diff --git a/lib/rdoc/code_object/class_module.rb b/lib/rdoc/code_object/class_module.rb
index 76ded527a1..379b463dcd 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/code_object/class_module.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/code_object/class_module.rb
@@ -174,6 +174,10 @@ def add_things(my_things, other_things) # :nodoc:
   # in the ancestors. The superclass, if any, comes last.
 
   def ancestors
+    included_ancestors
+  end
+
+  def included_ancestors # :nodoc:
     includes.map { |i| i.module }.reverse
   end
 
@@ -807,10 +811,17 @@ def superclass=(superclass)
 
   def super_classes
     result = []
+    # Degenerate input can produce a cyclic superclass chain
+    visited = [full_name]
     parent = self
     while parent = parent.superclass
+      if parent.is_a?(String)
+        result << parent
+        break
+      end
+      break if visited.include?(parent.full_name)
+      visited << parent.full_name
       result << parent
-      return result if parent.is_a?(String)
     end
     result
   end
diff --git a/lib/rdoc/code_object/normal_class.rb b/lib/rdoc/code_object/normal_class.rb
index 6b68d6db56..6f648ea339 100644
--- a/lib/rdoc/code_object/normal_class.rb
+++ b/lib/rdoc/code_object/normal_class.rb
@@ -10,15 +10,12 @@ class RDoc::NormalClass < RDoc::ClassModule
   # RDoc::ClassModules and Strings.
 
   def ancestors
-    if String === superclass then
-      super << superclass
-    elsif superclass then
-      ancestors = super
-      ancestors << superclass
-      ancestors.concat superclass.ancestors
-    else
-      super
+    ancestors = included_ancestors
+    super_classes.each do |sclass|
+      ancestors << sclass
+      ancestors.concat sclass.included_ancestors unless String === sclass
     end
+    ancestors
   end
 
   def aref_prefix # :nodoc:
diff --git a/test/rdoc/code_object/class_module_test.rb b/test/rdoc/code_object/class_module_test.rb
index bff19a1513..e985db02a6 100644
--- a/test/rdoc/code_object/class_module_test.rb
+++ b/test/rdoc/code_object/class_module_test.rb
@@ -1358,6 +1358,23 @@ def test_super_classes
     assert_equal [rdoc_c3_h1, rdoc_object, "BasicObject"], @c3_h2.super_classes
   end
 
+  def test_super_classes_superclass_cycle
+    c1 = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Cycle1'
+    c2 = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Cycle2'
+    c1.superclass = c2
+    c2.superclass = c1
+
+    assert_equal [c2], c1.super_classes
+    assert_equal [c1], c2.super_classes
+  end
+
+  def test_super_classes_superclass_referencing_itself
+    klass = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Klass'
+    klass.superclass = klass
+
+    assert_empty klass.super_classes
+  end
+
   def test_update_aliases_class
     n1 = @xref_data.add_module RDoc::NormalClass, 'N1'
     n1_k2 = n1.add_module RDoc::NormalClass, 'N2'
diff --git a/test/rdoc/code_object/normal_class_test.rb b/test/rdoc/code_object/normal_class_test.rb
index a097619635..a3e18943c5 100644
--- a/test/rdoc/code_object/normal_class_test.rb
+++ b/test/rdoc/code_object/normal_class_test.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,43 @@ def test_ancestors_multilevel
     assert_equal [c2, c1, @object, 'BasicObject'], c3.ancestors
   end
 
+  def test_ancestors_superclass_cycle
+    c1 = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Cycle1'
+    c2 = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Cycle2'
+    c1.superclass = c2
+    c2.superclass = c1
+
+    assert_equal [c2], c1.ancestors
+    assert_equal [c1], c2.ancestors
+  end
+
+  def test_ancestors_superclass_referencing_itself
+    klass = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Klass'
+    incl = RDoc::Include.new 'Incl', ''
+    klass.add_include incl
+    klass.superclass = klass
+
+    assert_equal [incl.name], klass.ancestors
+  end
+
+  def test_ancestors_chain_ending_with_nil_superclass
+    base = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Base'
+    base.superclass = nil
+    sub = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Sub', 'Base'
+
+    assert_equal [base], sub.ancestors
+  end
+
+  def test_ancestors_superclass_is_module
+    klass = @top_level.add_class RDoc::NormalClass, 'Klass'
+    mod = @top_level.add_module RDoc::NormalModule, 'Mod'
+    klass.superclass = mod
+
+    # A module is not registered as a class, so the superclass stays a String
+    assert_equal 'Mod', klass.superclass
+    assert_equal ['Mod'], klass.ancestors
+  end
+
   def test_aref
     assert_equal 'class-c1',    @c1.aref
     assert_equal 'class-c2-c3', @c2_c3.aref