diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3f92da69f..282345db7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 
 * [#1164](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/pull/1164): Fix an error in `cider-browse-ns--doc-at-point`.
 * [#1189](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/issues/1189): Don't show result from automatic ns form evaluation.
+* [#1079](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/issues/1079): Don't try to font-lock very long results. The maximum font-lockable result length is controlled by `cider-font-lock-max-length`.
 
 ## 0.9.1 / 2015-06-24
 
diff --git a/cider-util.el b/cider-util.el
index 429e67977..8e7c0b3b7 100644
--- a/cider-util.el
+++ b/cider-util.el
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@
 (require 'cl-lib)
 (require 'clojure-mode)
 
+(defconst cider-font-lock-max-length 10000
+  "The max length of strings to fontify in `cider-font-lock-as'.")
+
 (defun cider-util--hash-keys (hashtable)
   "Return a list of keys in HASHTABLE."
   (let ((keys '()))
@@ -83,15 +86,17 @@ PROP is the name of a text property."
 
 (defun cider-font-lock-as (mode string)
   "Use MODE to font-lock the STRING."
-  (with-temp-buffer
-    (insert string)
-    ;; suppress major mode hooks as we care only about their font-locking
-    ;; otherwise modes like whitespace-mode and paredit might interfere
-    (setq-local delay-mode-hooks t)
-    (setq delayed-mode-hooks nil)
-    (funcall mode)
-    (font-lock-ensure)
-    (buffer-string)))
+  (if (< (length string) cider-font-lock-max-length)
+      (with-temp-buffer
+        (insert string)
+        ;; suppress major mode hooks as we care only about their font-locking
+        ;; otherwise modes like whitespace-mode and paredit might interfere
+        (setq-local delay-mode-hooks t)
+        (setq delayed-mode-hooks nil)
+        (funcall mode)
+        (font-lock-ensure)
+        (buffer-string))
+    string))
 
 (defun cider-font-lock-region-as (mode beg end &optional buffer)
   "Use MODE to font-lock text between BEG and END.