diff --git a/pkg/api/api_test.go b/pkg/api/api_test.go
index 5ccafbcce..de720791a 100644
--- a/pkg/api/api_test.go
+++ b/pkg/api/api_test.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ var _ = Suite(&MySuite{
 
 var _ = Suite(&MySuite{
 	initDriver: func() (drivers.Driver, string) {
-		_, _, driver := memory.Start(1000)
+		_, _, driver := memory.Start(1000, 3*time.Hour)
 		return driver, ""
 	},
 })
diff --git a/pkg/server/server.go b/pkg/server/server.go
index 31726c1fd..4d3338775 100644
--- a/pkg/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/server/server.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/minio-io/minio/pkg/storage/drivers/memory"
 	"github.com/minio-io/minio/pkg/utils/log"
 	"reflect"
+	"time"
 )
 
 // MemoryFactory is used to build memory api servers
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ type MemoryFactory struct {
 // GetStartServerFunc builds memory api servers
 func (f MemoryFactory) GetStartServerFunc() StartServerFunc {
 	return func() (chan<- string, <-chan error) {
-		_, _, driver := memory.Start(f.MaxMemory)
+		_, _, driver := memory.Start(f.MaxMemory, 3*time.Hour)
 		ctrl, status, _ := httpserver.Start(api.HTTPHandler(f.Domain, driver), f.Config)
 		return ctrl, status
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory.go b/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory.go
index 489e901aa..89b4768a3 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory.go
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ type memoryDriver struct {
 	lock           *sync.RWMutex
 	totalSize      uint64
 	maxSize        uint64
+	expiration     time.Duration
+	shutdown       bool
 }
 
 type storedBucket struct {
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ const (
 )
 
 // Start memory object server
-func Start(maxSize uint64) (chan<- string, <-chan error, drivers.Driver) {
+func Start(maxSize uint64, expiration time.Duration) (chan<- string, <-chan error, drivers.Driver) {
 	ctrlChannel := make(chan string)
 	errorChannel := make(chan error)
 
@@ -75,6 +77,8 @@ func Start(maxSize uint64) (chan<- string, <-chan error, drivers.Driver) {
 	memory.objectMetadata = make(map[string]storedObject)
 	memory.objects = lru.New(0)
 	memory.lock = new(sync.RWMutex)
+	memory.expiration = expiration
+	memory.shutdown = false
 
 	switch {
 	case maxSize == 0:
@@ -87,6 +91,9 @@ func Start(maxSize uint64) (chan<- string, <-chan error, drivers.Driver) {
 
 	memory.objects.OnEvicted = memory.evictObject
 
+	// set up memory expiration
+	go memory.expireObjects()
+
 	go start(ctrlChannel, errorChannel)
 	return ctrlChannel, errorChannel, memory
 }
@@ -470,3 +477,41 @@ func (memory *memoryDriver) evictObject(key lru.Key, value interface{}) {
 	log.Println("evicting:", k)
 	delete(memory.objectMetadata, k)
 }
+
+func (memory *memoryDriver) expireObjects() {
+	for {
+		if memory.shutdown {
+			return
+		}
+		var keysToRemove []string
+		memory.lock.RLock()
+		var earliest time.Time
+		empty := true
+		for key, object := range memory.objectMetadata {
+			if empty {
+				empty = false
+			}
+			if time.Now().Add(-memory.expiration).After(object.metadata.Created) {
+				keysToRemove = append(keysToRemove, key)
+			} else {
+				if object.metadata.Created.Before(earliest) {
+					earliest = object.metadata.Created
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		memory.lock.RUnlock()
+		memory.lock.Lock()
+		for _, key := range keysToRemove {
+			memory.objects.Remove(key)
+		}
+		memory.lock.Unlock()
+		if empty {
+			time.Sleep(memory.expiration)
+		} else {
+			sleepFor := earliest.Sub(time.Now())
+			if sleepFor > 0 {
+				time.Sleep(sleepFor)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory_test.go b/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory_test.go
index bd79e0dd9..ed53a0577 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory_test.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/drivers/memory/memory_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 
 	. "github.com/minio-io/check"
 	"github.com/minio-io/minio/pkg/storage/drivers"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func Test(t *testing.T) { TestingT(t) }
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ var _ = Suite(&MySuite{})
 
 func (s *MySuite) TestAPISuite(c *C) {
 	create := func() drivers.Driver {
-		_, _, store := Start(1000)
+		_, _, store := Start(1000, 3*time.Hour)
 		return store
 	}
 	drivers.APITestSuite(c, create)