diff --git a/src/bin/miri.rs b/src/bin/miri.rs
index 6997bbd011d..e11ab5a8609 100644
--- a/src/bin/miri.rs
+++ b/src/bin/miri.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ fn build_controller(
             let krate = state.hir_crate.as_ref().unwrap();
             let mut memory_size = 100*1024*1024; // 100MB
             let mut step_limit = 1000_000;
+            let mut stack_limit = 100;
             fn extract_str(lit: &syntax::ast::Lit) -> syntax::parse::token::InternedString {
                 match lit.node {
                     syntax::ast::LitKind::Str(ref s, _) => s.clone(),
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ fn extract_str(lit: &syntax::ast::Lit) -> syntax::parse::token::InternedString {
                                 match &**name {
                                     "memory_size" => memory_size = extract_str(value).parse::<u64>().expect("not a number"),
                                     "step_limit" => step_limit = extract_str(value).parse::<u64>().expect("not a number"),
+                                    "stack_limit" => stack_limit = extract_str(value).parse::<u64>().expect("not a number"),
                                     _ => state.session.span_err(item.span, "unknown miri attribute"),
                                 }
                             }
@@ -67,7 +69,7 @@ fn extract_str(lit: &syntax::ast::Lit) -> syntax::parse::token::InternedString {
 
             let mut mir_map = MirMap { map: mir_map.map.clone() };
             run_mir_passes(tcx, &mut mir_map);
-            eval_main(tcx, &mir_map, node_id, memory_size, step_limit);
+            eval_main(tcx, &mir_map, node_id, memory_size, step_limit, stack_limit);
 
             state.session.abort_if_errors();
         });
diff --git a/src/error.rs b/src/error.rs
index 5c2410ed840..9952cfd9a7e 100644
--- a/src/error.rs
+++ b/src/error.rs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ pub enum EvalError<'tcx> {
         memory_usage: u64,
     },
     ExecutionTimeLimitReached,
+    StackFrameLimitReached,
 }
 
 pub type EvalResult<'tcx, T> = Result<T, EvalError<'tcx>>;
@@ -79,6 +80,8 @@ fn description(&self) -> &str {
                 "could not allocate more memory",
             EvalError::ExecutionTimeLimitReached =>
                 "reached the configured maximum execution time",
+            EvalError::StackFrameLimitReached =>
+                "reached the configured maximum number of stack frames",
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/interpreter/mod.rs b/src/interpreter/mod.rs
index 5b8947ec735..34fa9d8de6f 100644
--- a/src/interpreter/mod.rs
+++ b/src/interpreter/mod.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ pub struct EvalContext<'a, 'tcx: 'a> {
 
     /// The virtual call stack.
     stack: Vec<Frame<'a, 'tcx>>,
+
+    /// The maximum number of stack frames allowed
+    stack_limit: usize,
 }
 
 /// A stack frame.
@@ -133,7 +136,8 @@ enum ConstantKind {
 }
 
 impl<'a, 'tcx> EvalContext<'a, 'tcx> {
-    pub fn new(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>, mir_map: &'a MirMap<'tcx>, memory_size: u64) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>, mir_map: &'a MirMap<'tcx>, memory_size: u64, stack_limit: u64) -> Self {
+        assert_eq!(stack_limit as usize as u64, stack_limit);
         EvalContext {
             tcx: tcx,
             mir_map: mir_map,
@@ -141,6 +145,7 @@ pub fn new(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>, mir_map: &'a MirMap<'tcx>, memory_size:
             memory: Memory::new(&tcx.data_layout, memory_size),
             statics: HashMap::new(),
             stack: Vec::new(),
+            stack_limit: stack_limit as usize,
         }
     }
 
@@ -316,7 +321,11 @@ pub fn push_stack_frame(
             substs: substs,
             stmt: 0,
         });
-        Ok(())
+        if self.stack.len() > self.stack_limit {
+            Err(EvalError::StackFrameLimitReached)
+        } else {
+            Ok(())
+        }
     }
 
     fn pop_stack_frame(&mut self) {
@@ -930,10 +939,11 @@ pub fn eval_main<'a, 'tcx: 'a>(
     node_id: ast::NodeId,
     memory_size: u64,
     step_limit: u64,
+    stack_limit: u64,
 ) {
     let mir = mir_map.map.get(&node_id).expect("no mir for main function");
     let def_id = tcx.map.local_def_id(node_id);
-    let mut ecx = EvalContext::new(tcx, mir_map, memory_size);
+    let mut ecx = EvalContext::new(tcx, mir_map, memory_size, stack_limit);
     let substs = tcx.mk_substs(subst::Substs::empty());
     let return_ptr = ecx.alloc_ret_ptr(mir.return_ty, substs)
                         .expect("should at least be able to allocate space for the main function's return value")
diff --git a/tests/compile-fail/stack_limit.rs b/tests/compile-fail/stack_limit.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3b6d4186dc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/compile-fail/stack_limit.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#![feature(custom_attribute)]
+#![miri(stack_limit="2")]
+
+fn bar() {
+    foo();
+}
+
+fn foo() {
+    cake(); //~ ERROR reached the configured maximum number of stack frames
+}
+
+fn cake() {
+    flubber();
+}
+
+fn flubber() {}
+
+fn main() {
+    bar();
+}