diff --git a/Makefile.analyzers b/Makefile.analyzers
index b6ce541..dfb1f1c 100644
--- a/Makefile.analyzers
+++ b/Makefile.analyzers
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ endif
 # lock in the expected major versions of LLVM/clang/compiler-rt-sanitizers, in
 # order of preference:
 ifndef CLANG_PATH
-	CLANG_PATH:=/usr/lib/llvm/20/bin:/usr/lib/llvm/19/bin:/usr/lib/llvm/18/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-18:/usr/lib/llvm/17/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-17:/usr/lib/llvm/16/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-16:/usr/lib/llvm/15/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-15:/usr/lib/llvm/14/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-14:/opt/homebrew/opt/llvm/bin
+	CLANG_PATH:=/usr/lib/llvm/21/bin:/usr/lib/llvm/20/bin:/usr/lib/llvm/19/bin:/usr/lib/llvm/18/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-18:/usr/lib/llvm/17/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-17:/usr/lib/llvm/16/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-16:/usr/lib/llvm/15/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-15:/usr/lib/llvm/14/bin:/usr/lib/llvm-14:/opt/homebrew/opt/llvm/bin
 endif
 
 valgrind-all-clang: PATH:=$(CLANG_PATH):$(PATH)
diff --git a/doc/wolfSentry_refman.pdf b/doc/wolfSentry_refman.pdf
index 28c8504..e971d7b 100644
Binary files a/doc/wolfSentry_refman.pdf and b/doc/wolfSentry_refman.pdf differ
diff --git a/src/wolfsentry_internal.h b/src/wolfsentry_internal.h
index 18b535f..484c591 100644
--- a/src/wolfsentry_internal.h
+++ b/src/wolfsentry_internal.h
@@ -203,11 +203,11 @@ struct wolfsentry_table_ent_header
 #endif
 {
     struct wolfsentry_table_header *parent_table;
-    struct wolfsentry_table_ent_header *prev, *next; /* these will be replaced by red-black table elements later. */
+    struct wolfsentry_table_ent_header *prev, *next; /* these will be supplemented by red-black table elements later. */
     struct wolfsentry_table_ent_header *prev_by_id, *next_by_id; /* these will be replaced by red-black table elements later. */
-    wolfsentry_hitcount_t hitcount;
     wolfsentry_ent_id_t id;
-    uint32_t _pad1;
+    uint32_t _pad1; /* this will later hold color bits for the red-black table elements */
+    wolfsentry_hitcount_t hitcount;
     wolfsentry_refcount_t refcount;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/wolfsentry_util.c b/src/wolfsentry_util.c
index 442ab49..ac1ed94 100644
--- a/src/wolfsentry_util.c
+++ b/src/wolfsentry_util.c
@@ -1840,6 +1840,15 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared_abstimed(struct wolfs
                 WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(BUSY);
         }
 
+        if ((lock->read_waiter_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) ||
+            (thread->shared_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT))
+        {
+            if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+            else
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+        }
+
         ++lock->read_waiter_count;
 
         if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
@@ -1899,7 +1908,7 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared_abstimed(struct wolfs
             thread->tracked_shared_lock = lock;
             thread->recursion_of_tracked_lock = 1;
         }
-        else if (thread->tracked_shared_lock == lock)
+        else if (thread->tracked_shared_lock == lock) /* can't happen */
             ++thread->recursion_of_tracked_lock;
 
         if ((flags & (WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_FLAG_GET_RESERVATION_TOO | WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_FLAG_TRY_RESERVATION_TOO)) &&
@@ -1961,6 +1970,18 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared_abstimed(struct wolfs
                 store_reservation = 1;
         }
 
+        if ((lock->read_waiter_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) ||
+            (thread->shared_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) ||
+            ((thread->tracked_shared_lock == lock) && (thread->recursion_of_tracked_lock == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT)) ||
+            (lock->holder_count.read >= WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT - store_reservation) ||
+            (store_reservation && (thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT)))
+        {
+            if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+            else
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+        }
+
         if (lock->state == WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_UNLOCKED)
             WOLFSENTRY_ATOMIC_STORE(lock->state, WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_SHARED);
 
@@ -2031,6 +2052,11 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_mutex_abstimed(struct wolfse
     case WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_EXCLUSIVE:
         if (WOLFSENTRY_ATOMIC_LOAD(lock->write_lock_holder) == WOLFSENTRY_THREAD_GET_ID) {
             if (! (flags & WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_FLAG_NONRECURSIVE_MUTEX)) {
+                if ((lock->holder_count.write == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) ||
+                    (thread && (thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT)))
+                {
+                    WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+                }
                 /* recursively locking while holding write is effectively uncontended. */
                 ++lock->holder_count.write;
                 if (thread)
@@ -2047,18 +2073,22 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_mutex_abstimed(struct wolfse
             if (flags & WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_FLAG_NONRECURSIVE_MUTEX)
                 WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(INCOMPATIBLE_STATE);
             else {
+                if (thread && (thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT))
+                    WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
                 ret = wolfsentry_lock_shared2mutex_redeem_abstimed(lock, thread, abs_timeout, flags);
                 WOLFSENTRY_RERETURN_IF_ERROR(ret);
-                ++lock->holder_count.write;
+                ++lock->holder_count.write; /* caller now holds the lock at least 2 deep. */
                 if (thread)
                     ++thread->mutex_and_reservation_count;
                 WOLFSENTRY_RETURN_OK;
             }
         }
         else if (thread && (thread->tracked_shared_lock == lock)) {
+            if (thread && (thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT))
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
             ret = wolfsentry_lock_shared2mutex_abstimed(lock, thread, abs_timeout, flags);
             WOLFSENTRY_RERETURN_IF_ERROR(ret);
-            ++lock->holder_count.write;
+            ++lock->holder_count.write; /* caller now holds the lock at least 2 deep. */
             if (thread)
                 ++thread->mutex_and_reservation_count;
             WOLFSENTRY_RETURN_OK;
@@ -2125,6 +2155,14 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_mutex_abstimed(struct wolfse
             WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(BUSY);
         }
 
+        if ((lock->write_waiter_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) ||
+            (thread && (thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT)))
+        {
+            if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+            else
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+        }
         ++lock->write_waiter_count;
 
         if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
@@ -2272,15 +2310,29 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_mutex2shared(struct wolfsent
         WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(INCOMPATIBLE_STATE);
     }
 
+    if (thread->shared_count >= WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT - lock->holder_count.write) {
+        if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+        else
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+    }
+
     if (flags & (WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_FLAG_GET_RESERVATION_TOO | WOLFSENTRY_LOCK_FLAG_TRY_RESERVATION_TOO)) {
-        /* can't happen, but be sure. */
-        if (lock->read2write_reservation_holder != WOLFSENTRY_THREAD_NO_ID) {
+        if (lock->read2write_reservation_holder != WOLFSENTRY_THREAD_NO_ID) /* can't happen, but be sure. */ {
             if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
                 WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
             WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(INTERNAL_CHECK_FATAL);
         }
-        WOLFSENTRY_ATOMIC_STORE(lock->read2write_reservation_holder, lock->write_lock_holder);
+        if ((thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) ||
+            (lock->holder_count.write == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT))
+        {
+            if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+            else
+                WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+        }
         ++thread->mutex_and_reservation_count;
+        WOLFSENTRY_ATOMIC_STORE(lock->read2write_reservation_holder, lock->write_lock_holder);
         lock->read2write_waiter_read_count = lock->holder_count.write;
         /* note, not incrementing write_waiter_count, to allow shared lockers to get locks until the redemption phase. */
     }
@@ -2344,6 +2396,9 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared2mutex_reserve(struct
             WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(INCOMPATIBLE_STATE);
     }
 
+    if (thread->mutex_and_reservation_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT)
+        WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+
     for (;;) {
         int ret = sem_wait(&lock->sem);
         if (ret == 0)
@@ -2369,6 +2424,13 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared2mutex_reserve(struct
         WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(BUSY);
     }
 
+    if (lock->holder_count.read == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT) {
+        if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+        else
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+    }
+
     WOLFSENTRY_ATOMIC_STORE(lock->read2write_reservation_holder, WOLFSENTRY_THREAD_GET_ID);
     ++thread->mutex_and_reservation_count;
     /* note, not incrementing write_waiter_count, to allow shared lockers to get locks until the redemption phase. */
@@ -2457,6 +2519,15 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared2mutex_redeem_abstimed
         WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(INCOMPATIBLE_STATE);
     }
 
+    if ((thread->mutex_and_reservation_count >= WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT - lock->read2write_waiter_read_count) ||
+        (lock->write_waiter_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT))
+    {
+        if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+        else
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+    }
+
     if (lock->holder_count.read == lock->read2write_waiter_read_count + 1) {
         --lock->holder_count.read; /* remove extra count associated with the reservation. */
         lock->promoted_at_count = lock->holder_count.read;
@@ -2713,6 +2784,17 @@ WOLFSENTRY_API wolfsentry_errcode_t wolfsentry_lock_shared2mutex_abstimed(struct
             WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(BUSY);
     }
 
+    if ((thread->mutex_and_reservation_count
+         >=
+         ((thread->tracked_shared_lock == lock) ? WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT : (WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT - thread->recursion_of_tracked_lock))) ||
+        (lock->write_waiter_count == WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT))
+    {
+        if (sem_post(&lock->sem) < 0)
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(SYS_OP_FATAL);
+        else
+            WOLFSENTRY_ERROR_RETURN(OVERFLOW_AVERTED);
+    }
+
     if ((lock->holder_count.read == 1)
         || ((thread->tracked_shared_lock == lock)
             && (lock->holder_count.read == thread->recursion_of_tracked_lock)))
diff --git a/wolfsentry/wolfsentry_settings.h b/wolfsentry/wolfsentry_settings.h
index ef5542f..28fbeab 100644
--- a/wolfsentry/wolfsentry_settings.h
+++ b/wolfsentry/wolfsentry_settings.h
@@ -714,6 +714,11 @@ typedef uint16_t wolfsentry_priority_t;
     /*!< \brief The maximum size allowed for scalar user-defined values.  Can be overridden. */
 #endif
 
+#ifndef WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT
+#define WOLFSENTRY_RWLOCK_MAX_COUNT ((int)MAX_SINT_OF(int))
+    /*!< \brief The maximum count allowed for any internal lock-counting value, limiting recursion.  Defaults to the maximum countable.  Can be overridden. */
+#endif
+
 #if defined(WOLFSENTRY_ENT_ID_TYPE) ||          \
     defined(WOLFSENTRY_HITCOUNT_TYPE) ||        \
     defined(WOLFSENTRY_TIME_TYPE) ||            \