diff --git a/py/compile.c b/py/compile.c
index fc11062705..e4ead7f1ac 100644
--- a/py/compile.c
+++ b/py/compile.c
@@ -2408,9 +2408,9 @@ STATIC void compile_trailer_paren_helper(compiler_t *comp, mp_parse_node_t pn_ar
                     return;
                 }
                 #if MICROPY_DYNAMIC_COMPILER
-                if (i > mp_dynamic_compiler.small_int_bits)
+                if (i >= (size_t)mp_dynamic_compiler.small_int_bits - 1)
                 #else
-                if (i > MP_SMALL_INT_BITS)
+                if (i >= MP_SMALL_INT_BITS - 1)
                 #endif
                 {
                     // If there are not enough bits in a small int to fit the flag, then we consider
@@ -2419,7 +2419,7 @@ STATIC void compile_trailer_paren_helper(compiler_t *comp, mp_parse_node_t pn_ar
                     return;
                 }
                 star_flags |= MP_EMIT_STAR_FLAG_SINGLE;
-                star_args |= 1 << i;
+                star_args |= (mp_uint_t)1 << i;
                 compile_node(comp, pns_arg->nodes[0]);
                 n_positional++;
             } else if (MP_PARSE_NODE_STRUCT_KIND(pns_arg) == PN_arglist_dbl_star) {
diff --git a/py/runtime.c b/py/runtime.c
index 594e63082b..ad066acb16 100644
--- a/py/runtime.c
+++ b/py/runtime.c
@@ -702,7 +702,7 @@ void mp_call_prepare_args_n_kw_var(bool have_self, size_t n_args_n_kw, const mp_
     }
     size_t n_args = n_args_n_kw & 0xff;
     size_t n_kw = (n_args_n_kw >> 8) & 0xff;
-    mp_uint_t star_args = mp_obj_get_int_truncated(args[n_args + 2 * n_kw]);
+    mp_uint_t star_args = MP_OBJ_SMALL_INT_VALUE(args[n_args + 2 * n_kw]);
 
     DEBUG_OP_printf("call method var (fun=%p, self=%p, n_args=%u, n_kw=%u, args=%p, map=%u)\n", fun, self, n_args, n_kw, args, star_args);
 
@@ -720,7 +720,7 @@ void mp_call_prepare_args_n_kw_var(bool have_self, size_t n_args_n_kw, const mp_
 
     if (star_args != 0) {
         for (size_t i = 0; i < n_args; i++) {
-            if (star_args & (1 << i)) {
+            if ((star_args >> i) & 1) {
                 mp_obj_t len = mp_obj_len_maybe(args[i]);
                 if (len != MP_OBJ_NULL) {
                     // -1 accounts for 1 of n_args occupied by this arg
@@ -773,7 +773,7 @@ void mp_call_prepare_args_n_kw_var(bool have_self, size_t n_args_n_kw, const mp_
 
         for (size_t i = 0; i < n_args; i++) {
             mp_obj_t arg = args[i];
-            if (star_args & (1 << i)) {
+            if ((star_args >> i) & 1) {
                 // star arg
                 if (mp_obj_is_type(arg, &mp_type_tuple) || mp_obj_is_type(arg, &mp_type_list)) {
                     // optimise the case of a tuple and list
diff --git a/tests/stress/fun_call_limit.py b/tests/stress/fun_call_limit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b802aadd55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stress/fun_call_limit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+# Test the limit of the number of arguments to a function call.
+# This currently tests the case of *args after many positional args.
+
+
+def f(*args):
+    return len(args)
+
+
+def test(n):
+    pos_args = ",".join(str(i) for i in range(n))
+    s = "f({}, *(100, 101), 102, 103)".format(pos_args)
+    try:
+        return eval(s)
+    except SyntaxError:
+        return "SyntaxError"
+
+
+# If the port has at least 32-bits then this test should pass.
+print(test(29))
+
+# This test should fail on all ports (overflows a small int).
+print(test(70))
+
+# Check that there is a correct transition to the limit of too many args before *args.
+reached_limit = False
+for i in range(30, 70):
+    result = test(i)
+    if reached_limit:
+        if result != "SyntaxError":
+            print("FAIL")
+    else:
+        if result == "SyntaxError":
+            reached_limit = True
+        else:
+            if result != i + 4:
+                print("FAIL")
diff --git a/tests/stress/fun_call_limit.py.exp b/tests/stress/fun_call_limit.py.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..53d2b28043
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/stress/fun_call_limit.py.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+33
+SyntaxError