diff --git a/lisp/gnus/gnus-nocem.el b/lisp/gnus/gnus-nocem.el
index 597228d5f6f..c67faaf52b7 100644
--- a/lisp/gnus/gnus-nocem.el
+++ b/lisp/gnus/gnus-nocem.el
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ;;; gnus-nocem.el --- NoCeM pseudo-cancellation treatment
 
-;; Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+;; Copyright (C) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
 ;; Author: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>
 ;; Keywords: news
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ matches an previously scanned and verified nocem message."
   :group 'gnus-nocem
   :type 'boolean)
 
+(defcustom gnus-nocem-check-article-limit nil
+  "*If non-nil, the maximum number of articles to check in any NoCeM group."
+  :group 'gnus-nocem
+  :type '(choice (const :tag "unlimited" nil)
+		 (integer 1000)))
+
 ;;; Internal variables
 
 (defvar gnus-nocem-active nil)
@@ -174,8 +180,10 @@ matches an previously scanned and verified nocem message."
 				(not (member (mail-header-message-id header)
 					     gnus-nocem-seen-message-ids))))
 		       (push header check-headers)))
-		(let ((i 0)
-		      (len (length check-headers)))
+		(let* ((i 0)
+		       (check-headers
+			(last check-headers gnus-nocem-check-article-limit))
+		       (len (length check-headers)))
 		  (dolist (h check-headers)
 		    (gnus-message
 		     7 "Checking article %d in %s for NoCeM (%d of %d)..."