diff --git a/src/ripple/json/impl/json_reader.cpp b/src/ripple/json/impl/json_reader.cpp
index 549b1aea9c..45b2794c77 100644
--- a/src/ripple/json/impl/json_reader.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/json/impl/json_reader.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ namespace Json
 // Implementation of class Reader
 // ////////////////////////////////
 
+constexpr unsigned Reader::nest_limit;
+
 static
 std::string
 codePointToUTF8 (unsigned int cp)
@@ -118,8 +120,7 @@ Reader::parse ( const char* beginDoc, const char* endDoc,
         nodes_.pop ();
 
     nodes_.push ( &root );
-
-    bool successful = readValue ();
+    bool successful = readValue(0);
     Token token;
     skipCommentTokens ( token );
 
@@ -138,20 +139,22 @@ Reader::parse ( const char* beginDoc, const char* endDoc,
 }
 
 bool
-Reader::readValue ()
+Reader::readValue(unsigned depth)
 {
     Token token;
     skipCommentTokens ( token );
+    if (depth > nest_limit)
+        return addError("Syntax error: maximum nesting depth exceeded", token);
     bool successful = true;
 
     switch ( token.type_ )
     {
     case tokenObjectBegin:
-        successful = readObject ( token );
+        successful = readObject(token, depth);
         break;
 
     case tokenArrayBegin:
-        successful = readArray ( token );
+        successful = readArray(token, depth);
         break;
 
     case tokenInteger:
@@ -427,7 +430,7 @@ Reader::readString ()
 
 
 bool
-Reader::readObject ( Token& tokenStart )
+Reader::readObject(Token& tokenStart, unsigned depth)
 {
     Token tokenName;
     std::string name;
@@ -469,7 +472,7 @@ Reader::readObject ( Token& tokenStart )
 
         Value& value = currentValue ()[ name ];
         nodes_.push ( &value );
-        bool ok = readValue ();
+        bool ok = readValue(depth+1);
         nodes_.pop ();
 
         if ( !ok ) // error already set
@@ -504,7 +507,7 @@ Reader::readObject ( Token& tokenStart )
 
 
 bool
-Reader::readArray ( Token& tokenStart )
+Reader::readArray(Token& tokenStart, unsigned depth)
 {
     currentValue () = Value ( arrayValue );
     skipSpaces ();
@@ -522,7 +525,7 @@ Reader::readArray ( Token& tokenStart )
     {
         Value& value = currentValue ()[ index++ ];
         nodes_.push ( &value );
-        bool ok = readValue ();
+        bool ok = readValue(depth+1);
         nodes_.pop ();
 
         if ( !ok ) // error already set
diff --git a/src/ripple/json/json_reader.h b/src/ripple/json/json_reader.h
index 3367dc6c1a..6e08e82b3b 100644
--- a/src/ripple/json/json_reader.h
+++ b/src/ripple/json/json_reader.h
@@ -81,6 +81,8 @@ public:
      */
     std::string getFormatedErrorMessages () const;
 
+    static constexpr unsigned nest_limit {1000};
+
 private:
     enum TokenType
     {
@@ -129,9 +131,9 @@ private:
     bool readCppStyleComment ();
     bool readString ();
     Reader::TokenType readNumber ();
-    bool readValue ();
-    bool readObject ( Token& token );
-    bool readArray ( Token& token );
+    bool readValue(unsigned depth);
+    bool readObject(Token& token, unsigned depth);
+    bool readArray (Token& token, unsigned depth);
     bool decodeNumber ( Token& token );
     bool decodeString ( Token& token );
     bool decodeString ( Token& token, std::string& decoded );
diff --git a/src/test/json/json_value_test.cpp b/src/test/json/json_value_test.cpp
index cbe43b67ac..c5e70f15a7 100644
--- a/src/test/json/json_value_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/json/json_value_test.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include <ripple/beast/unit_test.h>
 #include <ripple/beast/type_name.h>
 
+#include <algorithm>
+
 namespace ripple {
 
 struct json_value_test : beast::unit_test::suite
@@ -249,6 +251,52 @@ struct json_value_test : beast::unit_test::suite
         }
     }
 
+    void test_nest_limits ()
+    {
+        Json::Reader r;
+        {
+            auto nest = [](std::uint32_t depth)->std::string {
+                    std::string s = "{";
+                    for (std::uint32_t i{1}; i <= depth; ++i)
+                        s += "\"obj\":{";
+                    for (std::uint32_t i{1}; i <= depth; ++i)
+                        s += "}";
+                    s += "}";
+                    return s;
+                };
+
+            {
+                // Within object nest limit
+                auto json{nest(std::min(10u, Json::Reader::nest_limit))};
+                Json::Value j;
+                BEAST_EXPECT(r.parse(json, j));
+            }
+
+            {
+                // Exceed object nest limit
+                auto json{nest(Json::Reader::nest_limit + 1)};
+                Json::Value j;
+                BEAST_EXPECT(!r.parse(json, j));
+            }
+        }
+
+        auto nest = [](std::uint32_t depth)->std::string {
+            std::string s = "{";
+                for (std::uint32_t i{1}; i <= depth; ++i)
+                    s += "\"array\":[{";
+                for (std::uint32_t i{1}; i <= depth; ++i)
+                    s += "]}";
+                s += "}";
+                return s;
+            };
+        {
+            // Exceed array nest limit
+            auto json{nest(Json::Reader::nest_limit + 1)};
+            Json::Value j;
+            BEAST_EXPECT(!r.parse(json, j));
+        }
+    }
+
     void run ()
     {
         test_bool ();
@@ -258,6 +306,7 @@ struct json_value_test : beast::unit_test::suite
         test_move ();
         test_comparisons ();
         test_compact ();
+        test_nest_limits ();
     }
 };