diff --git a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/inl.go b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/inl.go
index 9912cf5aa0..7095782411 100644
--- a/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/inl.go
+++ b/src/cmd/compile/internal/gc/inl.go
@@ -268,7 +268,12 @@ func ishairy(n *Node, budget *int32, reason *string) bool {
 		*budget -= 2
 	}
 
-	return *budget < 0 || ishairy(n.Left, budget, reason) || ishairy(n.Right, budget, reason) ||
+	if *budget < 0 {
+		*reason = "function too complex"
+		return true
+	}
+
+	return ishairy(n.Left, budget, reason) || ishairy(n.Right, budget, reason) ||
 		ishairylist(n.List, budget, reason) || ishairylist(n.Rlist, budget, reason) ||
 		ishairylist(n.Ninit, budget, reason) || ishairylist(n.Nbody, budget, reason)
 }