diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/include/emqx_mgmt.hrl b/apps/emqx_management/include/emqx_mgmt.hrl
index b68a9a634..12be1df4f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/include/emqx_mgmt.hrl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/include/emqx_mgmt.hrl
@@ -16,4 +16,5 @@
 
 -define(MANAGEMENT_SHARD, emqx_management_shard).
 
--define(MAX_ROW_LIMIT, 100).
+-define(DEFAULT_ROW_LIMIT, 100).
+-define(MAX_TABLE_SIZE, 100).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt.erl b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt.erl
index 2d6fa854e..620c1e3f9 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt.erl
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
 -elvis([{elvis_style, god_modules, disable}]).
 
 -include_lib("stdlib/include/qlc.hrl").
--include_lib("emqx/include/emqx.hrl").
--include_lib("emqx/include/emqx_mqtt.hrl").
 
 %% Nodes and Brokers API
 -export([
@@ -105,12 +103,10 @@
 
 %% Common Table API
 -export([
-    max_row_limit/0,
+    default_row_limit/0,
     vm_stats/0
 ]).
 
--define(APP, emqx_management).
-
 -elvis([{elvis_style, god_modules, disable}]).
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -390,10 +386,10 @@ call_client(Node, ClientId, Req) ->
 
 -spec do_list_subscriptions() -> [map()].
 do_list_subscriptions() ->
-    case check_row_limit([mqtt_subproperty]) of
+    case check_max_table_size([mqtt_subproperty]) of
         false ->
             throw(max_row_limit);
-        ok ->
+        true ->
             [
                 #{topic => Topic, clientid => ClientId, options => Options}
              || {{Topic, ClientId}, Options} <- ets:tab2list(mqtt_subproperty)
@@ -556,15 +552,15 @@ unwrap_rpc(Res) ->
 otp_rel() ->
     iolist_to_binary([emqx_vm:get_otp_version(), "/", erlang:system_info(version)]).
 
-check_row_limit(Tables) ->
-    check_row_limit(Tables, max_row_limit()).
+check_max_table_size(Tables) ->
+    check_max_table_size(Tables, ?MAX_TABLE_SIZE).
 
-check_row_limit([], _Limit) ->
-    ok;
-check_row_limit([Tab | Tables], Limit) ->
+check_max_table_size([], _Limit) ->
+    true;
+check_max_table_size([Tab | Tables], Limit) ->
     case table_size(Tab) > Limit of
         true -> false;
-        false -> check_row_limit(Tables, Limit)
+        false -> check_max_table_size(Tables, Limit)
     end.
 
 check_results(Results) ->
@@ -573,7 +569,7 @@ check_results(Results) ->
         false -> unwrap_rpc(lists:last(Results))
     end.
 
-max_row_limit() ->
-    ?MAX_ROW_LIMIT.
+default_row_limit() ->
+    ?DEFAULT_ROW_LIMIT.
 
 table_size(Tab) -> ets:info(Tab, size).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api.erl b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api.erl
index 3c4d787d3..a0a40533d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_api.erl
@@ -98,8 +98,8 @@ count(Table) ->
 page(Params) ->
     maps:get(<<"page">>, Params, 1).
 
-limit(Params) ->
-    maps:get(<<"limit">>, Params, emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit()).
+limit(Params) when is_map(Params) ->
+    maps:get(<<"limit">>, Params, emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit()).
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Node Query
@@ -683,7 +683,7 @@ paginate_test_() ->
     Size = 1000,
     MyLimit = 10,
     ets:insert(?MODULE, [{I, foo} || I <- lists:seq(1, Size)]),
-    DefaultLimit = emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit(),
+    DefaultLimit = emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit(),
     NoParamsResult = paginate(?MODULE, #{}, {?MODULE, paginate_test_format}),
     PaginateResults = [
         paginate(
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_util.erl b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_util.erl
index c0d9e6036..b81b39b07 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_util.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_util.erl
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ page_params() ->
             name => limit,
             in => query,
             description => <<"Page size">>,
-            schema => #{type => integer, default => emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit()}
+            schema => #{type => integer, default => emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit()}
         }
     ].
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_alarms_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_alarms_SUITE.erl
index 2c61651bf..69ace16e8 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_alarms_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_alarms_SUITE.erl
@@ -62,5 +62,5 @@ get_alarms(AssertCount, Activated) ->
     Limit = maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta),
     Count = maps:get(<<"count">>, Meta),
     ?assertEqual(Page, 1),
-    ?assertEqual(Limit, emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit()),
+    ?assertEqual(Limit, emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit()),
     ?assert(Count >= AssertCount).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_clients_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_clients_SUITE.erl
index 1a74d3af6..c7f4c9845 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_clients_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_clients_SUITE.erl
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ t_clients(_) ->
     ClientsLimit = maps:get(<<"limit">>, ClientsMeta),
     ClientsCount = maps:get(<<"count">>, ClientsMeta),
     ?assertEqual(ClientsPage, 1),
-    ?assertEqual(ClientsLimit, emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit()),
+    ?assertEqual(ClientsLimit, emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit()),
     ?assertEqual(ClientsCount, 2),
 
     %% get /clients/:clientid
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_subscription_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_subscription_SUITE.erl
index 2ab213e30..ccfa30037 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_subscription_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_subscription_SUITE.erl
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ t_subscription_api(Config) ->
     Data = emqx_json:decode(Response, [return_maps]),
     Meta = maps:get(<<"meta">>, Data),
     ?assertEqual(1, maps:get(<<"page">>, Meta)),
-    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta)),
+    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta)),
     ?assertEqual(2, maps:get(<<"count">>, Meta)),
     Subscriptions = maps:get(<<"data">>, Data),
     ?assertEqual(length(Subscriptions), 2),
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ t_subscription_api(Config) ->
 
     DataTopic2 = #{<<"meta">> := Meta2} = request_json(get, QS, Headers),
     ?assertEqual(1, maps:get(<<"page">>, Meta2)),
-    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta2)),
+    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta2)),
     ?assertEqual(1, maps:get(<<"count">>, Meta2)),
     SubscriptionsList2 = maps:get(<<"data">>, DataTopic2),
     ?assertEqual(length(SubscriptionsList2), 1).
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ t_subscription_fuzzy_search(Config) ->
 
     MatchData1 = #{<<"meta">> := MatchMeta1} = request_json(get, MatchQs, Headers),
     ?assertEqual(1, maps:get(<<"page">>, MatchMeta1)),
-    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, MatchMeta1)),
+    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, MatchMeta1)),
     %% count is undefined in fuzzy searching
     ?assertNot(maps:is_key(<<"count">>, MatchMeta1)),
     ?assertMatch(3, length(maps:get(<<"data">>, MatchData1))),
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_topics_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_topics_SUITE.erl
index 8f9b224ef..0c2e684b4 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_topics_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_api_topics_SUITE.erl
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ t_nodes_api(Config) ->
     RoutesData = emqx_json:decode(Response, [return_maps]),
     Meta = maps:get(<<"meta">>, RoutesData),
     ?assertEqual(1, maps:get(<<"page">>, Meta)),
-    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta)),
+    ?assertEqual(emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit(), maps:get(<<"limit">>, Meta)),
     ?assertEqual(1, maps:get(<<"count">>, Meta)),
     Data = maps:get(<<"data">>, RoutesData),
     Route = erlang:hd(Data),
diff --git a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_api.erl b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_api.erl
index fa11b00f4..7b1337140 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_api.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer_api.erl
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ config(put, #{body := Body}) ->
 %%------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 lookup_retained(get, #{query_string := Qs}) ->
     Page = maps:get(<<"page">>, Qs, 1),
-    Limit = maps:get(<<"limit">>, Qs, emqx_mgmt:max_row_limit()),
+    Limit = maps:get(<<"limit">>, Qs, emqx_mgmt:default_row_limit()),
     {ok, Msgs} = emqx_retainer_mnesia:page_read(undefined, undefined, Page, Limit),
     {200, #{
         data => [format_message(Msg) || Msg <- Msgs],