diff --git a/src/libged/exec.cpp b/src/libged/exec.cpp
index 15dac3aae0..0414ac99df 100644
--- a/src/libged/exec.cpp
+++ b/src/libged/exec.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,17 @@ ged_exec(struct ged *gedp, int argc, const char *argv[])
     GED_CK_MAGIC(gedp);
     Ged_Internal *gedip = gedp->i->i;
     gedip->exec_stack.push(cmdname);
+    gedip->cmd_recursion_depth_cnt[cmdname]++;
+
+    if (gedip->cmd_recursion_depth_cnt[cmdname] > GED_CMD_RECURSION_LIMIT) {
+	bu_vls_printf(gedp->ged_result_str, "Recursion limit %d exceeded for command %s - aborted.  ged_exec call stack:\n", GED_CMD_RECURSION_LIMIT, cmdname.c_str());
+	std::stack<std::string> lexec_stack = gedip->exec_stack;
+	while (!lexec_stack.empty()) {
+	    bu_vls_printf(gedp->ged_result_str, "%s\n", lexec_stack.top().c_str());
+	    lexec_stack.pop();
+	}
+	return BRLCAD_ERROR;
+    }
 
     // Check for a pre-exec callback.
     bu_clbk_t f = NULL;
@@ -114,6 +125,7 @@ ged_exec(struct ged *gedp, int argc, const char *argv[])
 	if (tstr)
 	    bu_log("%s time: %g\n", cmdname.c_str(), (bu_gettime() - start)/1e6);
 
+	gedip->cmd_recursion_depth_cnt[cmdname]--;
 	gedip->exec_stack.pop();
 	return cret;
     }
@@ -128,6 +140,7 @@ ged_exec(struct ged *gedp, int argc, const char *argv[])
     if (tstr)
 	bu_log("%s time: %g\n", cmdname.c_str(), (bu_gettime() - start)/1e6);
 
+    gedip->cmd_recursion_depth_cnt[cmdname]--;
     gedip->exec_stack.pop();
     return cret;
 }
diff --git a/src/libged/ged.cpp b/src/libged/ged.cpp
index 4f340b37f8..7a915840bb 100644
--- a/src/libged/ged.cpp
+++ b/src/libged/ged.cpp
@@ -445,9 +445,9 @@ ged_clbk_exec(struct bu_vls *log, struct ged *gedp, int limit, bu_clbk_t f, int
     Ged_Internal *gedip = gedp->i->i;
     int rlimit = (limit > 0) ? limit : 1;
 
-    gedip->recursion_depth_cnt[f]++;
+    gedip->clbk_recursion_depth_cnt[f]++;
 
-    if (gedip->recursion_depth_cnt[f] > rlimit) {
+    if (gedip->clbk_recursion_depth_cnt[f] > rlimit) {
 	if (log) {
 	    // Print out ged_exec call stack that got us here.  If the
 	    // recursion is all in callback functions this won't help, but at
@@ -462,9 +462,10 @@ ged_clbk_exec(struct bu_vls *log, struct ged *gedp, int limit, bu_clbk_t f, int
 	return BRLCAD_ERROR;
     }
 
+    // Checks complete - actually run the callback
     int ret = (*f)(ac, av, u1, u2);
 
-    gedip->recursion_depth_cnt[f]++;
+    gedip->clbk_recursion_depth_cnt[f]++;
 
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/src/libged/ged_private.h b/src/libged/ged_private.h
index a6a6ef165f..8ec3d4bee0 100644
--- a/src/libged/ged_private.h
+++ b/src/libged/ged_private.h
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ class Ged_Internal {
 	std::map<ged_func_ptr, std::pair<bu_clbk_t, void *>> cmd_postrun_clbk;
 	std::map<ged_func_ptr, std::pair<bu_clbk_t, void *>> cmd_linger_clbk;
 
-	std::map<bu_clbk_t, int> recursion_depth_cnt;
+	std::map<bu_clbk_t, int> clbk_recursion_depth_cnt;
+	std::map<std::string, int> cmd_recursion_depth_cnt;
 
 	std::stack<std::string> exec_stack;