diff --git a/drivers/char/random.c b/drivers/char/random.c
index 7f5271272f91..397c714cf2ba 100644
--- a/drivers/char/random.c
+++ b/drivers/char/random.c
@@ -693,9 +693,14 @@ static void xfer_secondary_pool(struct entropy_store *r, size_t nbytes)
 
 	if (r->pull && r->entropy_count < nbytes * 8 &&
 	    r->entropy_count < r->poolinfo->POOLBITS) {
-		int bytes = max_t(int, random_read_wakeup_thresh / 8,
-				min_t(int, nbytes, sizeof(tmp)));
+		/* If we're limited, always leave two wakeup worth's BITS */
 		int rsvd = r->limit ? 0 : random_read_wakeup_thresh/4;
+		int bytes = nbytes;
+
+		/* pull at least as many as BYTES as wakeup BITS */
+		bytes = max_t(int, bytes, random_read_wakeup_thresh / 8);
+		/* but never more than the buffer size */
+		bytes = min_t(int, bytes, sizeof(tmp));
 
 		DEBUG_ENT("going to reseed %s with %d bits "
 			  "(%d of %d requested)\n",