--- todo-mode.el.old	2023-10-07 14:28:59.000000000 -0500
+++ todo-mode.el	2023-10-07 14:30:20.000000000 -0500
@@ -5242,8 +5242,8 @@
 	   ;; Buffer is widened.
 	   (looking-at (regexp-quote todo-category-beg)))
     (goto-char (line-beginning-position))
-    (while (not (looking-at todo-item-start))
-      (forward-line -1))
+    (while (and (not (looking-at todo-item-start))
+                (= (forward-line -1) 0)))
     (point)))
 
 (defun todo-item-end ()