diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 64a931c5..4ac51ca8 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 21/8/14 started 7.40.7
 - fix matlab load
+- fix memleak in tilecache [Lovell]
 
 12/8/14 started 7.40.6
 - more doc fixes
diff --git a/libvips/conversion/tilecache.c b/libvips/conversion/tilecache.c
index 9530db3a..1634cdf1 100644
--- a/libvips/conversion/tilecache.c
+++ b/libvips/conversion/tilecache.c
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
  * 	- could deadlock if downstream raised an error (thanks Todd)
  * 25/4/13
  * 	- cache minimisation is optional, see "persistent" flag
+ * 26/8/14 Lovell
+ * 	- free the hash table in _dispose()
  */
 
 /*
@@ -156,6 +158,10 @@ vips_block_cache_dispose( GObject *gobject )
 	VIPS_FREEF( vips_g_mutex_free, cache->lock );
 	VIPS_FREEF( vips_g_cond_free, cache->new_tile );
 
+	if( cache->tiles )
+		g_assert( g_hash_table_size( cache->tiles ) == 0 );
+	VIPS_FREEF( g_hash_table_destroy, cache->tiles );
+
 	G_OBJECT_CLASS( vips_block_cache_parent_class )->dispose( gobject );
 }