diff --git a/Lib/fnmatch.py b/Lib/fnmatch.py
index 4c149eb..b1c37f5 100644
--- a/Lib/fnmatch.py
+++ b/Lib/fnmatch.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 __all__ = ["filter", "fnmatch","fnmatchcase","translate"]
 
 _cache = {}
+_MAXCACHE = 100
 
 def fnmatch(name, pat):
     """Test whether FILENAME matches PATTERN.
@@ -44,6 +45,8 @@
     pat=os.path.normcase(pat)
     if not pat in _cache:
         res = translate(pat)
+        if len(_cache) >= _MAXCACHE:
+            _cache.clear()
         _cache[pat] = re.compile(res)
     match=_cache[pat].match
     if os.path is posixpath:
@@ -66,6 +69,8 @@
 
     if not pat in _cache:
         res = translate(pat)
+        if len(_cache) >= _MAXCACHE:
+            _cache.clear()
         _cache[pat] = re.compile(res)
     return _cache[pat].match(name) is not None