diff --git a/core/modules/system/system.install b/core/modules/system/system.install
index f1e6612..ff47e06 100644
--- a/core/modules/system/system.install
+++ b/core/modules/system/system.install
@@ -648,6 +648,44 @@ function system_requirements($phase) {
     }
   }
 
+  // Check xdebug.max_nesting_level, as some pages will not work if it is too
+  // low.
+  if (extension_loaded('xdebug')) {
+    // Setting this value to 256 was considered adequate on Xdebug 2.3
+    // (see http://bugs.xdebug.org/bug_view_page.php?bug_id=00001100)
+    $minimum_nesting_level = 256;
+    $current_nesting_level = ini_get('xdebug.max_nesting_level');
+
+    if ($current_nesting_level < $minimum_nesting_level) {
+      // Locate the correct ini file for Xdebug.
+      $ini_scanned_files = php_ini_scanned_files();
+      $ini_location = php_ini_loaded_file();
+      // If there is a specific ini file for Xdebug, recommend that in place of
+      // the loaded ini file.
+      if ($ini_scanned_files !== FALSE) {
+        $ini_files = explode(',', $ini_scanned_files);
+        foreach ($ini_files as $value) {
+          if (strpos($value, 'xdebug.ini') !== FALSE) {
+            $ini_location = trim($value);
+            break;
+          }
+        }
+      }
+
+      $description = t('Set xdebug_.max_nesting_level=@level in your PHP configuration as some pages in your Drupal site will not work when this setting is too low.', array('@level' => $minimum_nesting_level));
+      if ($ini_location !== FALSE) {
+        $description .= ' ' . t('Your Xdebug configuration can be modified in @ini_location.', array('@ini_location' => $ini_location));
+      }
+
+      $requirements['xdebug_max_nesting_level'] = array(
+        'title' => t('Xdebug settings'),
+        'value' => t('xdebug.max_nesting_level is set to %value.', array('%value' => $current_nesting_level)),
+        'description' => $description,
+        'severity' => REQUIREMENT_ERROR,
+      );
+    }
+  }
+
   return $requirements;
 }