diff --git a/src/Buffer.cpp b/src/Buffer.cpp
index 8fab72d82a..867eddd362 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/Buffer.cpp
@@ -1285,10 +1285,13 @@ bool Buffer::save() const
 	// proper location once that has been done successfully. that
 	// way we preserve the original file if something goes wrong.
 	string const savepath = fileName().onlyPath().absFileName();
-	string savename = "tmp-" + fileName().onlyFileName();
+	int fnum = 1;
+	string const fname = fileName().onlyFileName();
+	string savename = "tmp-" + convert<string>(fnum) + "-" + fname;
 	FileName savefile(addName(savepath, savename));
 	while (savefile.exists()) {
-		if (savefile.absFileName().size() > 1024) {
+		// surely that is enough tries?
+		if (fnum > 100) {
 			Alert::error(_("Write failure"),
 				     bformat(_("Cannot find temporary filename for:\n  %1$s.\n"
 			                 "Even %2$s exists!"),
@@ -1296,7 +1299,8 @@ bool Buffer::save() const
 			         from_utf8(savefile.absFileName())));
 			return false;
 		}
-		savename = "tmp-" + savename;
+		fnum += 1;
+		savename = "tmp-" + convert<string>(fnum) + "-" + fname;
 		savefile.set(addName(savepath, savename));
 	}