diff --git a/src/buffer.c b/src/buffer.c
index 3d85d784f1c..1129d178c7b 100644
--- a/src/buffer.c
+++ b/src/buffer.c
@@ -3082,14 +3082,13 @@ overlays_in (ptrdiff_t beg, ptrdiff_t end, bool extend,
 {
   ptrdiff_t idx = 0;
   ptrdiff_t len = *len_ptr;
-  ptrdiff_t next = ZV;
+  ptrdiff_t next = Z;
   Lisp_Object *vec = *vec_ptr;
   struct itree_node *node;
 
-  /* Extend the search range if overlays beginning at ZV are
-     wanted.  */
-  ptrdiff_t search_end = ZV;
-  if (end >= ZV && (empty || trailing))
+  /* Extend the search range if overlays beginning at Z are wanted.  */
+  ptrdiff_t search_end = Z;
+  if (end >= Z && (empty || trailing))
     ++search_end;
 
   ITREE_FOREACH (node, current_buffer->overlays, beg, search_end,
@@ -3103,7 +3102,7 @@ overlays_in (ptrdiff_t beg, ptrdiff_t end, bool extend,
       else if (node->begin == end)
         {
           next = node->begin;
-          if ((! empty || end < ZV) && beg < end)
+          if ((! empty || end < Z) && beg < end)
             break;
           if (empty && node->begin != node->end)
             continue;
@@ -3125,7 +3124,7 @@ overlays_in (ptrdiff_t beg, ptrdiff_t end, bool extend,
       idx++;
     }
   if (next_ptr)
-    *next_ptr = next ? next : ZV;
+    *next_ptr = next ? next : Z;
 
   return idx;
 }
diff --git a/test/src/buffer-tests.el b/test/src/buffer-tests.el
index 5f534ed513a..f4654e90bce 100644
--- a/test/src/buffer-tests.el
+++ b/test/src/buffer-tests.el
@@ -1060,7 +1060,9 @@ should evaporate overlays in both."
       (should-length 2 (overlays-in 1 (point-max)))
       (should-length 1 (overlays-in (point-max) (point-max)))
       (narrow-to-region 1 50)
-      (should-length 1 (overlays-in 1 (point-max)))
+      ;; We only count empty overlays in narrowed buffers excluding the
+      ;; real EOB when the region is confined to `point-max'.
+      (should-length 0 (overlays-in 1 (point-max)))
       (should-length 1 (overlays-in (point-max) (point-max))))))
 
 
@@ -8375,8 +8377,11 @@ dicta sunt, explicabo.  "))
     (should (= (length (overlays-in 1 2)) 0))
     (narrow-to-region 1 2)
     ;; We've now narrowed, so the zero-length overlay is at the end of
-    ;; the (accessible part of the) buffer.
-    (should (= (length (overlays-in 1 2)) 1))
+    ;; the (accessible part of the) buffer, but we only count it when
+    ;; the region is confined to `point-max'.
+    (should (= (length (overlays-in 1 2)) 0))
+    (should (= (length (overlays-in 2 2)) 1))
+    (should (= (length (overlays-in (point-max) (point-max))) 1))
     (remove-overlays)
     (should (= (length (overlays-in (point-min) (point-max))) 0))))