diff --git a/include/mruby/gc.h b/include/mruby/gc.h
index 076c34126..f3024f88c 100644
--- a/include/mruby/gc.h
+++ b/include/mruby/gc.h
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ typedef struct mrb_gc {
   mrb_bool generational  :1;       /* generational GC mode */
   mrb_bool full          :1;       /* major GC mode */
   mrb_bool out_of_memory :1;       /* out-of-memory error occurred */
+  size_t step_limit;               /* 0=unlimited, >0=absolute step cap */
+  size_t malloc_increase;          /* malloc bytes since last GC cycle */
+  size_t malloc_threshold;         /* 0=disabled, >0=bytes to trigger GC */
 
 #ifdef MRB_GC_FIXED_ARENA
   struct RBasic *arena[MRB_GC_ARENA_SIZE]; /* GC protection array */
diff --git a/src/gc.c b/src/gc.c
index f5757ddf9..b4c2395db 100644
--- a/src/gc.c
+++ b/src/gc.c
@@ -224,6 +224,17 @@ mrb_realloc_simple(mrb_state *mrb, void *p,  size_t len)
     p2 = mrb_basic_alloc_func(p, len);
   }
 
+  if (p2 && len > 0) {
+    mrb->gc.malloc_increase += len;
+    if (mrb->gc.malloc_threshold > 0 &&
+        mrb->gc.malloc_increase >= mrb->gc.malloc_threshold &&
+        mrb->gc.state == MRB_GC_STATE_ROOT &&
+        !mrb->gc.disabled && !mrb->gc.iterating) {
+      mrb->gc.malloc_increase = 0;
+      mrb_incremental_gc(mrb);
+    }
+  }
+
   return p2;
 }
 
@@ -1311,6 +1322,9 @@ incremental_gc_step(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_gc *gc)
 {
   size_t limit = 0, result = 0;
   limit = (GC_STEP_SIZE/100) * gc->step_ratio;
+  if (gc->step_limit > 0 && limit > gc->step_limit) {
+    limit = gc->step_limit;
+  }
   while (result < limit) {
     result += incremental_gc(mrb, gc, limit);
     if (gc->state == MRB_GC_STATE_ROOT)
@@ -1364,6 +1378,7 @@ mrb_incremental_gc(mrb_state *mrb)
   }
 
   if (gc->state == MRB_GC_STATE_ROOT) {
+    gc->malloc_increase = 0;
     mrb_assert(gc->live >= gc->live_after_mark);
     gc->threshold = (gc->live_after_mark/100) * gc->interval_ratio;
     if (gc->threshold < GC_STEP_SIZE) {
@@ -1612,6 +1627,44 @@ gc_step_ratio_set(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value obj)
   return mrb_nil_value();
 }
 
+static mrb_value
+gc_step_limit_get(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value obj)
+{
+  return mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)mrb->gc.step_limit);
+}
+
+static mrb_value
+gc_step_limit_set(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value obj)
+{
+  mrb_int limit;
+
+  mrb_get_args(mrb, "i", &limit);
+  if (limit < 0) {
+    mrb_raise(mrb, E_ARGUMENT_ERROR, "step_limit must be non-negative");
+  }
+  mrb->gc.step_limit = (size_t)limit;
+  return mrb_int_value(mrb, limit);
+}
+
+static mrb_value
+gc_malloc_threshold_get(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value obj)
+{
+  return mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)mrb->gc.malloc_threshold);
+}
+
+static mrb_value
+gc_malloc_threshold_set(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value obj)
+{
+  mrb_int threshold;
+
+  mrb_get_args(mrb, "i", &threshold);
+  if (threshold < 0) {
+    mrb_raise(mrb, E_ARGUMENT_ERROR, "malloc_threshold must be non-negative");
+  }
+  mrb->gc.malloc_threshold = (size_t)threshold;
+  return mrb_int_value(mrb, threshold);
+}
+
 static void
 change_gen_gc_mode(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_gc *gc, mrb_bool enable)
 {
@@ -1740,6 +1793,9 @@ gc_stat(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value self)
   mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "state")), mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)gc->state));
   mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "generational")), mrb_bool_value(gc->generational));
   mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "full")), mrb_bool_value(gc->full));
+  mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "step_limit")), mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)gc->step_limit));
+  mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "malloc_increase")), mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)gc->malloc_increase));
+  mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "malloc_threshold")), mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)gc->malloc_threshold));
 
 #ifdef MRB_GC_STATS
   mrb_hash_set(mrb, hash, mrb_symbol_value(mrb_intern_lit(mrb, "total")), mrb_int_value(mrb, (mrb_int)gc->gc_total_count));
@@ -1773,6 +1829,10 @@ mrb_init_gc(mrb_state *mrb)
   mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM_E(interval_ratio), gc_interval_ratio_set, MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
   mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM(step_ratio), gc_step_ratio_get, MRB_ARGS_NONE());
   mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM_E(step_ratio), gc_step_ratio_set, MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
+  mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM(step_limit), gc_step_limit_get, MRB_ARGS_NONE());
+  mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM_E(step_limit), gc_step_limit_set, MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
+  mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM(malloc_threshold), gc_malloc_threshold_get, MRB_ARGS_NONE());
+  mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM_E(malloc_threshold), gc_malloc_threshold_set, MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
   mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM_E(generational_mode), gc_generational_mode_set, MRB_ARGS_REQ(1));
   mrb_define_class_method_id(mrb, gc, MRB_SYM(generational_mode), gc_generational_mode_get, MRB_ARGS_NONE());
 }
diff --git a/test/t/gc.rb b/test/t/gc.rb
index 4b800e945..3ea6b7ef8 100644
--- a/test/t/gc.rb
+++ b/test/t/gc.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,56 @@ assert('GC.step_ratio=') do
   end
 end
 
+assert('GC.step_limit=') do
+  origin = GC.step_limit
+  begin
+    assert_equal 0, origin           # default: unlimited
+    assert_equal 512, (GC.step_limit = 512)
+    assert_equal 512, GC.step_limit
+    assert_equal 0, (GC.step_limit = 0)  # back to unlimited
+  ensure
+    GC.step_limit = origin
+  end
+end
+
+assert('GC.step_limit - GC completes with small limit') do
+  origin = GC.step_limit
+  begin
+    GC.step_limit = 64
+    # GC should still complete even with a small step limit
+    GC.start
+    assert_true GC.stat[:live] > 0
+  ensure
+    GC.step_limit = origin
+  end
+end
+
+assert('GC.malloc_threshold=') do
+  origin = GC.malloc_threshold
+  begin
+    assert_equal 0, origin           # default: disabled
+    assert_equal 65536, (GC.malloc_threshold = 65536)
+    assert_equal 65536, GC.malloc_threshold
+    assert_equal 0, (GC.malloc_threshold = 0)  # back to disabled
+  ensure
+    GC.malloc_threshold = origin
+  end
+end
+
+assert('GC.malloc_threshold - triggers GC on large allocations') do
+  origin = GC.malloc_threshold
+  begin
+    GC.malloc_threshold = 4096
+    GC.start  # reset malloc_increase
+    # allocate large strings to exceed threshold
+    100.times { "x" * 1024 }
+    stat = GC.stat
+    assert_true stat[:malloc_increase] >= 0
+  ensure
+    GC.malloc_threshold = origin
+  end
+end
+
 assert('GC.generational_mode=') do
   origin = GC.generational_mode
   begin