diff --git a/src/marker.c b/src/marker.c
index f016bf9c088..9aaa2e7402c 100644
--- a/src/marker.c
+++ b/src/marker.c
@@ -358,11 +358,11 @@ buf_bytepos_to_charpos (struct buffer *b, ptrdiff_t bytepos)
     {
       CONSIDER (tail->bytepos, tail->charpos);
 
-      /* If we are down to a range of 50 chars,
+      /* If we are down to a range of DISTANCE bytes,
 	 don't bother checking any other markers;
 	 scan the intervening chars directly now.  */
-      if (best_above - bytepos < distance
-          || bytepos - best_below < distance)
+      if (best_above_byte - bytepos < distance
+          || bytepos - best_below_byte < distance)
 	break;
       else
         distance += BYTECHAR_DISTANCE_INCREMENT;