diff --git a/state/storage.go b/state/storage.go
index eefbeac1..bf838237 100644
--- a/state/storage.go
+++ b/state/storage.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ type Storage struct {
 	DeviceDataTable   *DeviceDataTable
 	ReceiptTable      *ReceiptTable
 	DB                *sqlx.DB
+	MaxTimelineLimit  int
 }
 
 func NewStorage(postgresURI string) *Storage {
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ func NewStorageWithDB(db *sqlx.DB, addPrometheusMetrics bool) *Storage {
 		DeviceDataTable:   NewDeviceDataTable(db),
 		ReceiptTable:      NewReceiptTable(db),
 		DB:                db,
+		MaxTimelineLimit:  50,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -705,12 +707,15 @@ func (s *Storage) RoomStateAfterEventPosition(ctx context.Context, roomIDs []str
 // - in the given rooms
 // - that the user has permission to see
 // - with NIDs <= `to`.
-// Up to `limit` events are chosen per room.
+// Up to `limit` events are chosen per room. This limit be itself be limited according to MaxTimelineLimit.
 func (s *Storage) LatestEventsInRooms(userID string, roomIDs []string, to int64, limit int) (map[string]*LatestEvents, error) {
 	roomIDToRange, err := s.visibleEventNIDsBetweenForRooms(userID, roomIDs, 0, to)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if s.MaxTimelineLimit != 0 && limit > s.MaxTimelineLimit {
+		limit = s.MaxTimelineLimit
+	}
 	result := make(map[string]*LatestEvents, len(roomIDs))
 	err = sqlutil.WithTransaction(s.Accumulator.db, func(txn *sqlx.Tx) error {
 		for roomID, r := range roomIDToRange {
diff --git a/tests-integration/timeline_test.go b/tests-integration/timeline_test.go
index 72c7316b..051f3efd 100644
--- a/tests-integration/timeline_test.go
+++ b/tests-integration/timeline_test.go
@@ -1339,6 +1339,49 @@ func TestNumLiveBulk(t *testing.T) {
 	))
 }
 
+// Ensure that clients cannot just set timeline_limit: 99999 and DoS the server
+func TestSensibleLimitToTimelineLimit(t *testing.T) {
+	pqString := testutils.PrepareDBConnectionString()
+	// setup code
+	v2 := runTestV2Server(t)
+	v3 := runTestServer(t, v2, pqString)
+	defer v2.close()
+	defer v3.close()
+	roomID := "!a:localhost"
+
+	var hundredEvents = make([]json.RawMessage, 100)
+	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
+		hundredEvents[i] = testutils.NewEvent(t, "m.room.message", alice, map[string]any{
+			"msgtype": "m.text",
+			"body":    fmt.Sprintf("msg %d", i),
+		}, testutils.WithTimestamp(time.Now().Add(time.Second)))
+	}
+
+	v2.addAccount(t, alice, aliceToken)
+	v2.queueResponse(alice, sync2.SyncResponse{
+		Rooms: sync2.SyncRoomsResponse{
+			Join: v2JoinTimeline(roomEvents{
+				roomID: roomID,
+				state:  createRoomState(t, alice, time.Now()),
+				events: hundredEvents,
+			}),
+		},
+	})
+	res := v3.mustDoV3Request(t, aliceToken, sync3.Request{
+		Lists: map[string]sync3.RequestList{"a": {
+			Ranges: sync3.SliceRanges{
+				[2]int64{0, 10},
+			},
+			RoomSubscription: sync3.RoomSubscription{
+				TimelineLimit: 99999,
+			},
+		}},
+	})
+	m.MatchResponse(t, res, m.MatchList("a",
+		m.MatchV3Ops(m.MatchV3SyncOp(0, 0, []string{roomID})),
+	), m.MatchRoomSubscription(roomID, m.MatchRoomTimeline(hundredEvents[50:]))) // caps at 50
+}
+
 // Regression test for a thing which Synapse can sometimes send down sync v2.
 // See https://github.com/matrix-org/sliding-sync/issues/367
 // This would cause this room to not be processed at all, which is bad.