diff --git a/src/read_line.c b/src/read_line.c
index 52cce502c76eaa0c82bb8991ff820ad13c7de0e2..ba9573dbca9c079915a41370eb2d3f1154336e33 100644
--- a/src/read_line.c
+++ b/src/read_line.c
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ do_read_line(struct read_handler **h,
       /* Too long line */
       EXCEPTION_RAISE(self->e,
 		      make_protocol_exception(0, "Line too long."));
+
+      return available;
     }
 
   /* Ok, now we have a line. Copy it into the buffer. */