diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.cpp
index d64d37384..c73406468 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ dbf_file::dbf_file()
       record_length_(0),
       record_(0) {}
 
-dbf_file::dbf_file(std::string const& file_name)
+dbf_file::dbf_file(std::string const& file_name, bool update_cache)
     :num_records_(0),
      num_fields_(0),
      record_length_(0),
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ dbf_file::dbf_file(std::string const& file_name)
 {
 
 #if defined(MAPNIK_MEMORY_MAPPED_FILE)
-    boost::optional<mapnik::mapped_region_ptr> memory = mapnik::mapped_memory_cache::instance().find(file_name,true);
+    boost::optional<mapnik::mapped_region_ptr> memory = mapnik::mapped_memory_cache::instance().find(file_name, update_cache);
     if (memory)
     {
         mapped_region_ = *memory;
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.hpp
index 9ff022400..0f6f37db1 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/dbfile.hpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ private:
     char* record_;
 public:
     dbf_file();
-    dbf_file(std::string const& file_name);
+    dbf_file(std::string const& file_name, bool update_cache = true);
     ~dbf_file();
     bool is_open();
     int num_records() const;
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp
index 56d7a6aae..d101ba8c4 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ shape_datasource::shape_datasource(parameters const& params)
       file_length_(0),
       indexed_(false),
       row_limit_(*params.get<mapnik::value_integer>("row_limit",0)),
+      update_cache_(*params.get<mapnik::value_bool>("update-cache", true)),
       desc_(shape_datasource::name(), *params.get<std::string>("encoding","utf-8"))
 {
 #ifdef MAPNIK_STATS
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.hpp
index f702036eb..ee1647512 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_datasource.hpp
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ private:
     box2d<double> extent_;
     bool indexed_;
     const int row_limit_;
+    const bool update_cache_;
     layer_descriptor desc_;
 };
 
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.cpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.cpp
index 5dd591996..b3423e62a 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.cpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.cpp
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ const std::string shape_io::SHX = ".shx";
 const std::string shape_io::DBF = ".dbf";
 const std::string shape_io::INDEX = ".index";
 
-shape_io::shape_io(std::string const& shape_name, bool open_index)
+shape_io::shape_io(std::string const& shape_name, bool open_index, bool update_cache)
     : type_(shape_null),
-      shp_(shape_name + SHP),
-      shx_(shape_name + SHX),
-      dbf_(shape_name + DBF),
+      shp_(shape_name + SHP, update_cache),
+      shx_(shape_name + SHX, update_cache),
+      dbf_(shape_name + DBF, update_cache),
       reclength_(0),
       id_(0)
 {
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp
index 1828ebd54..6ff634413 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shape_io.hpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public:
         shape_multipatch = 31
     };
 
-    shape_io(std::string const& shape_name, bool open_index=true);
+    shape_io(std::string const& shape_name, bool open_index = true, bool update_cache = true);
     ~shape_io();
 
     shape_file& shp();
diff --git a/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp b/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
index 15e5c7757..c175ba6d5 100644
--- a/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
+++ b/plugins/input/shape/shapefile.hpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ public:
 
     shape_file() {}
 
-    shape_file(std::string  const& file_name) :
+    shape_file(std::string  const& file_name, bool update_cache = true) :
 #if defined(MAPNIK_MEMORY_MAPPED_FILE)
         file_()
 #elif defined (_WINDOWS)
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ public:
     {
 #if defined(MAPNIK_MEMORY_MAPPED_FILE)
         boost::optional<mapnik::mapped_region_ptr> memory =
-            mapnik::mapped_memory_cache::instance().find(file_name,true);
+            mapnik::mapped_memory_cache::instance().find(file_name, update_cache);
 
         if (memory)
         {