diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/basic.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/basic.rktl
index d43696d83b..52ce51c3cf 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/basic.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/basic.rktl
@@ -2521,6 +2521,16 @@
   (list? (list* 1 2 p))
   (test 1 hash-ref ht p #f))
 
+;; Check that hash-table cycles don't lead to an
+;;  explosion in the time to compute a hash code.
+(let ()
+  (define ht (make-hash))
+  (hash-set! ht 'a ht)
+  (hash-set! ht 'b ht)
+  (eq-hash-code ht)
+  (equal-hash-code ht)
+  (equal-secondary-hash-code ht))
+
 ;; ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
 ;; Misc
 
diff --git a/src/racket/src/hash.c b/src/racket/src/hash.c
index e8db4143cb..666711a78a 100644
--- a/src/racket/src/hash.c
+++ b/src/racket/src/hash.c
@@ -1264,7 +1264,7 @@ static uintptr_t equal_hash_key(Scheme_Object *o, uintptr_t k, Hash_Info *hi)
 #     include "mzhashchk.inc"
 
       k = (k << 1) + 3;
-      hi->depth += 2;
+      hi->depth *= 2; /* mult to counteract potential explosion due to old_depth reset */
       old_depth = hi->depth;
       
       keys = ht->keys;
@@ -1676,7 +1676,7 @@ static uintptr_t equal_hash_key2(Scheme_Object *o, Hash_Info *hi)
       
 #     include "mzhashchk.inc"
 
-      hi->depth += 2;
+      hi->depth *= 2; /* mult to counteract potential explosion due to old_depth reset */
       old_depth = hi->depth;
 
       keys = ht->keys;