If too many custom fields at a time are evaluated for tokens, query crashes with "too many tables" error

If too many custom fields (or rather, if custom fields from too many groups?) are requested in the $returnProperties parameter to CRM_Utils_Token::getTokenDetails, the single call to CRM_Contact_BAO_Query::apiQuery performs a query that joins too many tables.

The request then crashes with MySQL error 1116 "Too many tables; MySQL can only use 61 tables in a join". If the query is dumped, the large number of LEFT JOINs can be seen.

I have a solution that works for me, which is to replace the line

$details = $query->apiQuery($params, $returnProperties, NULL, NULL, 0, $numberofContacts);

with code that slices $returnProperties into manageable chunks, does separate apiQuery calls, and merges the results of each into $details.

Thanks,
David