diff -r 6898e1afc216 Lib/re.py
--- a/Lib/re.py	Sat Mar 16 23:00:16 2013 +0200
+++ b/Lib/re.py	Sat Mar 16 23:27:06 2013 +0200
@@ -211,7 +211,14 @@
 
 def compile(pattern, flags=0):
     "Compile a regular expression pattern, returning a pattern object."
-    return _compile(pattern, flags)
+    if isinstance(pattern, _pattern_type):
+        if flags:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Cannot process flags argument with a compiled pattern")
+        return pattern
+    if not sre_compile.isstring(pattern):
+        raise TypeError("first argument must be string or compiled pattern")
+    return sre_compile.compile(pattern, flags)
 
 def purge():
     "Clear the regular expression caches"
@@ -271,14 +278,7 @@
         return _cache[type(pattern), pattern, flags]
     except KeyError:
         pass
-    if isinstance(pattern, _pattern_type):
-        if flags:
-            raise ValueError(
-                "Cannot process flags argument with a compiled pattern")
-        return pattern
-    if not sre_compile.isstring(pattern):
-        raise TypeError("first argument must be string or compiled pattern")
-    p = sre_compile.compile(pattern, flags)
+    p = compile(pattern, flags)
     if len(_cache) >= _MAXCACHE:
         _cache.clear()
     _cache[type(pattern), pattern, flags] = p
diff -r 6898e1afc216 Misc/NEWS
--- a/Misc/NEWS	Sat Mar 16 23:00:16 2013 +0200
+++ b/Misc/NEWS	Sat Mar 16 23:27:06 2013 +0200
@@ -283,6 +283,8 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #17441: re.compile() no more cached.
+
 - Issue #16389: Fixed a performance regression relative to Python 3.1 in the
   caching of compiled regular expressions.