diff --git a/wp-settings.php b/wp-settings.php
index 40b00ea30a..5fc0cf53ca 100644
--- a/wp-settings.php
+++ b/wp-settings.php
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@
  * @package WordPress
  */
 
+if ( !defined('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT') )
+	define('WP_MEMORY_LIMIT', '32M');
+
+if ( function_exists('memory_get_usage') && ( (int) @ini_get('memory_limit') < abs(intval(WP_MEMORY_LIMIT)) ) )
+	@ini_set('memory_limit', WP_MEMORY_LIMIT);
+
 /**
  * wp_unregister_GLOBALS() - Turn register globals off
  *