diff --git a/bin/pax/file_subs.c b/bin/pax/file_subs.c
index f77e1ab51f0b..410adf5d30ed 100644
--- a/bin/pax/file_subs.c
+++ b/bin/pax/file_subs.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: file_subs.c,v 1.48 2004/06/26 12:39:06 grant Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: file_subs.c,v 1.49 2004/06/26 13:28:09 grant Exp $	*/
 
 /*-
  * Copyright (c) 1992 Keith Muller.
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #if 0
 static char sccsid[] = "@(#)file_subs.c	8.1 (Berkeley) 5/31/93";
 #else
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: file_subs.c,v 1.48 2004/06/26 12:39:06 grant Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: file_subs.c,v 1.49 2004/06/26 13:28:09 grant Exp $");
 #endif
 #endif /* not lint */
 
@@ -493,6 +493,12 @@ badlink:
 			syswarn(1, oerrno, "Cannot create %s", nm);
 			return(-1);
 		}
+
+		/*
+		 * it must be a file that exists but we can't create or
+		 * remove, but we must avoid the infinite loop.
+		 */
+		break;
 	}
 
 	/*