diff --git a/crates/wasmparser/src/limits.rs b/crates/wasmparser/src/limits.rs
index 953981c02b..094002e2c4 100644
--- a/crates/wasmparser/src/limits.rs
+++ b/crates/wasmparser/src/limits.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ pub const MAX_WASM_ELEMENT_SEGMENTS: usize = 100_000;
 pub const MAX_WASM_DATA_SEGMENTS: usize = 100_000;
 pub const MAX_WASM_STRING_SIZE: usize = 100_000;
 pub const MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_SIZE: usize = 128 * 1024;
-pub const MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_LOCALS: usize = 50000;
+pub const MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_LOCALS: u32 = 50000;
 pub const MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_PARAMS: usize = 1000;
 pub const MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_RETURNS: usize = 1000;
 pub const _MAX_WASM_TABLE_SIZE: usize = 10_000_000;
diff --git a/crates/wasmparser/src/validator/operators.rs b/crates/wasmparser/src/validator/operators.rs
index e36dfc1f4e..1a599681ca 100644
--- a/crates/wasmparser/src/validator/operators.rs
+++ b/crates/wasmparser/src/validator/operators.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ use crate::{
 };
 use crate::{prelude::*, CompositeInnerType, Ordering};
 use core::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};
+use core::{cmp, iter};
 
 #[cfg(feature = "simd")]
 mod simd;
@@ -159,7 +160,7 @@ impl LocalInits {
 
 // No science was performed in the creation of this number, feel free to change
 // it if you so like.
-const MAX_LOCALS_TO_TRACK: usize = 50;
+const MAX_LOCALS_TO_TRACK: u32 = 50;
 
 pub(super) struct Locals {
     // Total number of locals in the function.
@@ -181,7 +182,7 @@ pub(super) struct Locals {
     // `local.{get,set,tee}`. We do a binary search for the index desired, and
     // it either lies in a "hole" where the maximum index is specified later,
     // or it's at the end of the list meaning it's out of bounds.
-    all: Vec<(u32, ValType)>,
+    uncached: Vec<(u32, ValType)>,
 }
 
 /// A Wasm control flow block on the control flow stack during Wasm validation.
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ pub struct OperatorValidatorAllocations {
     operands: Vec<MaybeType>,
     local_inits: LocalInits,
     locals_first: Vec<ValType>,
-    locals_all: Vec<(u32, ValType)>,
+    locals_uncached: Vec<(u32, ValType)>,
 }
 
 /// Type storage within the validator.
@@ -323,7 +324,7 @@ impl OperatorValidator {
             operands,
             local_inits,
             locals_first,
-            locals_all,
+            locals_uncached,
         } = allocs;
         debug_assert!(popped_types_tmp.is_empty());
         debug_assert!(control.is_empty());
@@ -331,12 +332,12 @@ impl OperatorValidator {
         debug_assert!(local_inits.is_empty());
         debug_assert!(local_inits.is_empty());
         debug_assert!(locals_first.is_empty());
-        debug_assert!(locals_all.is_empty());
+        debug_assert!(locals_uncached.is_empty());
         OperatorValidator {
             locals: Locals {
                 num_locals: 0,
                 first: locals_first,
-                all: locals_all,
+                uncached: locals_uncached,
             },
             local_inits,
             features: *features,
@@ -521,7 +522,7 @@ impl OperatorValidator {
                 self.local_inits
             },
             locals_first: clear(self.locals.first),
-            locals_all: clear(self.locals.all),
+            locals_uncached: clear(self.locals.uncached),
         }
     }
 
@@ -4262,20 +4263,23 @@ impl Locals {
     /// definition is unsuccessful in case the amount of total variables
     /// after definition exceeds the allowed maximum number.
     fn define(&mut self, count: u32, ty: ValType) -> bool {
+        if count == 0 {
+            return true;
+        }
+        let vacant_first = MAX_LOCALS_TO_TRACK.saturating_sub(self.num_locals);
         match self.num_locals.checked_add(count) {
-            Some(n) => self.num_locals = n,
+            Some(num_locals) if num_locals > MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_LOCALS => return false,
             None => return false,
+            Some(num_locals) => self.num_locals = num_locals,
+        };
+        let push_to_first = cmp::min(vacant_first, count);
+        self.first
+            .extend(iter::repeat(ty).take(push_to_first as usize));
+        let num_uncached = count - push_to_first;
+        if num_uncached > 0 {
+            let max_uncached_idx = self.num_locals - 1;
+            self.uncached.push((max_uncached_idx, ty));
         }
-        if self.num_locals > (MAX_WASM_FUNCTION_LOCALS as u32) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        for _ in 0..count {
-            if self.first.len() >= MAX_LOCALS_TO_TRACK {
-                break;
-            }
-            self.first.push(ty);
-        }
-        self.all.push((self.num_locals - 1, ty));
         true
     }
 
@@ -4294,17 +4298,17 @@ impl Locals {
     }
 
     fn get_bsearch(&self, idx: u32) -> Option<ValType> {
-        match self.all.binary_search_by_key(&idx, |(idx, _)| *idx) {
+        match self.uncached.binary_search_by_key(&idx, |(idx, _)| *idx) {
             // If this index would be inserted at the end of the list, then the
             // index is out of bounds and we return an error.
-            Err(i) if i == self.all.len() => None,
+            Err(i) if i == self.uncached.len() => None,
 
             // If `Ok` is returned we found the index exactly, or if `Err` is
             // returned the position is the one which is the least index
             // greater that `idx`, which is still the type of `idx` according
             // to our "compressed" representation. In both cases we access the
             // list at index `i`.
-            Ok(i) | Err(i) => Some(self.all[i].1),
+            Ok(i) | Err(i) => Some(self.uncached[i].1),
         }
     }
 }