diff --git a/includes/common.inc b/includes/common.inc
index 00b2e71..54b08fd 100644
--- a/includes/common.inc
+++ b/includes/common.inc
@@ -92,6 +92,12 @@ define('JS_THEME', 100);
 define('HTTP_REQUEST_TIMEOUT', 1);
 
 /**
+ * Error code indicating that the request made by drupal_http_request() exceeded
+ * the maximum allowed redirects without reaching the final target.
+ */
+define('HTTP_REQUEST_ALLOWED_REDIRECTS_EXHAUSTED', 2);
+
+/**
  * Constants defining cache granularity for blocks and renderable arrays.
  *
  * Modules specify the caching patterns for their blocks using binary
@@ -1001,6 +1007,10 @@ function drupal_http_request($url, array $options = array()) {
         $result->code = HTTP_REQUEST_TIMEOUT;
         $result->error = 'request timed out';
       }
+      elseif ($options['max_redirects'] <= 0) {
+        $result->code = HTTP_REQUEST_ALLOWED_REDIRECTS_EXHAUSTED;
+        $result->error = 'maximum allowed redirects exhausted';
+      }
       elseif ($options['max_redirects']) {
         // Redirect to the new location.
         $options['max_redirects']--;
diff --git a/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test b/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test
index 4664f04..bd57915 100644
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/common.test
@@ -1000,6 +1000,10 @@ class DrupalHTTPRequestTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
 
     $redirect_307 = drupal_http_request(url('system-test/redirect/307', array('absolute' => TRUE)), array('max_redirects' => 0));
     $this->assertFalse(isset($redirect_307->redirect_code), t('drupal_http_request does not follow 307 redirect if max_redirects = 0.'));
+
+    $redirect_invalid = drupal_http_request(url('system-test/multiple-redirects/2', array('absolute' => TRUE)), array('max_redirects' => 1));
+    $this->assertEqual($redirect_invalid->code, 2, t('Two 301 redirects returned with error code !error if max_redirects = 0.', array('!error' => $redirect_invalid->error)));
+    $this->assertEqual($redirect_invalid->error, 'maximum allowed redirects exhausted', t('Two 301 redirects returned with error message "!error" if max_redirects = 0.', array('!error' => $redirect_invalid->error)));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/simpletest/tests/system_test.module b/modules/simpletest/tests/system_test.module
index 46fb876..deb03ba 100644
--- a/modules/simpletest/tests/system_test.module
+++ b/modules/simpletest/tests/system_test.module
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ function system_test_menu() {
     'access arguments' => array('access content'),
     'type' => MENU_CALLBACK,
   );
+  $items['system-test/multiple-redirects/%'] = array(
+    'title' => 'Redirect',
+    'page callback' => 'system_test_multiple_redirects',
+    'page arguments' => array(2),
+    'access arguments' => array('access content'),
+    'type' => MENU_CALLBACK,
+  );
   $items['system-test/set-header'] = array(
     'page callback' => 'system_test_set_header',
     'access arguments' => array('access content'),
@@ -122,6 +129,15 @@ function system_test_redirect($code) {
   return '';
 }
 
+function system_test_multiple_redirects($count) {
+  $count = (int) $count;
+  if ($count > 0) {
+    header("location: " . url('system-test/multiple-redirects/' . --$count, array('absolute' => TRUE)), TRUE, 301);
+    exit;
+  }
+  return '';
+}
+
 function system_test_set_header() {
   drupal_add_http_header($_GET['name'], $_GET['value']);
   return t('The following header was set: %name: %value', array('%name' => $_GET['name'], '%value' => $_GET['value']));