diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/macros.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/macros.rs
index cd1f36c67..1af881587 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/macros.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/macros.rs
@@ -223,6 +223,8 @@ fn save_recording(s: &mut Session, p: &Json, rec: &crate::record::Recorder, star
         None => crate::macros::next_name(&wb),
     };
     let mut converted = crate::macros::recorder::convert(&name, &start, &rec.steps, &wb);
+    // Steps past the macro limit are left out and counted with the ones the recorder dropped.
+    let cut = converted.mac.steps.len().saturating_sub(gridcraft_model::MAX_MACRO_STEPS);
     converted.mac.steps.truncate(gridcraft_model::MAX_MACRO_STEPS);
     if let Some(desc) = str_param(p, "description") {
         converted.mac.description = desc.chars().take(gridcraft_model::MAX_MACRO_TEXT).collect();
@@ -235,5 +237,7 @@ fn save_recording(s: &mut Session, p: &Json, rec: &crate::record::Recorder, star
     let saved = s.execute("macro.save", json!({"macro": crate::macros::macro_json(&converted.mac), "replace": false}));
     s.set_active(active);
     saved?;
-    Ok(json!({"recording": false, "saved": name, "steps": steps, "dropped": rec.dropped, "skipped": converted.skipped, "inputs": inputs}))
+    Ok(
+        json!({"recording": false, "saved": name, "steps": steps, "dropped": rec.dropped.saturating_add(cut), "skipped": converted.skipped, "inputs": inputs}),
+    )
 }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests/macros.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests/macros.rs
index 0339ad5ee..3f0901c94 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests/macros.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests/macros.rs
@@ -1141,3 +1141,25 @@ fn a_name_given_when_recording_stops_never_replaces_a_macro() {
     assert_eq!(recorded(&mut s, "Tidy"), ["cell.set {\"cell\":\"Z9\",\"input\":\"mine\"}"]);
     assert_eq!(recorded(&mut s, "tidy (2)"), ["cell.set {\"cell\":\"A1\",\"input\":\"recorded\"}"]);
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn steps_past_the_macro_limit_are_counted_as_dropped() {
+    let mut s = s();
+    s.execute("macro.record", json!({"relative": false})).unwrap();
+    let (doc, selection) = (s.doc().unwrap().uid, s.doc().unwrap().selection.clone());
+    let rec = s.recorder.as_mut().unwrap();
+    for i in 0..gridcraft_model::MAX_MACRO_STEPS + 5 {
+        rec.push(crate::record::RecordedStep {
+            doc,
+            sheet: 0,
+            sheet_name: "Sheet1".into(),
+            selection: selection.clone(),
+            id: "cell.set".into(),
+            params: json!({"cell": "A1", "input": i.to_string()}),
+        });
+    }
+    rec.dropped = 3;
+    let r = s.execute("macro.record", json!({"stop": true, "name": "Long"})).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(r["steps"], gridcraft_model::MAX_MACRO_STEPS);
+    assert_eq!(r["dropped"], 8, "{r}");
+}
diff --git a/docs/macros.md b/docs/macros.md
index 9f1461fc2..6cc67d4e8 100644
--- a/docs/macros.md
+++ b/docs/macros.md
@@ -123,10 +123,11 @@ of the step that just ran, and the cells changed so far.
 stopping never replaces a macro). The macro is saved in the workbook where recording started, even if
 another one is active; if that workbook was closed, stopping ends the recording without saving it.
 When saving the recording fails (a name the check refuses, a workbook at its macro limit),
-recording goes on, so stopping again keeps what was recorded. With relative references the
-selection when recording starts is the example input: references in and near it on its sheet become
-tokens (on another sheet `C4` stays that sheet's `C4`), and the input's shape, header and column
-types are inferred. Toggles such as Bold are recorded with the state they set
+recording goes on, so stopping again keeps what was recorded. A recording keeps up to 100,000
+commands and a macro up to 10,000 steps; steps past either limit are left out and counted in
+`dropped`. With relative references the selection when recording starts is the example input:
+references in and near it on its sheet become tokens (on another sheet `C4` stays that sheet's
+`C4`), and the input's shape, header and column types are inferred. Toggles such as Bold are recorded with the state they set
 (`"on": true`), so playing them back sets them rather than flipping them. Commands a macro may not
 run are left out and listed in the result, also from the steps of a macro or script run while
 recording; a macro run while recording is replaced by its steps when it has no inputs, no output