diff --git a/tccpp.c b/tccpp.c
index 900781d6..77fedb4c 100644
--- a/tccpp.c
+++ b/tccpp.c
@@ -1639,7 +1639,7 @@ ST_FUNC void preprocess(int is_bof)
                 if (!IS_ABSPATH(buf))
                     continue;
                 buf1[0] = 0;
-                i = n; /* force end loop */
+                i = n - 1; /* force end loop */
 
             } else if (i == -1) {
                 /* search in current dir if "header.h" */