diff --git a/src/microdot.py b/src/microdot.py
index e1384d7..ce11cf7 100644
--- a/src/microdot.py
+++ b/src/microdot.py
@@ -198,6 +198,15 @@ class Request():
     #:    Request.max_content_length = 1 * 1024 * 1024  # 1MB requests allowed
     max_content_length = 16 * 1024
 
+    #: Specify the maximum length allowed for a line in the request. Requests
+    #: with longer lines will not be correctly interpreted. Applications can
+    #: change this maximum as necessary.
+    #:
+    #: Example::
+    #:
+    #:    Request.max_readline = 16 * 1024  # 16KB lines allowed
+    max_readline = 2 * 1024
+
     class G:
         pass
 
@@ -244,7 +253,7 @@ class Request():
         This method returns a newly created ``Request`` object.
         """
         # request line
-        line = client_stream.readline().strip().decode()
+        line = Request._safe_readline(client_stream).strip().decode()
         if not line:
             return None
         method, url, http_version = line.split()
@@ -254,7 +263,7 @@ class Request():
         headers = {}
         content_length = 0
         while True:
-            line = client_stream.readline().strip().decode()
+            line = Request._safe_readline(client_stream).strip().decode()
             if line == '':
                 break
             header, value = line.split(':', 1)
@@ -298,6 +307,14 @@ class Request():
             self._form = self._parse_urlencoded(self.body.decode())
         return self._form
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _safe_readline(stream):
+        line = stream.readline(Request.max_readline + 1)
+        print(line, Request.max_readline)
+        if len(line) > Request.max_readline:
+            raise ValueError('line too long')
+        return line
+
 
 class Response():
     """An HTTP response class.
diff --git a/src/microdot_asyncio.py b/src/microdot_asyncio.py
index 04d3bdd..71035d4 100644
--- a/src/microdot_asyncio.py
+++ b/src/microdot_asyncio.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class Request(BaseRequest):
         object.
         """
         # request line
-        line = (await client_stream.readline()).strip().decode()
+        line = (await Request._safe_readline(client_stream)).strip().decode()
         if not line:  # pragma: no cover
             return None
         method, url, http_version = line.split()
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ class Request(BaseRequest):
         headers = {}
         content_length = 0
         while True:
-            line = (await client_stream.readline()).strip().decode()
+            line = (await Request._safe_readline(
+                client_stream)).strip().decode()
             if line == '':
                 break
             header, value = line.split(':', 1)
@@ -60,6 +61,13 @@ class Request(BaseRequest):
         return Request(app, client_addr, method, url, http_version, headers,
                        body)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    async def _safe_readline(stream):
+        line = (await stream.readline())
+        if len(line) > Request.max_readline:
+            raise ValueError('line too long')
+        return line
+
 
 class Response(BaseResponse):
     """An HTTP response class.
diff --git a/tests/microdot/test_request.py b/tests/microdot/test_request.py
index 62fb06e..2aef941 100644
--- a/tests/microdot/test_request.py
+++ b/tests/microdot/test_request.py
@@ -79,6 +79,18 @@ class TestRequest(unittest.TestCase):
         req = Request.create('app', fd, 'addr')
         self.assertIsNone(req.form)
 
+    def test_large_line(self):
+        saved_max_readline = Request.max_readline
+        Request.max_readline = 16
+
+        fd = get_request_fd('GET', '/foo', headers={
+            'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'},
+            body='foo=bar&abc=def&x=y')
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            Request.create('app', fd, 'addr')
+
+        Request.max_readline = saved_max_readline
+
     def test_large_payload(self):
         saved_max_content_length = Request.max_content_length
         Request.max_content_length = 16
@@ -87,6 +99,6 @@ class TestRequest(unittest.TestCase):
             'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'},
             body='foo=bar&abc=def&x=y')
         req = Request.create('app', fd, 'addr')
-        assert req.body == b''
+        self.assertEqual(req.body, b'')
 
         Request.max_content_length = saved_max_content_length
diff --git a/tests/microdot_asyncio/test_request_asyncio.py b/tests/microdot_asyncio/test_request_asyncio.py
index 882d1ce..b4a63b6 100644
--- a/tests/microdot_asyncio/test_request_asyncio.py
+++ b/tests/microdot_asyncio/test_request_asyncio.py
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ class TestRequestAsync(unittest.TestCase):
         req = _run(Request.create('app', fd, 'addr'))
         self.assertIsNone(req.form)
 
+    def test_large_line(self):
+        saved_max_readline = Request.max_readline
+        Request.max_readline = 16
+
+        fd = get_async_request_fd('GET', '/foo', headers={
+            'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'},
+            body='foo=bar&abc=def&x=y')
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            _run(Request.create('app', fd, 'addr'))
+
+        Request.max_readline = saved_max_readline
+
     def test_large_payload(self):
         saved_max_content_length = Request.max_content_length
         Request.max_content_length = 16
@@ -97,6 +109,6 @@ class TestRequestAsync(unittest.TestCase):
             'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'},
             body='foo=bar&abc=def&x=y')
         req = _run(Request.create('app', fd, 'addr'))
-        assert req.body == b''
+        self.assertEqual(req.body, b'')
 
         Request.max_content_length = saved_max_content_length