diff --git a/src/fmt/print.go b/src/fmt/print.go
index c9d694b07d..32743d0712 100644
--- a/src/fmt/print.go
+++ b/src/fmt/print.go
@@ -139,6 +139,16 @@ func newPrinter() *pp {
 
 // free saves used pp structs in ppFree; avoids an allocation per invocation.
 func (p *pp) free() {
+	// Proper usage of a sync.Pool requires each entry to have approximately
+	// the same memory cost. To obtain this property when the stored type
+	// contains a variably-sized buffer, we add a hard limit on the maximum buffer
+	// to place back in the pool.
+	//
+	// See https://golang.org/issue/23199
+	if cap(p.buf) > 64<<10 {
+		return
+	}
+
 	p.buf = p.buf[:0]
 	p.arg = nil
 	p.value = reflect.Value{}