diff --git a/main/config.c b/main/config.c
index b1d30aa7c4a124e47522b0b971f7e5a0f838f653..d9d303c6c6a299374db872916bc470f320dd9e8d 100644
--- a/main/config.c
+++ b/main/config.c
@@ -1270,6 +1270,8 @@ struct ast_config *ast_config_internal_load(const char *filename, struct ast_con
 
 	if (result)
 		result->include_level--;
+	else
+		cfg->include_level--;
 
 	return result;
 }