diff --git a/snowfakery/parse_recipe_yaml.py b/snowfakery/parse_recipe_yaml.py
index 520d91c8..556af422 100644
--- a/snowfakery/parse_recipe_yaml.py
+++ b/snowfakery/parse_recipe_yaml.py
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def parse_count_expression(yaml_sobj: Dict, sobj_def: Dict, context: ParseContex
 
 
 def include_macro(
-    name: str, context: ParseContext
+    name: str, context: ParseContext, parent_macros=()
 ) -> Tuple[List[FieldFactory], List[TemplateLike]]:
     macro = context.macros.get(name)
     if not macro:
@@ -241,22 +241,36 @@ def include_macro(
             f"Cannot find macro named {name}", **context.line_num()
         )
     parsed_macro = parse_element(
-        macro, "macro", {}, {"fields": Dict, "friends": List}, context
+        macro, "macro", {}, {"fields": Dict, "friends": List, "include": str}, context
     )
     fields = parsed_macro.fields or {}
     friends = parsed_macro.friends or []
-    return parse_fields(fields, context), parse_friends(friends, context)
+    fields, friends = parse_fields(fields, context), parse_friends(friends, context)
+    if name in parent_macros:
+        idx = parent_macros.index(name)
+        raise exc.DataGenError(
+            f"Macro `{name}` calls `{'` which calls `'.join(parent_macros[idx+1:])}` which calls `{name}`",
+            **context.line_num(macro),
+        )
+    parse_inclusions(macro, fields, friends, context, parent_macros + (name,))
+    return fields, friends
 
 
 def parse_inclusions(
-    yaml_sobj: Dict, fields: List, friends: List, context: ParseContext
+    yaml_sobj: Dict,
+    fields: List,
+    friends: List,
+    context: ParseContext,
+    parent_macros=(),
 ) -> None:
     inclusions: Iterable[str] = [
         x.strip() for x in yaml_sobj.get("include", "").split(",")
     ]
     inclusions = filter(None, inclusions)
     for inclusion in inclusions:
-        include_fields, include_friends = include_macro(inclusion, context)
+        include_fields, include_friends = include_macro(
+            inclusion, context, parent_macros
+        )
         fields.extend(include_fields)
         friends.extend(include_friends)
 
diff --git a/tests/macros-include-macros.yml b/tests/macros-include-macros.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aed45edd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/macros-include-macros.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+- macro: foo
+  fields:
+    foobar: FOOBAR
+
+- macro: bar
+  include: foo
+  fields:
+    barbar: BARBAR
+
+- object: Bar
+  include: bar
diff --git a/tests/macros-recurse-unbounded.yml b/tests/macros-recurse-unbounded.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..46db350e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/macros-recurse-unbounded.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+- macro: baz
+  include: bar
+  fields:
+    foobar: FOOBAR
+
+- macro: foo
+  include: baz
+  fields:
+    foobar: FOOBAR
+
+- macro: bar
+  include: foo
+  fields:
+    barbar: BARBAR
+
+- object: Bar
+  include: bar
diff --git a/tests/test_macros.py b/tests/test_macros.py
index e5a7a1da..8d85da72 100644
--- a/tests/test_macros.py
+++ b/tests/test_macros.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 import unittest
 from unittest import mock
 from io import StringIO
+import pytest
 
 from snowfakery.data_generator import generate
+import snowfakery.data_gen_exceptions as exc
 
 write_row_path = "snowfakery.output_streams.DebugOutputStream.write_row"
 
@@ -77,3 +79,44 @@ def test_friend_includes_and_references(self, write_row):
         assert write_row.mock_calls[0] == mock.call("foo", {"id": 1})
         assert write_row.mock_calls[1][1][0] == "bar"
         assert write_row.mock_calls[1][1][1]["myfoo"].id == 1
+
+    @mock.patch("snowfakery.output_streams.DebugOutputStream.write_row")
+    def test_macros_include_macros(self, write_row):
+        yaml = """
+        - macro: foo
+          fields:
+            foobar: FOOBAR
+
+        - macro: bar
+          include: foo
+          fields:
+            barbar: BARBAR
+
+        - object: Bar
+          include: bar
+        """
+        generate(StringIO(yaml))
+        assert write_row.mock_calls[0] == mock.call(
+            "Bar", {"id": 1, "barbar": "BARBAR", "foobar": "FOOBAR"}
+        )
+
+    @mock.patch("snowfakery.output_streams.DebugOutputStream.write_row")
+    def test_macros_include_themselves(self, write_row):
+        yaml = """
+        - macro: foo
+          include: bar
+          fields:
+            foobar: FOOBAR
+
+        - macro: bar
+          include: foo
+          fields:
+            barbar: BARBAR
+
+        - object: Bar
+          include: bar
+        """
+        with pytest.raises(exc.DataGenError) as e:
+            generate(StringIO(yaml))
+        assert "foo" in str(e.value)
+        assert "bar" in str(e.value)