Index: Objects/dictobject.c
===================================================================
--- Objects/dictobject.c	(revision 88933)
+++ Objects/dictobject.c	(working copy)
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 #include "Python.h"
 
+/* Maximum number of allowed hash collisions. */
+#define Py_MAX_DICT_COLLISIONS 1000
 
 /* Set a key error with the specified argument, wrapping it in a
  * tuple automatically so that tuple keys are not unpacked as the
@@ -327,6 +329,7 @@
     register PyDictEntry *ep;
     register int cmp;
     PyObject *startkey;
+    size_t collisions;
 
     i = (size_t)hash & mask;
     ep = &ep0[i];
@@ -361,6 +364,7 @@
 
     /* In the loop, me_key == dummy is by far (factor of 100s) the
        least likely outcome, so test for that last. */
+    collisions = 1;
     for (perturb = hash; ; perturb >>= PERTURB_SHIFT) {
         i = (i << 2) + i + perturb + 1;
         ep = &ep0[i & mask];
@@ -387,6 +391,11 @@
                  */
                 return lookdict(mp, key, hash);
             }
+	    if (++collisions > Py_MAX_DICT_COLLISIONS) {
+		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_KeyError,
+				"too many hash collisions");
+		return NULL;
+	    }
         }
         else if (ep->me_key == dummy && freeslot == NULL)
             freeslot = ep;
@@ -413,6 +422,7 @@
     register size_t mask = (size_t)mp->ma_mask;
     PyDictEntry *ep0 = mp->ma_table;
     register PyDictEntry *ep;
+    size_t collisions;
 
     /* Make sure this function doesn't have to handle non-string keys,
        including subclasses of str; e.g., one reason to subclass
@@ -439,17 +449,24 @@
 
     /* In the loop, me_key == dummy is by far (factor of 100s) the
        least likely outcome, so test for that last. */
+    collisions = 1;
     for (perturb = hash; ; perturb >>= PERTURB_SHIFT) {
         i = (i << 2) + i + perturb + 1;
         ep = &ep0[i & mask];
         if (ep->me_key == NULL)
             return freeslot == NULL ? ep : freeslot;
-        if (ep->me_key == key
-            || (ep->me_hash == hash
-            && ep->me_key != dummy
-            && _PyString_Eq(ep->me_key, key)))
+        if (ep->me_key == key)
             return ep;
-        if (ep->me_key == dummy && freeslot == NULL)
+        if (ep->me_hash == hash && ep->me_key != dummy) {
+	    if (_PyString_Eq(ep->me_key, key))
+		return ep;
+	    if (++collisions > Py_MAX_DICT_COLLISIONS) {
+		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_KeyError,
+				"too many hash collisions");
+		return NULL;
+	    }
+	}
+        else if (ep->me_key == dummy && freeslot == NULL)
             freeslot = ep;
     }
     assert(0);          /* NOT REACHED */