diff --git a/lib/ace/edit_session/folding.js b/lib/ace/edit_session/folding.js
index 474818b2..09d67b95 100644
--- a/lib/ace/edit_session/folding.js
+++ b/lib/ace/edit_session/folding.js
@@ -454,13 +454,16 @@ function Folding() {
         if (expandInner) {
             this.removeFolds(folds);
         } else {
-            // TODO: might need to remove and add folds in one go instead of using
+            var subFolds = folds;
+            // TODO: might be better to remove and add folds in one go instead of using
             // expandFolds several times.
-            while (folds.length) {
-                this.expandFolds(folds);
-                folds = this.getFoldsInRangeList(range);
+            while (subFolds.length) {
+                this.expandFolds(subFolds);
+                subFolds = this.getFoldsInRangeList(range);
             }
         }
+        if (folds.length)
+            return folds;
     };
 
     /*