diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 6bea42a20..d4ec04aae 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@ std::string HelpMessage(HelpMessageMode mode)
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-externalip=<ip>", _("Specify your own public address"));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-forcednsseed", strprintf(_("Always query for peer addresses via DNS lookup (default: %u)"), 0));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-listen", _("Accept connections from outside (default: 1 if no -proxy or -connect)"));
-    strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-maxconnections=<n>", strprintf(_("Maintain at most <n> connections to peers (default: %u)"), 125));
+    strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-maxconnections=<n>", strprintf(_("Maintain at most <n> connections to peers (default: %u)"), DEFAULT_MAX_PEER_CONNECTIONS));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-maxreceivebuffer=<n>", strprintf(_("Maximum per-connection receive buffer, <n>*1000 bytes (default: %u)"), 5000));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-maxsendbuffer=<n>", strprintf(_("Maximum per-connection send buffer, <n>*1000 bytes (default: %u)"), 1000));
     strUsage += HelpMessageOpt("-onion=<ip:port>", strprintf(_("Use separate SOCKS5 proxy to reach peers via Tor hidden services (default: %s)"), "-proxy"));
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ bool AppInit2(boost::thread_group& threadGroup, CScheduler& scheduler)
     
     // Make sure enough file descriptors are available
     int nBind = std::max((int)mapArgs.count("-bind") + (int)mapArgs.count("-whitebind"), 1);
-    int nUserMaxConnections = GetArg("-maxconnections", 125);
+    int nUserMaxConnections = GetArg("-maxconnections", DEFAULT_MAX_PEER_CONNECTIONS);
     nMaxConnections = std::max(nUserMaxConnections, 0);
     int nUserWhiteConnections = GetArg("-whiteconnections", 0);
     nWhiteConnections = std::max(nUserWhiteConnections, 0);
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 176fd7195..5d413697b 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static CNode* pnodeLocalHost = NULL;
 uint64_t nLocalHostNonce = 0;
 static std::vector<ListenSocket> vhListenSocket;
 CAddrMan addrman;
-int nMaxConnections = 125;
+int nMaxConnections = DEFAULT_MAX_PEER_CONNECTIONS;
 int nWhiteConnections = 0;
 bool fAddressesInitialized = false;
 
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index 658f586b1..aac28fe10 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ static const bool DEFAULT_UPNP = false;
 #endif
 /** The maximum number of entries in mapAskFor */
 static const size_t MAPASKFOR_MAX_SZ = MAX_INV_SZ;
+/** The maximum number of peer connections to maintain. */
+static const unsigned int DEFAULT_MAX_PEER_CONNECTIONS = 125;
 
 unsigned int ReceiveFloodSize();
 unsigned int SendBufferSize();