diff --git a/libcxx/include/string b/libcxx/include/string
index 98297d04d0c61..706b80aab4c8f 100644
--- a/libcxx/include/string
+++ b/libcxx/include/string
@@ -2292,14 +2292,9 @@ private:
   }
   enum { __alignment = 8 };
   static _LIBCPP_HIDE_FROM_ABI _LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR_SINCE_CXX20 size_type __recommend(size_type __s) _NOEXCEPT {
-    if (__s < __min_cap) {
-      return static_cast<size_type>(__min_cap) - 1;
-    }
+    _LIBCPP_ASSERT_INTERNAL(__s >= __min_cap, "recommend is called for small string capacity");
     const size_type __boundary = sizeof(value_type) < __alignment ? __alignment / sizeof(value_type) : __endian_factor;
     size_type __guess          = __align_it<__boundary>(__s + 1) - 1;
-    if (__guess == __min_cap)
-      __guess += __endian_factor;
-
     _LIBCPP_ASSERT_INTERNAL(__guess >= __s, "recommendation is below the requested size");
     return __guess;
   }
@@ -3435,7 +3430,9 @@ _LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR_SINCE_CXX20 void basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Allocator>::re
 
 template <class _CharT, class _Traits, class _Allocator>
 inline _LIBCPP_CONSTEXPR_SINCE_CXX20 void basic_string<_CharT, _Traits, _Allocator>::shrink_to_fit() _NOEXCEPT {
-  size_type __target_capacity = __recommend(size());
+  size_type __target_capacity = size();
+  __target_capacity =
+      __target_capacity < __min_cap ? static_cast<size_type>(__min_cap) - 1 : __recommend(__target_capacity);
   if (__target_capacity == capacity())
     return;