diff --git a/lstrlib.c b/lstrlib.c
index 4d8ff6f9..a257e872 100644
--- a/lstrlib.c
+++ b/lstrlib.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
-** $Id: lstrlib.c,v 1.231 2015/06/24 18:25:10 roberto Exp roberto $
+** $Id: lstrlib.c,v 1.232 2015/07/20 16:30:22 roberto Exp roberto $
 ** Standard library for string operations and pattern-matching
 ** See Copyright Notice in lua.h
 */
@@ -41,8 +41,10 @@
 ** Some sizes are better limited to fit in 'int', but must also fit in
 ** 'size_t'. (We assume that 'lua_Integer' cannot be smaller than 'int'.)
 */
+#define MAX_SIZET	((size_t)(~(size_t)0))
+
 #define MAXSIZE  \
-	(sizeof(size_t) < sizeof(int) ? (~(size_t)0) : (size_t)(INT_MAX))
+	(sizeof(size_t) < sizeof(int) ? MAX_SIZET : (size_t)(INT_MAX))
 
 
 
@@ -208,11 +210,12 @@ static int str_dump (lua_State *L) {
 
 
 typedef struct MatchState {
-  int matchdepth;  /* control for recursive depth (to avoid C stack overflow) */
   const char *src_init;  /* init of source string */
   const char *src_end;  /* end ('\0') of source string */
   const char *p_end;  /* end ('\0') of pattern */
   lua_State *L;
+  size_t nrep;  /* limit to avoid non-linear complexity */
+  int matchdepth;  /* control for recursive depth (to avoid C stack overflow) */
   int level;  /* total number of captures (finished or unfinished) */
   struct {
     const char *init;
@@ -231,6 +234,17 @@ static const char *match (MatchState *ms, const char *s, const char *p);
 #endif
 
 
+/*
+** parameters to control the maximum number of operators handled in
+** a match (to avoid non-linear complexity). The maximum will be:
+** (subject length) * A_REPS + B_REPS
+*/
+#if !defined(A_REPS)
+#define A_REPS		4
+#define B_REPS		100000
+#endif
+
+
 #define L_ESC		'%'
 #define SPECIALS	"^$*+?.([%-"
 
@@ -488,6 +502,8 @@ static const char *match (MatchState *ms, const char *s, const char *p) {
             s = NULL;  /* fail */
         }
         else {  /* matched once */
+          if (ms->nrep-- == 0)
+            luaL_error(ms->L, "pattern too complex");
           switch (*ep) {  /* handle optional suffix */
             case '?': {  /* optional */
               const char *res;
@@ -584,6 +600,26 @@ static int nospecials (const char *p, size_t l) {
 }
 
 
+static void prepstate (MatchState *ms, lua_State *L,
+                       const char *s, size_t ls, const char *p, size_t lp) {
+  ms->L = L;
+  ms->matchdepth = MAXCCALLS;
+  ms->src_init = s;
+  ms->src_end = s + ls;
+  ms->p_end = p + lp;
+  if (ls < (MAX_SIZET - B_REPS) / A_REPS)
+    ms->nrep = A_REPS * ls + B_REPS;
+  else  /* overflow (very long subject) */
+    ms->nrep = MAX_SIZET;  /* no limit */
+}
+
+
+static void reprepstate (MatchState *ms) {
+  ms->level = 0;
+  lua_assert(ms->matchdepth == MAXCCALLS);
+}
+
+
 static int str_find_aux (lua_State *L, int find) {
   size_t ls, lp;
   const char *s = luaL_checklstring(L, 1, &ls);
@@ -611,15 +647,10 @@ static int str_find_aux (lua_State *L, int find) {
     if (anchor) {
       p++; lp--;  /* skip anchor character */
     }
-    ms.L = L;
-    ms.matchdepth = MAXCCALLS;
-    ms.src_init = s;
-    ms.src_end = s + ls;
-    ms.p_end = p + lp;
+    prepstate(&ms, L, s, ls, p, lp);
     do {
       const char *res;
-      ms.level = 0;
-      lua_assert(ms.matchdepth == MAXCCALLS);
+      reprepstate(&ms);
       if ((res=match(&ms, s1, p)) != NULL) {
         if (find) {
           lua_pushinteger(L, (s1 - s) + 1);  /* start */
@@ -652,17 +683,12 @@ static int gmatch_aux (lua_State *L) {
   const char *s = lua_tolstring(L, lua_upvalueindex(1), &ls);
   const char *p = lua_tolstring(L, lua_upvalueindex(2), &lp);
   const char *src;
-  ms.L = L;
-  ms.matchdepth = MAXCCALLS;
-  ms.src_init = s;
-  ms.src_end = s+ls;
-  ms.p_end = p + lp;
+  prepstate(&ms, L, s, ls, p, lp);
   for (src = s + (size_t)lua_tointeger(L, lua_upvalueindex(3));
        src <= ms.src_end;
        src++) {
     const char *e;
-    ms.level = 0;
-    lua_assert(ms.matchdepth == MAXCCALLS);
+    reprepstate(&ms);
     if ((e = match(&ms, src, p)) != NULL) {
       lua_Integer newstart = e-s;
       if (e == src) newstart++;  /* empty match? go at least one position */
@@ -761,17 +787,11 @@ static int str_gsub (lua_State *L) {
   if (anchor) {
     p++; lp--;  /* skip anchor character */
   }
-  ms.L = L;
-  ms.matchdepth = MAXCCALLS;
-  ms.src_init = src;
-  ms.src_end = src+srcl;
-  ms.p_end = p + lp;
+  prepstate(&ms, L, src, srcl, p, lp);
   while (n < max_s) {
     const char *e;
-    ms.level = 0;
-    lua_assert(ms.matchdepth == MAXCCALLS);
-    e = match(&ms, src, p);
-    if (e) {
+    reprepstate(&ms);
+    if ((e = match(&ms, src, p)) != NULL) {
       n++;
       add_value(&ms, &b, src, e, tr);
     }