diff --git a/graph-item.cpp b/graph-item.cpp
index 50805a0c..46196b6c 100644
--- a/graph-item.cpp
+++ b/graph-item.cpp
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ EX bool drawItemType(eItem it, cell *c, const shiftmatrix& V, color_t icol, int
     }
 
   else if(it == itBarrow && c) {
-    for(int i = 0; i<c->landparam; i++)
-      queuepolyat(Vit * spin(TAU * i / c->landparam) * xpush(.15 * cgi.scalefactor) * spinptick(1500, 0), *xsh, darkena(icol, 0, hidden ? 0x40 :
+    for(int i = 0; i<barrowCount(c); i++)
+      queuepolyat(Vit * spin(TAU * i / barrowCount(c)) * xpush(.15 * cgi.scalefactor) * spinptick(1500, 0), *xsh, darkena(icol, 0, hidden ? 0x40 :
         (highwall(c) && wmspatial) ? 0x60 : 0xFF),
         PPR::HIDDEN);
     }
diff --git a/help.cpp b/help.cpp
index fe6d6388..f0a17b1e 100644
--- a/help.cpp
+++ b/help.cpp
@@ -1084,7 +1084,7 @@ EX void describeMouseover() {
     if(c->item && !itemHiddenFromSight(c)) {
       out += ", "; 
       out += XLAT1(iinf[c->item].name); 
-      if(c->item == itBarrow) out += " (x" + its(c->landparam) + ")";
+      if(c->item == itBarrow) out += " (x" + its(barrowCount(c)) + ")";
       #if CAP_COMPLEX2
       if(c->land == laHunting) {      
         int i = ambush::size(c, c->item);
diff --git a/items.cpp b/items.cpp
index f29441f3..c3f8f2ad 100644
--- a/items.cpp
+++ b/items.cpp
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ EX bool collectItem(cell *c2, cell *last, bool telekinesis IS(false)) {
     int q_el = items[itElemental];
 
     if(c2->item == itBarrow) 
-      for(int i=0; i<c2->landparam; i++) gainItem(c2->item);
+      for(int i=0; i<barrowCount(c2); i++) gainItem(c2->item);
     else if(c2->item) gainItem(c2->item);
 
     if(c2->item && items[c2->item] > q && (vid.bubbles_all || (threshold_met(items[c2->item]) > threshold_met(q) && vid.bubbles_threshold))) {
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ EX void collectMessage(cell *c2, eItem which) {
     addMessage(XLAT("A castle in the Crossroads..."));
   else if(which == itShard) ;
   else {
-    int qty = (which == itBarrow) ? c2->landparam : 1;
+    int qty = (which == itBarrow) ? barrowCount(c2) : 1;
     string t;
     if(which == itBarrow && items[which] < 25 && items[which] + qty >= 25)
       t = XLAT("Your energy swords get stronger!");
@@ -758,4 +758,12 @@ EX bool itemHiddenFromSight(cell *c) {
     && !(shmup::on && shmup::boatAt(c)) && !(c->cpdist <= 1 && playerInWater());
   }
 
+EX int barrowCount(cell *c) {
+  // This should always be 2 or 3.
+  // Clamping to exactly that would make bugs go unnoticed.
+  // Not clamping at all would lead to freezes when it's absurdly large.
+  // Clamping to [1,4] means any incorrect values will be apparent but not game-breaking.
+  return min(max(c->landparam, 1), 4);
+  }
+
 }