diff --git a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/initialize.ipp b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/initialize.ipp
index ec2d4859..2346bca1 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/initialize.ipp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/database/impl/query/initialize.ipp
@@ -124,10 +124,17 @@ size_t CLASS::get_unassociated_count() const NOEXCEPT
 
 TEMPLATE
 size_t CLASS::get_unassociated_count_above(size_t height) const NOEXCEPT
+{
+    return get_unassociated_count_above(height, max_size_t);
+}
+
+TEMPLATE
+size_t CLASS::get_unassociated_count_above(size_t height,
+    size_t maximum) const NOEXCEPT
 {
     size_t count{};
     const auto top = get_top_candidate();
-    while (++height <= top)
+    while (++height <= top && count < maximum)
         if (!is_associated(to_candidate(height)))
             ++count;
 
diff --git a/include/bitcoin/database/query.hpp b/include/bitcoin/database/query.hpp
index 8afca07f..9fbb21b1 100644
--- a/include/bitcoin/database/query.hpp
+++ b/include/bitcoin/database/query.hpp
@@ -109,6 +109,8 @@ class query
         size_t count, size_t last) const NOEXCEPT;
     size_t get_unassociated_count() const NOEXCEPT;
     size_t get_unassociated_count_above(size_t height) const NOEXCEPT;
+    size_t get_unassociated_count_above(size_t height,
+        size_t last) const NOEXCEPT;
     hashes get_candidate_hashes(const heights& heights) const NOEXCEPT;
     hashes get_confirmed_hashes(const heights& heights) const NOEXCEPT;
 
diff --git a/test/query/initialize.cpp b/test/query/initialize.cpp
index eae6ca79..e1d0e62e 100644
--- a/test/query/initialize.cpp
+++ b/test/query/initialize.cpp
@@ -485,6 +485,20 @@ BOOST_AUTO_TEST_CASE(query_initialize__get_unassociated_count_above__gapped_cand
     BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(2), 1u);
     BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(3), 0u);
 
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(0, 0), 0u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(0, 1), 1u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(0, 2), 2u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(0, 3), 2u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(1, 0), 0u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(1, 1), 1u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(1, 2), 2u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(1, 3), 2u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(2, 0), 0u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(2, 1), 1u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(2, 2), 1u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(3, 0), 0u);
+    BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count_above(3, 1), 0u);
+
     // There is one unassociated block at block 2.
     BOOST_REQUIRE(query.set(test::block3));                    // associated
     BOOST_REQUIRE_EQUAL(query.get_unassociated_count(), 1u);