diff --git a/usr.bin/indent/indent.c b/usr.bin/indent/indent.c
index e6a83a8a84a..562031b0b6d 100644
--- a/usr.bin/indent/indent.c
+++ b/usr.bin/indent/indent.c
@@ -1193,10 +1193,10 @@ check_type:
 			*sc_end++ = ' ';
 			--line_no;
 		    }
+		    if (sc_end - save_com + com_end - com_start > sc_size)
+			errx(1, "input too long");
 		    bcopy(s_lab + com_start, sc_end, com_end - com_start);
 		    sc_end += com_end - com_start;
-		    if (sc_end >= &save_com[sc_size])
-			errx(1, "input too long");
 		    e_lab = s_lab + com_start;
 		    while (e_lab > s_lab && (e_lab[-1] == ' ' || e_lab[-1] == '\t'))
 			e_lab--;