diff --git a/src/lib/commands/buy.c b/src/lib/commands/buy.c
index 92f3c856..e17edc4d 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/buy.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/buy.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ buy(void)
     ip = whichitem(comm.com_type);
     n = sect.sct_item[ip->i_vtype];
     qty = comm.com_amount;
-    if (qty + n > 9990) {
+    if (qty + n > ITEM_MAX) {
 	pr("That sector cannot hold %d more %s. It currently holds %d.\n",
 	   qty, ip->i_name, n);
 	return RET_FAIL;
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/move.c b/src/lib/commands/move.c
index f68e1fc2..fb4372a4 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/move.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/move.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ move(void)
 	left = mob;
     } else if (!istest) {
 	/*
-	   * decrement mobility appropriately.
+	 * decrement mobility appropriately.
 	 */
 	getsect(x, y, &start);
 	mob = start.sct_mobil;
@@ -258,9 +258,10 @@ move(void)
     }
 
     amt_dst = sect.sct_item[vtype];
-    if (32767 - amt_dst < amount) {
+    if (amount > ITEM_MAX - amt_dst) {
 	pr("Only enough room for %d in %s.  The goods will be returned.\n",
-	   32767 - amt_dst, xyas(sect.sct_x, sect.sct_y, player->cnum));
+	   ITEM_MAX - amt_dst, xyas(sect.sct_x, sect.sct_y, player->cnum));
+	/* FIXME Not nice.  Move what we can and return the rest.  */
 	getsect(x, y, &sect);
     }
 
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ move(void)
 	    if (tsct.sct_own != player->cnum)
 		continue;
 	    amt_dst = tsct.sct_item[vtype];
-	    if (32767 - amt_dst < amount)
+	    if (amount > ITEM_MAX - amt_dst)
 		continue;
 	    n = -1;
 	    break;
diff --git a/src/lib/commands/prod.c b/src/lib/commands/prod.c
index 34b22070..bd9f285c 100644
--- a/src/lib/commands/prod.c
+++ b/src/lib/commands/prod.c
@@ -286,11 +286,9 @@ prod(void)
 	    if (real < 0.0)
 		real = 0.0;
 	    /* production backlog? */
-	    if ((there = sect.sct_item[vtype]) >= 9999) {
-		there = 9999;
-	    }
-	    act = min(act, (9999 - there));
-	    max = min(max, (9999 - there));
+	    there = min(ITEM_MAX, sect.sct_item[vtype]);
+	    act = min(act, ITEM_MAX - there);
+	    max = min(max, ITEM_MAX - there);
 	}
 
 	if (prodeff != 0) {
diff --git a/src/lib/update/distribute.c b/src/lib/update/distribute.c
index 1b518d8c..7017c30b 100644
--- a/src/lib/update/distribute.c
+++ b/src/lib/update/distribute.c
@@ -178,8 +178,8 @@ dodistribute(struct sctstr *sp, int imex, s_char *path, double dist_i_cost,
 		amt = amt_sect;
 	    if (sp->sct_mobil < excost * amt)
 		amt = sp->sct_mobil / excost;
-	    if (amt + amt_dist > 9999)
-		amt = 9999 - amt_dist;
+	    if (amt > ITEM_MAX - amt_dist)
+		amt = ITEM_MAX - amt_dist;
 	    if (amt == 0)
 		continue;
 	    /* XXX replace with vector assign and putvec() */
diff --git a/src/lib/update/produce.c b/src/lib/update/produce.c
index 0a9d2ecb..0d459431 100644
--- a/src/lib/update/produce.c
+++ b/src/lib/update/produce.c
@@ -138,20 +138,19 @@ produce(struct natstr *np, struct sctstr *sp, short *vec, int work,
 	    actual = 999;
 	    material_consume = (int)(actual / (product->p_effic * 0.01));
 	}
-	vec[item] += actual;
-	if (vec[item] > 9999) {
+	if (vec[item] + actual > ITEM_MAX) {
 	    material_consume =
-		roundavg((9999.0 - vec[item] + actual) *
-			 material_consume / actual);
+		roundavg((ITEM_MAX - vec[item]) * material_consume / actual);
 	    if (material_consume < 0)
 		material_consume = 0;
-	    vec[item] = 9999;
+	    vec[item] = ITEM_MAX;
 	    if (( /* vtype != V_FOOD && */ sp->sct_own) &&
 		(!player->simulation))
 		wu(0, sp->sct_own,
 		   "%s production backlog in %s\n",
 		   product->p_name, ownxy(sp));
-	}
+	} else
+	    vec[item] += actual;
     }
     /*
      * Reset produced amount by commodity production ratio