diff --git a/etc/emqx.conf b/etc/emqx.conf
index 2f03ec7c1..223c8593c 100644
--- a/etc/emqx.conf
+++ b/etc/emqx.conf
@@ -181,6 +181,11 @@ node.name = emqx@127.0.0.1
 ## Value: String
 node.cookie = emqxsecretcookie
 
+## Node Max Clients Size.
+##
+## Value: String
+node.max_clients = 1024000
+
 ## Data dir for the node
 ##
 ## Value: Folder
diff --git a/priv/emqx.schema b/priv/emqx.schema
index c7d6d0af5..f4b5751b5 100644
--- a/priv/emqx.schema
+++ b/priv/emqx.schema
@@ -334,6 +334,13 @@ end}.
   hidden
 ]}.
 
+%% @see node.max_clients
+{mapping, "node.max_clients", "emqx.max_clients", [
+  {default, 1024000},
+  {datatype, integer},
+  hidden
+]}.
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% RPC
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/emqx_cm.erl b/src/emqx_cm.erl
index 852338854..2ad132a9a 100644
--- a/src/emqx_cm.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_cm.erl
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 
 -export([lookup_conn_pid/1]).
 
+-export([max_client_size/0]).
+
 %% gen_server callbacks
 -export([ init/1
         , handle_call/3
@@ -148,6 +150,9 @@ lookup_conn_pid(ClientId) when is_binary(ClientId) ->
 notify(Msg) ->
     gen_server:cast(?CM, {notify, Msg}).
 
+max_client_size() ->
+    ets:info(?CONN_TAB, size).
+
 %%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% gen_server callbacks
 %%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/emqx_protocol.erl b/src/emqx_protocol.erl
index e4fe32874..cc6bf1652 100644
--- a/src/emqx_protocol.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_protocol.erl
@@ -260,10 +260,22 @@ set_protover(_Packet, PState) ->
 received(?PACKET(Type), PState = #pstate{connected = false}) when Type =/= ?CONNECT ->
     {error, proto_not_connected, PState};
 
+received(Packet = ?PACKET(?CONNECT), PState = #pstate{connected = false}) ->
+    case check_max_clients() of
+        true ->
+            ?LOG(error, "Connection rejected due to max clients limitation"),
+            connack({?RC_QUOTA_EXCEEDED, PState});
+        false ->
+            do_received(Packet, PState)
+    end;
+
 received(?PACKET(?CONNECT), PState = #pstate{connected = true}) ->
     {error, proto_unexpected_connect, PState};
 
-received(Packet = ?PACKET(Type), PState) ->
+received(Packet, PState) ->
+    do_received(Packet, PState).
+
+do_received(Packet = ?PACKET(Type), PState) ->
     trace(recv, Packet),
     PState1 = set_protover(Packet, PState),
     try emqx_packet:validate(Packet) of
@@ -1048,3 +1060,8 @@ do_acl_check(Action, Credentials, Topic, AllowTerm, DenyTerm) ->
         allow -> AllowTerm;
         deny -> DenyTerm
     end.
+
+check_max_clients() ->
+    CurrentClientSize = emqx_cm:max_client_size(),
+    MaxClients = emqx_config:get_env(max_clients, 1024000),
+    CurrentClientSize >= MaxClients.
\ No newline at end of file