diff --git a/gdb/dwarf2/read.c b/gdb/dwarf2/read.c
index f8797537108..cb8f86fa352 100644
--- a/gdb/dwarf2/read.c
+++ b/gdb/dwarf2/read.c
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@ struct field_info
    compilation units.  Set this to zero to disable caching.  Cache
    sizes of up to at least twenty will improve startup time for
    typical inter-CU-reference binaries, at an obvious memory cost.  */
-static int dwarf_max_cache_age = 5;
+static int dwarf_max_cache_age = 1000;
 static void
 show_dwarf_max_cache_age (struct ui_file *file, int from_tty,
 			  struct cmd_list_element *c, const char *value)