diff --git a/Makefile.config b/Makefile.config
index 86c2d0e44..caed07b73 100644
--- a/Makefile.config
+++ b/Makefile.config
@@ -128,8 +128,12 @@ endif
 
 MAKE := $(MAKE) INTERACTIVE=$(INTERACTIVE)
 
-# 9999999 PIDs ought to be enough for anybody, but check if pid_max can be found just in case
-MAX_PID_SIZE = $(shell echo $$(( $$(wc -m < /proc/sys/kernel/pid_max 2>/dev/null) - 1 )) || echo 7)
+# check if pid_max can be found else default to whatever
+KERNEL_PID_MAX_FILE = /proc/sys/kernel/pid_max
+MAX_PID_SIZE = $(shell \
+    [ -r $(KERNEL_PID_MAX_FILE) ] \
+    && echo $$(( $$(wc -m < $(KERNEL_PID_MAX_FILE)) - 1 )) \
+ || echo 5)
 
 # Arguments:
 #   $(1) is a string describing the command