Gdb commands not executed when "The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB."

Question

I have a breakpoint on a function (e.g. called foo) that silently triggers some actions (e.g. count occurences).

break foo
commands
silent
set $counter = $counter+1
cont
end

If I use it on a simple program:

int foo( int x ) { return x-1; }
int bar( int x ) { while (x>0) x = foo(x); }

int
main( int argc, char** argv)
{
  bar(10);
  return 0;
}

Everything goes well and I end up with $counter holding a value of 10.

Now if I call bar directly from gdb:

(gdb) call bar(5)

Not only GDB displays the standard warning message:

the program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB...

But the commands associated with the foo breakpoint will be discarded at this occurence of the breakpoint. Thus if I finish with the evaluation, $counter ends up with a unexpected value

 (gdb) call bar(5)
 The program being debugged stopped while in a function called from GDB.
 Evaluation of the expression containing the function
 (bar) will be abandoned.
 When the function is done executing, GDB will silently stop.
 (gdb) cont
 Continuing.
 (gdb) p $counter
 $1 = 4

What can I do to solve this issue, and have gdb executing the breakpoint commands ?