diff --git a/options/m_property.c b/options/m_property.c
index eb3f78e847..94e2d18a3b 100644
--- a/options/m_property.c
+++ b/options/m_property.c
@@ -293,6 +293,9 @@ char *m_properties_expand_string(const struct m_property *prop_list,
     bool skip = false;
     int level = 0, skip_level = 0;
     bstr str = bstr0(str0);
+#ifdef FUZZING_BUILD_MODE_UNSAFE_FOR_PRODUCTION
+    int n = 0;
+#endif
 
     while (str.len) {
         if (level > 0 && bstr_eatstart0(&str, "}")) {
@@ -311,6 +314,10 @@ char *m_properties_expand_string(const struct m_property *prop_list,
             bool have_fallback = bstr_eatstart0(&str, ":");
 
             if (!skip) {
+#ifdef FUZZING_BUILD_MODE_UNSAFE_FOR_PRODUCTION
+                if (n++ > 10)
+                    break;
+#endif
                 skip = expand_property(prop_list, &ret, &ret_len, name,
                                        have_fallback, ctx);
                 if (skip)