diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index cb69c19d..5161c267 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -11981,7 +11981,8 @@ def loadTokens(baseDir: str, tokensDict: {}, tokensLookup: {}) -> None:
                 tokensLookup[token] = nickname
 
 
-def runDaemon(allowNewsFollowers: bool,
+def runDaemon(maxFollowers: int,
+              allowNewsFollowers: bool,
               maxNewsPosts: int,
               maxMirroredArticles: int,
               maxNewswireFeedSizeKb: int,
@@ -12132,6 +12133,9 @@ def runDaemon(allowNewsFollowers: bool,
     # attached to RSS feeds pulled in via the newswire
     httpd.maxTags = 32
 
+    # maximum number of followers per account
+    httpd.maxFollowers = maxFollowers
+
     if registration == 'open':
         httpd.registration = True
     else:
@@ -12274,7 +12278,8 @@ def runDaemon(allowNewsFollowers: bool,
                               httpd.translate, unitTest,
                               httpd.YTReplacementDomain,
                               httpd.showPublishedDateOnly,
-                              httpd.allowNewsFollowers), daemon=True)
+                              httpd.allowNewsFollowers,
+                              httpd.maxFollowers), daemon=True)
 
     print('Creating scheduled post thread')
     httpd.thrPostSchedule = \
diff --git a/epicyon.py b/epicyon.py
index ca2d653c..4477a419 100644
--- a/epicyon.py
+++ b/epicyon.py
@@ -130,6 +130,11 @@ parser.add_argument('--maxNewsPosts',
                     default=0,
                     help='Maximum number of news timeline posts to keep. ' +
                     'Zero for no expiry.')
+parser.add_argument('--maxFollowers',
+                    dest='maxFollowers', type=int,
+                    default=2000,
+                    help='Maximum number of followers per account. ' +
+                    'Zero for no limit.')
 parser.add_argument('--postcache', dest='maxRecentPosts', type=int,
                     default=512,
                     help='The maximum number of recent posts to store in RAM')
@@ -1970,6 +1975,11 @@ maxNewsPosts = \
 if maxNewsPosts is not None:
     args.maxNewsPosts = int(maxNewsPosts)
 
+maxFollowers = \
+    getConfigParam(baseDir, 'maxFollowers')
+if maxFollowers is not None:
+    args.maxFollowers = int(maxFollowers)
+
 allowNewsFollowers = \
     getConfigParam(baseDir, 'allowNewsFollowers')
 if allowNewsFollowers is not None:
@@ -1988,7 +1998,8 @@ if setTheme(baseDir, themeName, domain):
     print('Theme set to ' + themeName)
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
-    runDaemon(args.allowNewsFollowers,
+    runDaemon(args.maxFollowers,
+              args.allowNewsFollowers,
               args.maxNewsPosts,
               args.maxMirroredArticles,
               args.maxNewswireFeedSizeKb,
diff --git a/follow.py b/follow.py
index b8cdf1a9..36d815d0 100644
--- a/follow.py
+++ b/follow.py
@@ -253,13 +253,14 @@ def getNoOfFollows(baseDir: str, nickname: str, domain: str,
     with open(filename, "r") as f:
         lines = f.readlines()
         for line in lines:
-            if '#' not in line:
-                if '@' in line and \
-                   '.' in line and \
-                   not line.startswith('http'):
-                    ctr += 1
-                elif line.startswith('http') and '/users/' in line:
-                    ctr += 1
+            if '#' in line:
+                continue
+            if '@' in line and \
+               '.' in line and \
+               not line.startswith('http'):
+                ctr += 1
+            elif line.startswith('http') and '/users/' in line:
+                ctr += 1
     return ctr
 
 
@@ -521,7 +522,8 @@ def receiveFollowRequest(session, baseDir: str, httpPrefix: str,
                          cachedWebfingers: {}, personCache: {},
                          messageJson: {}, federationList: [],
                          debug: bool, projectVersion: str,
-                         allowNewsFollowers: bool) -> bool:
+                         allowNewsFollowers: bool,
+                         maxFollowers: int) -> bool:
     """Receives a follow request within the POST section of HTTPServer
     """
     if not messageJson['type'].startswith('Follow'):
@@ -588,6 +590,13 @@ def receiveFollowRequest(session, baseDir: str, httpPrefix: str,
                 print('DEBUG: Cannot follow system account - ' +
                       nicknameToFollow)
             return True
+    if maxFollowers > 0:
+        if getNoOfFollowers(baseDir,
+                            nicknameToFollow, domainToFollow,
+                            True) > maxFollowers:
+            print('WARN: ' + nicknameToFollow +
+                  ' has reached their maximum number of followers')
+            return True
     handleToFollow = nicknameToFollow + '@' + domainToFollow
     if domainToFollow == domain:
         if not os.path.isdir(baseDir + '/accounts/' + handleToFollow):
diff --git a/inbox.py b/inbox.py
index dda62813..a15b9f9c 100644
--- a/inbox.py
+++ b/inbox.py
@@ -2437,7 +2437,8 @@ def runInboxQueue(recentPostsCache: {}, maxRecentPosts: int,
                   maxEmoji: int, translate: {}, unitTest: bool,
                   YTReplacementDomain: str,
                   showPublishedDateOnly: bool,
-                  allowNewsFollowers: bool) -> None:
+                  allowNewsFollowers: bool,
+                  maxFollowers: int) -> None:
     """Processes received items and moves them to the appropriate
     directories
     """
@@ -2724,7 +2725,8 @@ def runInboxQueue(recentPostsCache: {}, maxRecentPosts: int,
                                 queueJson['post'],
                                 federationList,
                                 debug, projectVersion,
-                                allowNewsFollowers):
+                                allowNewsFollowers,
+                                maxFollowers):
             if os.path.isfile(queueFilename):
                 os.remove(queueFilename)
             if len(queue) > 0:
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index d1da2219..8450d2f9 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ def createServerAlice(path: str, domain: str, port: int,
     onionDomain = None
     i2pDomain = None
     print('Server running: Alice')
-    runDaemon(False, 0, 100, 1024, 5, False,
+    runDaemon(10, False, 0, 100, 1024, 5, False,
               0, False, 1, False, False, False,
               5, True, True, 'en', __version__,
               "instanceId", False, path, domain,
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ def createServerBob(path: str, domain: str, port: int,
     onionDomain = None
     i2pDomain = None
     print('Server running: Bob')
-    runDaemon(False, 0, 100, 1024, 5, False, 0,
+    runDaemon(10, False, 0, 100, 1024, 5, False, 0,
               False, 1, False, False, False,
               5, True, True, 'en', __version__,
               "instanceId", False, path, domain,
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ def createServerEve(path: str, domain: str, port: int, federationList: [],
     onionDomain = None
     i2pDomain = None
     print('Server running: Eve')
-    runDaemon(False, 0, 100, 1024, 5, False, 0,
+    runDaemon(10, False, 0, 100, 1024, 5, False, 0,
               False, 1, False, False, False,
               5, True, True, 'en', __version__,
               "instanceId", False, path, domain,