diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 6ed9fa97878..4c392a445e3 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -166,6 +166,10 @@ Security related changes:
   CVE-2022-23218: Passing an overlong file name to the svcunix_create
   legacy function could result in a stack-based buffer overflow.
 
+  CVE-2021-3998: Passing a path longer than PATH_MAX to the realpath
+  function could result in a memory leak and potential access of
+  uninitialized memory.  Reported by Qualys.
+
 The following bugs are resolved with this release:
 
   [The release manager will add the list generated by
diff --git a/stdlib/Makefile b/stdlib/Makefile
index 1e81f98face..82367419845 100644
--- a/stdlib/Makefile
+++ b/stdlib/Makefile
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ tests := \
   tst-random \
   tst-random2 \
   tst-realpath \
+  tst-realpath-toolong \
   tst-secure-getenv \
   tst-setcontext \
   tst-setcontext2 \
diff --git a/stdlib/canonicalize.c b/stdlib/canonicalize.c
index f36bdf4c764..732dc7ea46c 100644
--- a/stdlib/canonicalize.c
+++ b/stdlib/canonicalize.c
@@ -400,8 +400,16 @@ realpath_stk (const char *name, char *resolved,
 
 error:
   *dest++ = '\0';
-  if (resolved != NULL && dest - rname <= get_path_max ())
-    rname = strcpy (resolved, rname);
+  if (resolved != NULL)
+    {
+      if (dest - rname <= get_path_max ())
+	rname = strcpy (resolved, rname);
+      else
+	{
+	  failed = true;
+	  __set_errno (ENAMETOOLONG);
+	}
+    }
 
 error_nomem:
   scratch_buffer_free (&extra_buffer);
diff --git a/stdlib/tst-realpath-toolong.c b/stdlib/tst-realpath-toolong.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8bed772460b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stdlib/tst-realpath-toolong.c
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+/* Verify that realpath returns NULL with ENAMETOOLONG if the result exceeds
+   NAME_MAX.
+   Copyright The GNU Toolchain Authors.
+   This file is part of the GNU C Library.
+
+   The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+   modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+   version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License along with the GNU C Library; if not, see
+   <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <limits.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <support/check.h>
+#include <support/temp_file.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
+#define BASENAME "tst-realpath-toolong."
+
+int
+do_test (void)
+{
+  char *base = support_create_and_chdir_toolong_temp_directory (BASENAME);
+
+  char buf[PATH_MAX + 1];
+  const char *res = realpath (".", buf);
+
+  /* canonicalize.c states that if the real path is >= PATH_MAX, then
+     realpath returns NULL and sets ENAMETOOLONG.  */
+  TEST_VERIFY (res == NULL);
+  TEST_VERIFY (errno == ENAMETOOLONG);
+
+  free (base);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+#include <support/test-driver.c>