diff --git a/src/recursion_guard.rs b/src/recursion_guard.rs
index f25104be8..16dde4637 100644
--- a/src/recursion_guard.rs
+++ b/src/recursion_guard.rs
@@ -17,16 +17,16 @@ pub struct RecursionGuard {
     ids: SmallContainer<RecursionKey>,
     // depth could be a hashmap {validator_id => depth} but for simplicity and performance it's easier to just
     // use one number for all validators
-    depth: u16,
+    depth: u8,
 }
 
 // A hard limit to avoid stack overflows when rampant recursion occurs
-pub const RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT: u16 = if cfg!(any(target_family = "wasm", all(windows, PyPy))) {
+pub const RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT: u8 = if cfg!(any(target_family = "wasm", all(windows, PyPy))) {
     // wasm and windows PyPy have very limited stack sizes
-    50
+    49
 } else if cfg!(any(PyPy, windows)) {
     // PyPy and Windows in general have more restricted stack space
-    100
+    99
 } else {
     255
 };
@@ -41,11 +41,26 @@ impl RecursionGuard {
 
     // see #143 this is used as a backup in case the identity check recursion guard fails
     #[must_use]
+    #[cfg(any(target_family = "wasm", windows, PyPy))]
     pub fn incr_depth(&mut self) -> bool {
         // use saturating_add as it's faster (since there's no error path)
         // and the RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT check will be hit before it overflows
+        debug_assert!(RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT < 255);
         self.depth = self.depth.saturating_add(1);
-        self.depth >= RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT
+        self.depth > RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT
+    }
+
+    #[must_use]
+    #[cfg(not(any(target_family = "wasm", windows, PyPy)))]
+    pub fn incr_depth(&mut self) -> bool {
+        debug_assert_eq!(RECURSION_GUARD_LIMIT, 255);
+        // use checked_add to check if we've hit the limit
+        if let Some(depth) = self.depth.checked_add(1) {
+            self.depth = depth;
+            false
+        } else {
+            true
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn decr_depth(&mut self) {
@@ -90,9 +105,9 @@ impl<T: Eq + Hash + Clone> SmallContainer<T> {
                         first_slot = first_slot.or(Some(index));
                     }
                 }
-                if let Some(first_slot) = first_slot {
-                    array[first_slot] = Some(v);
-                    Some(first_slot)
+                if let Some(index) = first_slot {
+                    array[index] = Some(v);
+                    first_slot
                 } else {
                     let mut set: AHashSet<T> = AHashSet::with_capacity(ARRAY_SIZE + 1);
                     for existing in array.iter_mut() {
@@ -108,6 +123,7 @@ impl<T: Eq + Hash + Clone> SmallContainer<T> {
             // "If the set did not have this value present, `true` is returned."
             Self::Set(set) => {
                 if set.insert(v) {
+                    // again id doesn't matter here as we'll be removing from a set
                     Some(0)
                 } else {
                     None
diff --git a/tests/serializers/test_any.py b/tests/serializers/test_any.py
index 98ec22c1f..fa6e702fe 100644
--- a/tests/serializers/test_any.py
+++ b/tests/serializers/test_any.py
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ def fallback_func(obj):
     f = FoobarCount(0)
     v = 0
     # when recursion is detected and we're in mode python, we just return the value
-    expected_visits = pydantic_core._pydantic_core._recursion_limit - 1
+    expected_visits = pydantic_core._pydantic_core._recursion_limit
     assert any_serializer.to_python(f, fallback=fallback_func) == HasRepr(f'<FoobarCount {expected_visits} repr>')
 
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=r'Circular reference detected \(depth exceeded\)'):