diff --git a/sys/uvm/uvm_map.c b/sys/uvm/uvm_map.c
index 9faa5a60c2c6..c2c187fcb57b 100644
--- a/sys/uvm/uvm_map.c
+++ b/sys/uvm/uvm_map.c
@@ -1813,12 +1813,11 @@ uvm_map_findspace(struct vm_map *map, vaddr_t hint, vsize_t length,
 	uvm_map_check(map, "map_findspace entry");
 
 	/*
-	 * remember the original hint.  if we are aligning, then we
-	 * may have to try again with no alignment constraint if
-	 * we fail the first time.
+	 * remember the original hint, clamped to the min/max address.
+	 * if we are aligning, then we may have to try again with no
+	 * alignment constraint if we fail the first time.
 	 */
 
-	orig_hint = hint;
 	if (hint < vm_map_min(map)) {	/* check ranges ... */
 		if (flags & UVM_FLAG_FIXED) {
 			UVMHIST_LOG(maphist,"<- VA below map range",0,0,0,0);
@@ -1831,6 +1830,7 @@ uvm_map_findspace(struct vm_map *map, vaddr_t hint, vsize_t length,
 		    hint, vm_map_min(map), vm_map_max(map), 0);
 		return (NULL);
 	}
+	orig_hint = hint;
 
 	UVMHIST_LOG(maphist,"<- VA %#jx vs range [%#jx->%#jx]",
 	    hint, vm_map_min(map), vm_map_max(map), 0);
@@ -1870,7 +1870,8 @@ uvm_map_findspace(struct vm_map *map, vaddr_t hint, vsize_t length,
 	 * it, there would be four cases).
 	 */
 
-	if ((flags & UVM_FLAG_FIXED) == 0 && hint == vm_map_min(map)) {
+	if ((flags & UVM_FLAG_FIXED) == 0 &&
+	    hint == (topdown ? vm_map_max(map) : vm_map_min(map))) {
 		entry = map->first_free;
 	} else {
 		if (uvm_map_lookup_entry(map, hint, &entry)) {