diff --git a/grub-core/fs/ext2.c b/grub-core/fs/ext2.c
index c3058f7e7..2f262dc34 100644
--- a/grub-core/fs/ext2.c
+++ b/grub-core/fs/ext2.c
@@ -496,7 +496,10 @@ grub_ext2_read_block (grub_fshelp_node_t node, grub_disk_addr_t fileblock)
       int i;
       grub_disk_addr_t ret;
       grub_uint16_t nent;
+      /* Maximum number of extent entries in the inode's inline extent area. */
       const grub_uint16_t max_inline_ext = sizeof (inode->blocks) / sizeof (*ext) - 1; /* Minus 1 extent header. */
+      /* Maximum number of extent entries in the external extent block. */
+      const grub_uint16_t max_external_ext = EXT2_BLOCK_SIZE (data) / sizeof (*ext) - 1; /* Minus 1 extent header. */
 
       if (grub_ext4_find_leaf (data, (struct grub_ext4_extent_header *) inode->blocks.dir_blocks,
 			       fileblock, &leaf) != GRUB_ERR_NONE)
@@ -513,8 +516,18 @@ grub_ext2_read_block (grub_fshelp_node_t node, grub_disk_addr_t fileblock)
 
       nent = grub_le_to_cpu16 (leaf->entries);
 
-      if (leaf->depth == 0)
+      /*
+       * Determine the effective number of extent entries (nent) to process.
+       * If the extent header (leaf) is stored inline in the inode’s block
+       * area, i.e. at inode->blocks.dir_blocks, then only max_inline_ext
+       * entries can fit. Otherwise, if the header was read from an external
+       * extent block use the larger limit, max_external_ext, based on the
+       * full block size.
+       */
+      if (leaf == (struct grub_ext4_extent_header *) inode->blocks.dir_blocks)
 	nent = grub_min (nent, max_inline_ext);
+      else
+	nent = grub_min (nent, max_external_ext);
 
       for (i = 0; i < nent; i++)
         {