diff --git a/src/activity_handlers.cpp b/src/activity_handlers.cpp
index 53e0192457bc7..af38ad64d01c6 100644
--- a/src/activity_handlers.cpp
+++ b/src/activity_handlers.cpp
@@ -2946,7 +2946,11 @@ void activity_handlers::wait_stamina_do_turn( player_activity *act, player *p )
 {
     int stamina_threshold = p->get_stamina_max();
     if( !act->values.empty() ) {
-        stamina_threshold = act->values.front();
+        stamina_threshold = act->values[0];
+        // remember initial stamina, only for waiting-with-threshold
+        if( act->values.size() == 1 ) {
+            act->values.push_back( p->stamina );
+        }
     }
     if( p->stamina >= stamina_threshold ) {
         wait_stamina_finish( act, p );
@@ -2956,7 +2960,9 @@ void activity_handlers::wait_stamina_do_turn( player_activity *act, player *p )
 void activity_handlers::wait_stamina_finish( player_activity *act, player *p )
 {
     if( !act->values.empty() ) {
-        if( p->stamina < act->values.front() ) {
+        const int stamina_threshold = act->values[0];
+        const int stamina_initial = ( act->values.size() > 1 ) ? act->values[1] : p->stamina;
+        if( p->stamina < stamina_threshold && p->stamina <= stamina_initial ) {
             debugmsg( "Failed to wait until stamina threshold %d reached, only at %d. You may not be regaining stamina.",
                       act->values.front(), p->stamina );
         }