diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyPlaces.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyPlaces.java
index 50d661ef6..de14a2ef8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyPlaces.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyPlaces.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class NearbyPlaces {
 
         try {
             // increase the radius gradually to find a satisfactory number of nearby places
-            while (radius < MAX_RADIUS) {
+            while (radius <= MAX_RADIUS) {
                 places = getFromWikidataQuery(curLatLng, lang, radius);
                 Timber.d("%d results at radius: %f", places.size(), radius);
                 if (places.size() >= MIN_RESULTS) {
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ public class NearbyPlaces {
             Timber.d("back to initial radius: %f", radius);
             radius = INITIAL_RADIUS;
         }
+        // make sure we will be able to send at least one request next time
+        if (radius > MAX_RADIUS) {
+            radius = MAX_RADIUS;
+        }
+
         return places;
     }