diff -ru perl-5.38.2/doop.c perl-5.38.2_fix/doop.c
--- perl-5.38.2/doop.c	2023-11-28 16:55:12.000000000 +0300
+++ perl-5.38.2_fix/doop.c	2025-04-14 16:14:46.161888188 +0300
@@ -442,6 +442,9 @@
      * assume cannot */
     if (! out_is_utf8 && (PL_op->op_private & OPpTRANS_CAN_FORCE_UTF8)) {
         inplace = FALSE;
+		if (max_expansion < 2) {
+            	max_expansion = 2;
+        }
     }
 
     s = (U8*)SvPV_nomg(sv, len);