diff --git a/guix/scripts/lint.scm b/guix/scripts/lint.scm
index 9920c3ee62..6d9b9e96a9 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/lint.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/lint.scm
@@ -209,23 +209,31 @@ (define (parse-options)
       (list-checkers-and-exit checkers))
 
     (with-error-handling
-      (let ((any-lint-checker-requires-store?
-             (any lint-checker-requires-store? checkers)))
+      (let ((store-needed? (any lint-checker-requires-store? checkers)))
 
-        (define (call-maybe-with-store proc)
-          (if any-lint-checker-requires-store?
-              (with-store store
-                (proc store))
-              (proc #f)))
-
-        (call-maybe-with-store
-         (lambda (store)
-           (cond
-            ((null? args)
-             (fold-packages (lambda (p r) (run-checkers p checkers
-                                                        #:store store)) '()))
-            (else
-             (for-each (lambda (package)
-                         (run-checkers package checkers
-                                       #:store store))
-                       args)))))))))
+        (cond
+         ((null? args)
+          (let loop ((packages  (fold-packages cons '()))
+                     (processed 0)
+                     (store     #f))
+            (match packages
+              ((package . rest)
+               (let ((store (and store-needed?
+                                 (if store
+                                     ;; XXX: Periodically start a new session
+                                     ;; with empty caches to avoid unbounded
+                                     ;; heap growth caused by the 'derivation'
+                                     ;; checker.
+                                     (if (zero? (modulo processed 1000))
+                                         (begin
+                                           (close-connection store)
+                                           (open-connection))
+                                         store)
+                                     (open-connection)))))
+                 (run-checkers package checkers #:store store)
+                 (loop rest (+ 1 processed) store))))))
+         (else
+          (for-each (lambda (package)
+                      (run-checkers package checkers
+                                    #:store store))
+                    args)))))))