_req(SymLook *, const SymLook *);
 static int symlook_list(SymLook *, const Objlist *, DoneList *);
-static int symlook_needed(SymLook *, const Needed_Entry *, DoneList *);
+static int symlook_needed(SymLook *, const Needed_Entry *, DoneList *,
+  DoneList *);
 static int symlook_obj1(SymLook *, const Obj_Entry *);
 static void trace_loaded_objects(Obj_Entry *);
 static void unlink_object(Obj_Entry *);
@@ -2340,12 +2341,14 @@ do_dlsym(void *handle, const char *name, void *retaddr, const Ver_Entry *ve,
 	    }
 	} else {
 	    Needed_Entry fake;
+	    DoneList depth;
 
 	    /* Search the whole DAG rooted at the given object. */
 	    fake.next = NULL;
 	    fake.obj = (Obj_Entry *)obj;
 	    fake.name = 0;
-	    res = symlook_needed(&req, &fake, &donelist);
+	    donelist_init(&depth);
+	    res = symlook_needed(&req, &fake, &donelist, &depth);
 	    if (res == 0) {
 		def = req.sym_out;
 		defobj = req.defobj_out;
@@ -2961,7 +2964,8 @@ symlook_list(SymLook *req, const Objlist *objlist, DoneList *dlp)
  * definition was found.
  */
 static int
-symlook_needed(SymLook *req, const Needed_Entry *needed, DoneList *dlp)
+symlook_needed(SymLook *req, const Needed_Entry *needed, DoneList *breadth,
+               DoneList *depth)
 {
     const Elf_Sym *def, *def_w;
     const Needed_Entry *n;
@@ -2973,7 +2977,7 @@ symlook_needed(SymLook *req, const Needed_Entry *needed, DoneList *dlp)
     defobj = NULL;
     symlook_init_from_req(&req1, req);
     for (n = needed; n != NULL; n = n->next) {
-	if (n->obj == NULL || donelist_check(dlp, n->obj) ||
+	if (n->obj == NULL || donelist_check(breadth, n->obj) ||
 	    (res = symlook_obj(&req1, n->obj)) != 0)
 	    continue;
 	def = req1.sym_out;
@@ -2991,7 +2995,9 @@ symlook_needed(SymLook *req, const Needed_Entry *needed, DoneList *dlp)
     for (n = needed; n != NULL; n = n->next) {
 	if (n->obj == NULL)
 	    continue;
-	res = symlook_needed(&req1, n->obj->needed, dlp);
+	if (depth != NULL && donelist_check(depth, n->obj))
+	    continue;
+	res = symlook_needed(&req1, n->obj->needed, breadth, depth);
 	if (res != 0)
 	    continue;
 	def_w = req1.sym_out;
@@ -3033,7 +3039,7 @@ symlook_obj(SymLook *req, const Obj_Entry *obj)
 	    load_filtees(__DECONST(Obj_Entry *, obj), 0, req->lockstate);
 	    donelist_init(&donelist);
 	    symlook_init_from_req(&req1, req);
-	    res = symlook_needed(&req1, obj->needed_filtees, &donelist);
+	    res = symlook_needed(&req1, obj->needed_filtees, &donelist, NULL);
 	    if (res == 0) {
 		req->sym_out = req1.sym_out;
 		req->defobj_out = req1.defobj_out;
@@ -3044,7 +3050,8 @@ symlook_obj(SymLook *req, const Obj_Entry *obj)
 	    load_filtees(__DECONST(Obj_Entry *, obj), 0, req->lockstate);
 	    donelist_init(&donelist);
 	    symlook_init_from_req(&req1, req);
-	    res = symlook_needed(&req1, obj->needed_aux_filtees, &donelist);
+	    res = symlook_needed(&req1, obj->needed_aux_filtees, &donelist,
+	      NULL);
 	    if (res == 0) {
 		req->sym_out = req1.sym_out;
 		req->defobj_out = req1.defobj_out;