diff --git a/django/db/migrations/graph.py b/django/db/migrations/graph.py
index 8d332edb98..46b6485300 100644
--- a/django/db/migrations/graph.py
+++ b/django/db/migrations/graph.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import warnings
 from collections import deque
 
 from django.db.migrations.state import ProjectState
@@ -7,6 +8,13 @@ from django.utils.datastructures import OrderedSet
 from django.utils.encoding import python_2_unicode_compatible
 from django.utils.functional import total_ordering
 
+RECURSION_DEPTH_WARNING = (
+    "Maximum recursion depth exceeded while generating migration graph, "
+    "falling back to iterative approach. If you're experiencing performance issues, "
+    "consider squashing migrations as described at "
+    "https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/topics/migrations/#squashing-migrations."
+)
+
 
 @python_2_unicode_compatible
 @total_ordering
@@ -139,7 +147,12 @@ class MigrationGraph(object):
         self.ensure_not_cyclic(target, lambda x: (parent.key for parent in self.node_map[x].parents))
         self.cached = True
         node = self.node_map[target]
-        return node.ancestors()
+        try:
+            return node.ancestors()
+        except RuntimeError:
+            # fallback to iterative dfs
+            warnings.warn(RECURSION_DEPTH_WARNING, RuntimeWarning)
+            return self.iterative_dfs(node)
 
     def backwards_plan(self, target):
         """
@@ -154,7 +167,35 @@ class MigrationGraph(object):
         self.ensure_not_cyclic(target, lambda x: (child.key for child in self.node_map[x].children))
         self.cached = True
         node = self.node_map[target]
-        return node.descendants()
+        try:
+            return node.descendants()
+        except RuntimeError:
+            # fallback to iterative dfs
+            warnings.warn(RECURSION_DEPTH_WARNING, RuntimeWarning)
+            return self.iterative_dfs(node, forwards=False)
+
+    def iterative_dfs(self, start, forwards=True):
+        """
+        Iterative depth first search, for finding dependencies.
+        """
+        visited = deque()
+        visited.append(start)
+        if forwards:
+            stack = deque(sorted(start.parents))
+        else:
+            stack = deque(sorted(start.children))
+        while stack:
+            node = stack.popleft()
+            visited.appendleft(node)
+            if forwards:
+                children = sorted(node.parents, reverse=True)
+            else:
+                children = sorted(node.children, reverse=True)
+            # reverse sorting is needed because prepending using deque.extendleft
+            # also effectively reverses values
+            stack.extendleft(children)
+
+        return list(OrderedSet(visited))
 
     def root_nodes(self, app=None):
         """
diff --git a/tests/migrations/test_graph.py b/tests/migrations/test_graph.py
index ffb67dacef..e2b119defc 100644
--- a/tests/migrations/test_graph.py
+++ b/tests/migrations/test_graph.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-from unittest import expectedFailure
+import warnings
 
 from django.db.migrations.graph import (
-    CircularDependencyError, MigrationGraph, NodeNotFoundError,
+    RECURSION_DEPTH_WARNING, CircularDependencyError, MigrationGraph,
+    NodeNotFoundError,
 )
 from django.test import TestCase
 from django.utils.encoding import force_text
@@ -164,11 +165,14 @@ class GraphTests(TestCase):
             graph.add_node(child, None)
             graph.add_dependency(str(i), child, parent)
             expected.append(child)
+        leaf = expected[-1]
 
-        actual = graph.node_map[root].descendants()
-        self.assertEqual(expected[::-1], actual)
+        forwards_plan = graph.forwards_plan(leaf)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, forwards_plan)
+
+        backwards_plan = graph.backwards_plan(root)
+        self.assertEqual(expected[::-1], backwards_plan)
 
-    @expectedFailure
     def test_graph_iterative(self):
         graph = MigrationGraph()
         root = ("app_a", "1")
@@ -180,9 +184,23 @@ class GraphTests(TestCase):
             graph.add_node(child, None)
             graph.add_dependency(str(i), child, parent)
             expected.append(child)
+        leaf = expected[-1]
 
-        actual = graph.node_map[root].descendants()
-        self.assertEqual(expected[::-1], actual)
+        with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as w:
+            forwards_plan = graph.forwards_plan(leaf)
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(w), 1)
+        self.assertTrue(issubclass(w[-1].category, RuntimeWarning))
+        self.assertEqual(str(w[-1].message), RECURSION_DEPTH_WARNING)
+        self.assertEqual(expected, forwards_plan)
+
+        with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as w:
+            backwards_plan = graph.backwards_plan(root)
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(w), 1)
+        self.assertTrue(issubclass(w[-1].category, RuntimeWarning))
+        self.assertEqual(str(w[-1].message), RECURSION_DEPTH_WARNING)
+        self.assertEqual(expected[::-1], backwards_plan)
 
     def test_plan_invalid_node(self):
         """