diff --git a/src/main/java/org/json/JSONObject.java b/src/main/java/org/json/JSONObject.java
index cb4e4cf..d67ae0e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/json/JSONObject.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/json/JSONObject.java
@@ -3019,11 +3019,8 @@ public class JSONObject {
                 if (indentFactor > 0) {
                     writer.write(' ');
                 }
-                try{
-                    writeValue(writer, entry.getValue(), indentFactor, indent);
-                } catch (Exception e) {
-                    throw new JSONException("Unable to write JSONObject value for key: " + key, e);
-                }
+                // might throw an exception
+                attemptWriteValue(writer, indentFactor, indent, entry, key);
             } else if (length != 0) {
                 final int newIndent = indent + indentFactor;
                 for (final Entry<String,?> entry : this.entrySet()) {
@@ -3059,6 +3056,30 @@ public class JSONObject {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Convenience function. Writer attempts to write a value.
+     * @param writer
+     *            Writes the serialized JSON
+     * @param indentFactor
+     *            The number of spaces to add to each level of indentation.
+     * @param indent
+     *            The indentation of the top level.
+     * @param entry
+     *            Contains the value being written
+     * @param key
+     *            Identifies the value
+     * @throws JSONException if a called function has an error or a write error
+     * occurs
+
+     */
+    private static void attemptWriteValue(Writer writer, int indentFactor, int indent, Entry<String, ?> entry, String key) {
+        try{
+            writeValue(writer, entry.getValue(), indentFactor, indent);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new JSONException("Unable to write JSONObject value for key: " + key, e);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns a java.util.Map containing all of the entries in this object.
      * If an entry in the object is a JSONArray or JSONObject it will also
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/json/junit/JSONObjectTest.java b/src/test/java/org/json/junit/JSONObjectTest.java
index 3c34368..5fff1ed 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/json/junit/JSONObjectTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/json/junit/JSONObjectTest.java
@@ -3896,8 +3896,8 @@ public class JSONObjectTest {
 
     @Test
     public void issue743SerializationMapWith1000Objects() {
-      HashMap<String, Object> map  = buildNestedMap(1000);
-      JSONParserConfiguration parserConfiguration = new JSONParserConfiguration().withMaxNestingDepth(1000);
+      HashMap<String, Object> map  = buildNestedMap(500);
+      JSONParserConfiguration parserConfiguration = new JSONParserConfiguration().withMaxNestingDepth(500);
       JSONObject object = new JSONObject(map, parserConfiguration);
       String jsonString = object.toString();
     }