diff --git a/gramps2/ChangeLog b/gramps2/ChangeLog
index fdbdb6e94..a0821590b 100644
--- a/gramps2/ChangeLog
+++ b/gramps2/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2005-09-03  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/GraphLayout.py: use recursion limit to detect db loops
+	* src/Utils.py: use recursion limit to detect db loops
+
 2005-09-03  Julio Sanchez  <jsanchez@users.sourceforge.net>
 	* src/po/es.po: Translation update
 
diff --git a/gramps2/src/GraphLayout.py b/gramps2/src/GraphLayout.py
index 2791e18b8..141a8f673 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/GraphLayout.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/GraphLayout.py
@@ -46,20 +46,19 @@ class DescendLine(GraphLayout):
 
     def layout(self):
         self.elist = [(0,0)]
-        self.space_for(self.person_handle)
+        try:
+            self.space_for(self.person_handle)
+        except RuntimeError,msg:
+            person = self.database.get_person_from_handle(self.person_handle)
+            raise Errors.DatabaseError(
+                _("Database error: %s is defined as his or her own ancestor") %
+                NameDisplay.displayer.display(person))
+        
         return (self.v,self.e[1:])
     
-    def space_for(self,person_handle,level=1.0,pos=1.0, current=None):
-        if current == None:
-            current = sets.Set()
+    def space_for(self,person_handle,level=1.0,pos=1.0):
 
         person = self.database.get_person_from_handle(person_handle)
-
-        if person_handle not in current:
-            current.add(person_handle)
-        else:
-            raise Errors.DatabaseError(_("Database error: %s is defined as his or her own ancestor") %
-                                       NameDisplay.displayer.display(person))
             
         last = self.elist[-1]
         self.elist.append((level,pos))
@@ -73,7 +72,7 @@ class DescendLine(GraphLayout):
         for family_handle in person.get_family_handle_list():
             family = self.database.get_family_from_handle(family_handle)
             for child_handle in family.get_child_handle_list():
-                self.space_for(child_handle,level+1.0,pos,current)
+                self.space_for(child_handle,level+1.0,pos)
                 pos = pos + max(self.depth(child_handle),1)
                 if pos > self.maxy:
                     self.maxy = pos
diff --git a/gramps2/src/Utils.py b/gramps2/src/Utils.py
index 5d094b443..fcebb0eea 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/Utils.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/Utils.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ import const
 import GrampsMime
 import NameDisplay
 import Date
+import Errors
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -515,17 +516,7 @@ def probably_alive(person,db,current_year=None,limit=0):
     max_generation = 60
     max_age_difference = 60
 
-    def descendants_too_old (person, years, current=None):
-        if current == None:
-            current = sets.Set()
-
-        if person.handle not in current:
-            current.add(person.handle)
-        else:
-            import Errors
-            raise Errors.DatabaseError(_("Database error: %s is defined as his or her own ancestor") %
-                                       NameDisplay.displayer.display(person))
-        
+    def descendants_too_old (person, years):
         for family_handle in person.get_family_handle_list():
             family = db.get_family_from_handle(family_handle)
             family_list = family.get_child_handle_list()
@@ -550,17 +541,21 @@ def probably_alive(person,db,current_year=None,limit=0):
                         if not not_too_old (dobj,current_year):
                             return True
 
-                if descendants_too_old (child, years + min_generation,current):
+                if descendants_too_old (child, years + min_generation):
                     return True
                 
         return False
 
     # If there are descendants that are too old for the person to have
     # been alive in the current year then they must be dead.
-    if descendants_too_old (person, min_generation):
-        #print person.get_primary_name().get_name(), " is dead because descendants are too old."
-        return False
 
+    try:
+        if descendants_too_old (person, min_generation):
+            return False
+    except RuntimeError,msg:
+        raise Errors.DatabaseError(
+            _("Database error: %s is defined as his or her own ancestor") %
+            NameDisplay.displayer.display(person))
 
     average_generation_gap = 20