diff --git a/gdb/remote.c b/gdb/remote.c
index 501f3c6..03c7ab7 100644
--- a/gdb/remote.c
+++ b/gdb/remote.c
@@ -10160,6 +10160,12 @@ remote_xfer_partial (struct target_ops *ops, enum target_object object,
   return TARGET_XFER_OK;
 }
 
+static ULONGEST
+remote_get_memory_xfer_limit (struct target_ops *ops)
+{
+  return get_memory_write_packet_size ();
+}
+
 static int
 remote_search_memory (struct target_ops* ops,
 		      CORE_ADDR start_addr, ULONGEST search_space_len,
@@ -13073,6 +13079,7 @@ Specify the serial device it is connected to\n\
   remote_ops.to_interrupt = remote_interrupt;
   remote_ops.to_pass_ctrlc = remote_pass_ctrlc;
   remote_ops.to_xfer_partial = remote_xfer_partial;
+  remote_ops.to_get_memory_xfer_limit = remote_get_memory_xfer_limit;
   remote_ops.to_rcmd = remote_rcmd;
   remote_ops.to_pid_to_exec_file = remote_pid_to_exec_file;
   remote_ops.to_log_command = serial_log_command;
diff --git a/gdb/target-delegates.c b/gdb/target-delegates.c
index 03aa2cc..18f22b5 100644
--- a/gdb/target-delegates.c
+++ b/gdb/target-delegates.c
@@ -2064,6 +2064,27 @@ debug_xfer_partial (struct target_ops *self, enum target_object arg1, const char
   return result;
 }
 
+static ULONGEST
+delegate_get_memory_xfer_limit (struct target_ops *self)
+{
+  self = self->beneath;
+  return self->to_get_memory_xfer_limit (self);
+}
+
+static ULONGEST
+debug_get_memory_xfer_limit (struct target_ops *self)
+{
+  ULONGEST result;
+  fprintf_unfiltered (gdb_stdlog, "-> %s->to_get_memory_xfer_limit (...)\n", debug_target.to_shortname);
+  result = debug_target.to_get_memory_xfer_limit (&debug_target);
+  fprintf_unfiltered (gdb_stdlog, "<- %s->to_get_memory_xfer_limit (", debug_target.to_shortname);
+  target_debug_print_struct_target_ops_p (&debug_target);
+  fputs_unfiltered (") = ", gdb_stdlog);
+  target_debug_print_ULONGEST (result);
+  fputs_unfiltered ("\n", gdb_stdlog);
+  return result;
+}
+
 static VEC(mem_region_s) *
 delegate_memory_map (struct target_ops *self)
 {
@@ -4223,6 +4244,8 @@ install_delegators (struct target_ops *ops)
     ops->to_get_thread_local_address = delegate_get_thread_local_address;
   if (ops->to_xfer_partial == NULL)
     ops->to_xfer_partial = delegate_xfer_partial;
+  if (ops->to_get_memory_xfer_limit == NULL)
+    ops->to_get_memory_xfer_limit = delegate_get_memory_xfer_limit;
   if (ops->to_memory_map == NULL)
     ops->to_memory_map = delegate_memory_map;
   if (ops->to_flash_erase == NULL)
@@ -4454,6 +4477,7 @@ install_dummy_methods (struct target_ops *ops)
   ops->to_goto_bookmark = tdefault_goto_bookmark;
   ops->to_get_thread_local_address = tdefault_get_thread_local_address;
   ops->to_xfer_partial = tdefault_xfer_partial;
+  ops->to_get_memory_xfer_limit = default_get_memory_xfer_limit;
   ops->to_memory_map = tdefault_memory_map;
   ops->to_flash_erase = tdefault_flash_erase;
   ops->to_flash_done = tdefault_flash_done;
@@ -4610,6 +4634,7 @@ init_debug_target (struct target_ops *ops)
   ops->to_goto_bookmark = debug_goto_bookmark;
   ops->to_get_thread_local_address = debug_get_thread_local_address;
   ops->to_xfer_partial = debug_xfer_partial;
+  ops->to_get_memory_xfer_limit = debug_get_memory_xfer_limit;
   ops->to_memory_map = debug_memory_map;
   ops->to_flash_erase = debug_flash_erase;
   ops->to_flash_done = debug_flash_done;
diff --git a/gdb/target.c b/gdb/target.c
index 6f69ac3..57202b4 100644
--- a/gdb/target.c
+++ b/gdb/target.c
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ static int default_region_ok_for_hw_watchpoint (struct target_ops *,
 
 static void default_rcmd (struct target_ops *, const char *, struct ui_file *);
 
+static ULONGEST default_get_memory_xfer_limit (struct target_ops *self);
+
 static ptid_t default_get_ada_task_ptid (struct target_ops *self,
 					 long lwp, long tid);
 
@@ -623,6 +625,17 @@ default_terminal_info (struct target_ops *self, const char *args, int from_tty)
   printf_unfiltered (_("No saved terminal information.\n"));
 }
 
+/* The default implementation for the to_get_memory_xfer_limit method.
+   The hard-coded limit here was determined to be a reasonable default
+   that eliminated exponential slowdown on very large transfers without
+   unduly compromising performance on smaller transfers.  */
+
+static ULONGEST
+default_get_memory_xfer_limit (struct target_ops *self)
+{
+  return 4096;
+}
+
 /* A default implementation for the to_get_ada_task_ptid target method.
 
    This function builds the PTID by using both LWP and TID as part of
@@ -1301,8 +1314,9 @@ memory_xfer_partial (struct target_ops *ops, enum target_object object,
 	 by memory_xfer_partial_1.  We will continually malloc
 	 and free a copy of the entire write request for breakpoint
 	 shadow handling even though we only end up writing a small
-	 subset of it.  Cap writes to 4KB to mitigate this.  */
-      len = min (4096, len);
+	 subset of it.  Cap writes to a limit specified by the target
+	 to mitigate this.  */
+      len = min (ops->to_get_memory_xfer_limit (ops), len);
 
       buf = (gdb_byte *) xmalloc (len);
       old_chain = make_cleanup (xfree, buf);
diff --git a/gdb/target.h b/gdb/target.h
index 6b5b6e0..84f12a9 100644
--- a/gdb/target.h
+++ b/gdb/target.h
@@ -745,6 +745,12 @@ struct target_ops
 						ULONGEST *xfered_len)
       TARGET_DEFAULT_RETURN (TARGET_XFER_E_IO);
 
+    /* Return the limit on the size of any single memory transfer
+       for the target.  */
+
+    ULONGEST (*to_get_memory_xfer_limit) (struct target_ops *)
+      TARGET_DEFAULT_FUNC (default_get_memory_xfer_limit);
+
     /* Returns the memory map for the target.  A return value of NULL
        means that no memory map is available.  If a memory address
        does not fall within any returned regions, it's assumed to be
