diff --git a/Lib/fnmatch.py b/Lib/fnmatch.py
index 26ae4ccb14d..be1fd1d16ce 100644
--- a/Lib/fnmatch.py
+++ b/Lib/fnmatch.py
@@ -12,12 +12,17 @@
 
 import re
 
-__all__ = ["filter", "fnmatch","fnmatchcase","translate"]
+__all__ = ["filter", "fnmatch", "fnmatchcase", "translate"]
 
 _cache = {}  # Maps text patterns to compiled regexen.
 _cacheb = {}  # Ditto for bytes patterns.
 _MAXCACHE = 100 # Maximum size of caches
 
+def _purge():
+    """Clear the pattern cache"""
+    _cache.clear()
+    _cacheb.clear()
+
 def fnmatch(name, pat):
     """Test whether FILENAME matches PATTERN.
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_fnmatch.py b/Lib/test/test_fnmatch.py
index f2966ad7240..abf88114619 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_fnmatch.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_fnmatch.py
@@ -3,10 +3,14 @@
 from test import support
 import unittest
 
-from fnmatch import fnmatch, fnmatchcase, _MAXCACHE, _cache, _cacheb
+from fnmatch import fnmatch, fnmatchcase, _MAXCACHE, _cache, _cacheb, _purge
 
 
 class FnmatchTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        _purge()
+
     def check_match(self, filename, pattern, should_match=1):
         if should_match:
             self.assertTrue(fnmatch(filename, pattern),