diff --git a/libpathod/cmdline.py b/libpathod/cmdline.py
index fe5eed687..4a2390ed9 100644
--- a/libpathod/cmdline.py
+++ b/libpathod/cmdline.py
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ def go_pathoc():
         metavar = "HOST:PORT",
         help="Issue an HTTP CONNECT to connect to the specified host."
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--memo-limit", dest='memolimit', default=5000, type=int, metavar="N",
+        help='Stop if we do not find a valid request after N attempts.'
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "-m", dest='memo', action="store_true", default=False,
         help="""
diff --git a/libpathod/pathoc.py b/libpathod/pathoc.py
index 0ff02b01f..e7aff5202 100644
--- a/libpathod/pathoc.py
+++ b/libpathod/pathoc.py
@@ -222,9 +222,14 @@ class Pathoc(tcp.TCPClient):
 
 def main(args):
     memo = set([])
+    trycount = 0
     try:
         cnt = 0
         while 1:
+            if trycount > args.memolimit:
+                print >> sys.stderr, "Memo limit exceeded..."
+                return
+
             cnt += 1
             if args.random:
                 playlist = [random.choice(args.requests)]
@@ -251,8 +256,10 @@ def main(args):
                         newlist.append(spec)
                 playlist = newlist
             if not playlist:
+                trycount += 1
                 continue
 
+            trycount = 0
             try:
                 p.connect(args.connect_to)
             except (tcp.NetLibError, PathocError), v: