diff --git a/lib/backup-files.c b/lib/backup-files.c
index fe40a8a..c4ae56f 100644
--- a/lib/backup-files.c
+++ b/lib/backup-files.c
@@ -413,38 +413,58 @@ foreachdir_rec(const char *path, struct stat *st,
 	DIR *dir;
 	struct dirent *dp;
 	int failed = 0;
-	char *p = malloc_nofail(PATH_MAX);
+
+	struct path {
+		char *name;
+		struct path *next;
+	};
+	struct path *paths = NULL, *last_path = NULL;
 
 	if (access(path, R_OK|X_OK) || !(dir = opendir(path)))
 		return walk(path, NULL);
 	while ((dp = readdir(dir))) {
+		struct path *p;
+		size_t size;
+
 		if (!strcmp(dp->d_name, ".") || !strcmp(dp->d_name, ".."))
 			continue;
-		if (strlen(path) + 1 + strlen(dp->d_name) + 1 > PATH_MAX) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "%s/%s: name too long\n", path,
-				dp->d_name);
-			failed = -1;
-			goto out;
-		}
-		sprintf(p, "%s/%s", path, dp->d_name);
-		
-		if (lstat(p, st))
+
+		p = malloc_nofail(sizeof(*p));
+		if (!last_path)
+			paths = p;
+		else
+			last_path->next = p;
+		p->next = NULL;
+		last_path = p;
+
+		size = strlen(path) + 1 + strlen(dp->d_name) + 1;
+		p->name = malloc_nofail(size);
+		sprintf(p->name, "%s/%s", path, dp->d_name);
+	}
+	if (closedir(dir) != 0)
+		failed = -1;
+
+	while (paths != NULL) {
+		struct path *next;
+
+		if (lstat(paths->name, st))
 			continue;  /* file has disappeared meanwhile */
 		if (S_ISDIR(st->st_mode)) {
-			failed = foreachdir_rec(p, st, walk);
+			failed = foreachdir_rec(paths->name, st, walk);
 			if (failed)
 				goto out;
 		} else {
-			failed = walk(p, st);
+			failed = walk(paths->name, st);
 			if (failed)
 				goto out;
 		}
+		next = paths->next;
+		free(paths->name);
+		free(paths);
+		paths = next;
 	}
-	if (closedir(dir) != 0)
-		failed = -1;
 
 out:
-	free(p);
 	return failed;
 }