diff --git a/docs/tests/FILEFORMAT.md b/docs/tests/FILEFORMAT.md
index e6da32a5cf..992717b190 100644
--- a/docs/tests/FILEFORMAT.md
+++ b/docs/tests/FILEFORMAT.md
@@ -699,6 +699,14 @@ test.
 
 `loadfile="filename"` makes loading the data from an external file.
 
+### `<limit>`
+
+When this test runs and curl was built with debug enabled, runtests make sure
+that the set limits are not exceeded. Supported limits:
+
+    Allocations: [number of allocation calls]
+    Maximum allocated: [maximum concurrent memory allocated]
+
 ### `<file name="%LOGDIR/filename" [mode="text"]>`
 The file's contents must be identical to this after the test is complete. Use
 the mode="text" attribute if the output is in text mode on platforms that have
diff --git a/tests/data/test1 b/tests/data/test1
index 4aa4d1b812..1fb3e05248 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1
+++ b/tests/data/test1
@@ -49,5 +49,9 @@ User-Agent: curl/%VERSION
 Accept: */*
 
 </protocol>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 135
+Maximum allocated: 135415
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test1129 b/tests/data/test1129
index 41b295563a..99e390c500 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1129
+++ b/tests/data/test1129
@@ -92,5 +92,8 @@ Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
 Expect: 100-continue
 
 </protocol>
+<limits>
+Maximum allocated: 3200000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test1156 b/tests/data/test1156
index 94fa469dce..3492694273 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1156
+++ b/tests/data/test1156
@@ -67,5 +67,8 @@ http://%HOSTIP:%HTTPPORT/want/%TESTNUMBER
 <stdout>
 0
 </stdout>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 1300
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test1291 b/tests/data/test1291
index 794ed22d02..8d51138da2 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1291
+++ b/tests/data/test1291
@@ -38,5 +38,8 @@ XXXXXXXx
 <errorcode>
 1
 </errorcode>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 3100
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test1559 b/tests/data/test1559
index c307f6447e..7217035317 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1559
+++ b/tests/data/test1559
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ CURLUPART_URL 10000000 bytes URL == 3 (Malformed input to a URL function)
 CURLUPART_SCHEME 10000000 bytes scheme == 3 (Malformed input to a URL function)
 CURLUPART_USER 10000000 bytes user == 3 (Malformed input to a URL function)
 </stdout>
+<limits>
+Maximum allocated: 10010000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test1560 b/tests/data/test1560
index 8a991f9b9e..381faaa93a 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1560
+++ b/tests/data/test1560
@@ -38,5 +38,8 @@ lib%TESTNUMBER
 <stdout>
 success
 </stdout>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 3000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test1651 b/tests/data/test1651
index e552a8ad38..e7b725763a 100644
--- a/tests/data/test1651
+++ b/tests/data/test1651
@@ -18,5 +18,12 @@ unittest
 <name>
 x509 parsing
 </name>
+
+<verify>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 14000
+</limits>
+</verify>
+
 </client>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test2302 b/tests/data/test2302
index 9ade6a1e52..01a8675369 100644
--- a/tests/data/test2302
+++ b/tests/data/test2302
@@ -66,5 +66,8 @@ Sec-WebSocket-Key: NDMyMTUzMjE2MzIxNzMyMQ==
 68 65 6c 6c 6f 
 RECFLAGS: 1
 </stdout>
+<limits>
+Maximum allocated: 1300000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test2303 b/tests/data/test2303
index 79cb4c2ad0..f6ed9a5f67 100644
--- a/tests/data/test2303
+++ b/tests/data/test2303
@@ -55,5 +55,8 @@ Sec-WebSocket-Key: NDMyMTUzMjE2MzIxNzMyMQ==
 <errorcode>
 22
 </errorcode>
+<limits>
+Maximum allocated: 1300000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test2601 b/tests/data/test2601
index 778f6c54a7..a6581a803f 100644
--- a/tests/data/test2601
+++ b/tests/data/test2601
@@ -19,4 +19,9 @@ unittest
 bufq unit tests
 </name>
 </client>
+<verify>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 6300
+</limits>
+</verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test3207 b/tests/data/test3207
index fe2e38f978..318f8c704a 100644
--- a/tests/data/test3207
+++ b/tests/data/test3207
@@ -171,5 +171,8 @@ https://localhost:%HTTPSPORT/%TESTNUMBER %CERTDIR/certs/test-ca.crt
 
 # Verify data after the test has been "shot"
 <verify>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 13300
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test440 b/tests/data/test440
index ce9892967c..81cf738473 100644
--- a/tests/data/test440
+++ b/tests/data/test440
@@ -73,5 +73,8 @@ https://this.hsts.example./%TESTNUMBER
 <errorcode>
 56
 </errorcode>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 1100
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test442 b/tests/data/test442
index 2787c02b6f..fb881d3b67 100644
--- a/tests/data/test442
+++ b/tests/data/test442
@@ -209,5 +209,8 @@ Accept: */*
 Cookie: name150=could-be-large-150; name149=could-be-large-149; name148=could-be-large-148; name147=could-be-large-147; name146=could-be-large-146; name145=could-be-large-145; name144=could-be-large-144; name143=could-be-large-143; name142=could-be-large-142; name141=could-be-large-141; name140=could-be-large-140; name139=could-be-large-139; name138=could-be-large-138; name137=could-be-large-137; name136=could-be-large-136; name135=could-be-large-135; name134=could-be-large-134; name133=could-be-large-133; name132=could-be-large-132; name131=could-be-large-131; name130=could-be-large-130; name129=could-be-large-129; name128=could-be-large-128; name127=could-be-large-127; name126=could-be-large-126; name125=could-be-large-125; name124=could-be-large-124; name123=could-be-large-123; name122=could-be-large-122; name121=could-be-large-121; name120=could-be-large-120; name119=could-be-large-119; name118=could-be-large-118; name117=could-be-large-117; name116=could-be-large-116; name115=could-be-large-115; name114=could-be-large-114; name113=could-be-large-113; name112=could-be-large-112; name111=could-be-large-111; name110=could-be-large-110; name109=could-be-large-109; name108=could-be-large-108; name107=could-be-large-107; name106=could-be-large-106; name105=could-be-large-105; name104=could-be-large-104; name103=could-be-large-103; name102=could-be-large-102; name101=could-be-large-101; name100=could-be-large-100; name99=could-be-large-99; name98=could-be-large-98; name97=could-be-large-97; name96=could-be-large-96; name95=could-be-large-95; name94=could-be-large-94; name93=could-be-large-93; name92=could-be-large-92; name91=could-be-large-91; name90=could-be-large-90; name89=could-be-large-89; name88=could-be-large-88; name87=could-be-large-87; name86=could-be-large-86; name85=could-be-large-85; name84=could-be-large-84; name83=could-be-large-83; name82=could-be-large-82; name81=could-be-large-81; name80=could-be-large-80; name79=could-be-large-79; name78=could-be-large-78; name77=could-be-large-77; name76=could-be-large-76; name75=could-be-large-75; name74=could-be-large-74; name73=could-be-large-73; name72=could-be-large-72; name71=could-be-large-71; name70=could-be-large-70; name69=could-be-large-69; name68=could-be-large-68; name67=could-be-large-67; name66=could-be-large-66; name65=could-be-large-65; name64=could-be-large-64; name63=could-be-large-63; name62=could-be-large-62; name61=could-be-large-61; name60=could-be-large-60; name59=could-be-large-59; name58=could-be-large-58; name57=could-be-large-57; name56=could-be-large-56; name55=could-be-large-55; name54=could-be-large-54; name53=could-be-large-53; name52=could-be-large-52; name51=could-be-large-51; name50=could-be-large-50; name49=could-be-large-49; name48=could-be-large-48; name47=could-be-large-47; name46=could-be-large-46; name45=could-be-large-45; name44=could-be-large-44; name43=could-be-large-43; name42=could-be-large-42; name41=could-be-large-41; name40=could-be-large-40; name39=could-be-large-39; name38=could-be-large-38; name37=could-be-large-37; name36=could-be-large-36; name35=could-be-large-35; name34=could-be-large-34; name33=could-be-large-33; name32=could-be-large-32; name31=could-be-large-31; name30=could-be-large-30; name29=could-be-large-29; name28=could-be-large-28; name27=could-be-large-27; name26=could-be-large-26; name25=could-be-large-25; name24=could-be-large-24; name23=could-be-large-23; name22=could-be-large-22; name21=could-be-large-21; name20=could-be-large-20; name19=could-be-large-19; name18=could-be-large-18; name17=could-be-large-17; name16=could-be-large-16; name15=could-be-large-15; name14=could-be-large-14; name13=could-be-large-13; name12=could-be-large-12; name11=could-be-large-11; name10=could-be-large-10; name9=could-be-large-9; name8=could-be-large-8; name7=could-be-large-7; name6=could-be-large-6; name5=could-be-large-5; name4=could-be-large-4; name3=could-be-large-3; name2=could-be-large-2; name1=could-be-large-1
 
 </protocol>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 1100
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test445 b/tests/data/test445
index d573077b15..ec0b0e61ed 100644
--- a/tests/data/test445
+++ b/tests/data/test445
@@ -57,5 +57,8 @@ Refuse tunneling protocols through HTTP proxy
 <errorcode>
 56
 </errorcode>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 1700
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test497 b/tests/data/test497
index dec1808f9b..02ec8e802f 100644
--- a/tests/data/test497
+++ b/tests/data/test497
@@ -52,5 +52,8 @@ Accept: */*
 <errorcode>
 56
 </errorcode>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 1900
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test500 b/tests/data/test500
index c215318bc5..0534cae1e5 100644
--- a/tests/data/test500
+++ b/tests/data/test500
@@ -54,5 +54,9 @@ Host: %HOSTIP:%HTTPPORT
 Accept: */*
 
 </protocol>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 80
+Maximum allocated: 33400
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test575 b/tests/data/test575
index 35b65a3d6f..fbb7343d96 100644
--- a/tests/data/test575
+++ b/tests/data/test575
@@ -120,5 +120,8 @@ This file should have permissions 777
 This is content of file "file.txt"
 Some junk ;-) This file does not really exist.
 </stdout>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 1500
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test747 b/tests/data/test747
index 6b541a4337..4397c7741c 100644
--- a/tests/data/test747
+++ b/tests/data/test747
@@ -52,5 +52,8 @@ Accept: */*
 <errorcode>
 100
 </errorcode>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 6000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test751 b/tests/data/test751
index ffc6df512f..21a3df2507 100644
--- a/tests/data/test751
+++ b/tests/data/test751
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ multi - add many easy handles
 </file>
 </client>
 
-# Verify data after the test has been "shot"
+# 1000 easy handles needs memory
 <verify>
+<limits>
+Maximum allocated: 6000000
+Allocations: 7000
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test993 b/tests/data/test993
index 01248de339..2f5607b679 100644
--- a/tests/data/test993
+++ b/tests/data/test993
@@ -38,5 +38,8 @@ PASS secret
 LIST
 QUIT
 </protocol>
+<limits>
+Allocations: 2200
+</limits>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/runtests.pl b/tests/runtests.pl
index db9054ba1f..39e9bca3f7 100755
--- a/tests/runtests.pl
+++ b/tests/runtests.pl
@@ -1698,6 +1698,48 @@ sub singletest_check {
             else {
                 $ok .= "m";
             }
+            my @more=`$memanalyze -v "$logdir/$MEMDUMP"`;
+            my $allocs;
+            my $max;
+            for(@more) {
+                if(/^Allocations: (\d+)/) {
+                    $allocs = $1;
+                }
+                elsif(/^Maximum allocated: (\d+)/) {
+                    $max = $1;
+                }
+            }
+            my @limits = getpart("verify", "limits");
+            my $lim_allocs = 1000; # high default values
+            my $lim_max = 1000000;
+            for(@limits) {
+                if(/^Allocations: (\d+)/i) {
+                    $lim_allocs = $1;
+                }
+                elsif(/^Maximum allocated: (\d+)/i) {
+                    $lim_max = $1;
+                }
+            }
+            logmsg "did $allocs allocations, $lim_allocs allowed\n"
+                if($verbose);
+
+            logmsg "allocated $max maximum, $lim_max allowed\n"
+                if($verbose);
+
+            if($allocs > $lim_allocs) {
+                logmsg "\n** TOO MANY ALLOCS\n";
+                logmsg "$lim_allocs allocations allowed, did $allocs\n";
+                # timestamp test result verification end
+                $timevrfyend{$testnum} = Time::HiRes::time();
+                return -1;
+            }
+            if($max > $lim_max) {
+                logmsg "\n** TOO MUCH TOTAL ALLOCATION\n";
+                logmsg "$lim_max maximum allocation allowed, did $max\n";
+                # timestamp test result verification end
+                $timevrfyend{$testnum} = Time::HiRes::time();
+                return -1;
+            }
         }
     }
     else {