diff --git a/src/cmd/ksh93/tests/path.sh b/src/cmd/ksh93/tests/path.sh
index c4255ae21..3f36f72df 100755
--- a/src/cmd/ksh93/tests/path.sh
+++ b/src/cmd/ksh93/tests/path.sh
@@ -879,7 +879,8 @@ got=$?
 	"(expected $exp, got $got)"
 
 # Tests for attempting to use a command name that's too long.
-long_cmd=$(awk -v ORS= 'BEGIN { for(i=0;i<500;i++) print "xxxxxxxxxx"; }')
+name_max=$(builtin getconf 2>/dev/null; getconf NAME_MAX . 2>/dev/null || echo 255)
+long_cmd="$(awk -v ORS= 'BEGIN { for(i=0;i<'$name_max';i++) print "xx"; }')"
 exp=127
 PATH=$PWD $SHELL -c "$long_cmd" > /dev/null 2>&1
 got=$?