The illustrative embodiments provide a method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing a number of cache lines in a cache. In one illustrative embodiment, it is determined whether activity on a memory bus in communication with the cache exceeds a threshold activity level. A least important cache line is located in the cache responsive to a determination that the threshold activity level is exceeded, wherein the least important cache line is located using a cache replacement scheme. It is determined whether the least important cache line is clean responsive to the determination that the threshold activity level is exceeded. The least important cache line is selected for replacement in the cache responsive to a determination that the least important cache line is clean. A clean cache line is located within a subset of the number of cache lines and selecting the clean cache line for replacement responsive to an absence of a determination that the least important cache line is not clean, wherein the each cache line in the subset is examined in ascending order of importance according to the cache replacement scheme.