diff --git a/lokimq/lokimq.cpp b/lokimq/lokimq.cpp
index 930f7c1..e659fb2 100644
--- a/lokimq/lokimq.cpp
+++ b/lokimq/lokimq.cpp
@@ -237,6 +237,12 @@ void LokiMQ::start() {
 
     LMQ_LOG(info, "Initializing LokiMQ ", bind.empty() ? "remote-only" : "listener", " with pubkey ", to_hex(pubkey));
 
+    int zmq_socket_limit = context.getctxopt(ZMQ_SOCKET_LIMIT);
+    if (MAX_SOCKETS > 1 && MAX_SOCKETS <= zmq_socket_limit)
+        context.setctxopt(ZMQ_MAX_SOCKETS, MAX_SOCKETS);
+    else
+        LMQ_LOG(error, "Not applying LokiMQ::MAX_SOCKETS setting: ", MAX_SOCKETS, " must be in [1, ", zmq_socket_limit, "]");
+
     // We bind `command` here so that the `get_control_socket()` below is always connecting to a
     // bound socket, but we do nothing else here: the proxy thread is responsible for everything
     // except binding it.
diff --git a/lokimq/lokimq.h b/lokimq/lokimq.h
index 9c66e3a..656a1a5 100644
--- a/lokimq/lokimq.h
+++ b/lokimq/lokimq.h
@@ -196,6 +196,11 @@ public:
      * disconnected. -1 means no limit. */
     int64_t MAX_MSG_SIZE = 1 * 1024 * 1024;
 
+    /** Maximum open sockets, passed to the ZMQ context during start().  The default here is 10k,
+     * designed to be enough to be more than enough to allow a full-mesh SN layer connection if
+     * necessary for the forseeable future. */
+    int MAX_SOCKETS = 10000;
+
     /** Minimum reconnect interval: when a connection fails or dies, wait this long before
      * attempting to reconnect.  (ZMQ may randomize the value somewhat to avoid reconnection
      * storms).  See RECONNECT_INTERVAL_MAX as well.  The LokiMQ default is 250ms.