diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
index ad8ad88bb7..9935b54d02 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/PeerImp.cpp
@@ -1853,13 +1853,6 @@ PeerImp::onMessage(std::shared_ptr<protocol::TMLedgerData> const& m)
     if (m->type() < protocol::liBASE || m->type() > protocol::liTS_CANDIDATE)
         return badData("Invalid ledger info type");
 
-    // Verify ledger nodes
-    if (m->nodes_size() <= 0 || m->nodes_size() > Tuning::maxReplyNodes)
-    {
-        return badData(
-            "Invalid Ledger/TXset nodes " + std::to_string(m->nodes_size()));
-    }
-
     // Verify reply error
     if (m->has_error() &&
         (m->error() < protocol::reNO_LEDGER ||
@@ -1868,6 +1861,13 @@ PeerImp::onMessage(std::shared_ptr<protocol::TMLedgerData> const& m)
         return badData("Invalid reply error");
     }
 
+    // Verify ledger nodes.
+    if (m->nodes_size() <= 0 || m->nodes_size() > Tuning::hardMaxReplyNodes)
+    {
+        return badData(
+            "Invalid Ledger/TXset nodes " + std::to_string(m->nodes_size()));
+    }
+
     // If there is a request cookie, attempt to relay the message
     if (m->has_requestcookie())
     {
@@ -3503,7 +3503,7 @@ PeerImp::processLedgerRequest(std::shared_ptr<protocol::TMGetLedger> const& m)
         std::vector<Blob> rawNodes;
 
         for (int i = 0; i < m->nodeids_size() &&
-             ledgerData.nodes_size() < Tuning::maxReplyNodes;
+             ledgerData.nodes_size() < Tuning::softMaxReplyNodes;
              ++i)
         {
             auto const shaMapNodeId{deserializeSHAMapNodeID(m->nodeids(i))};
diff --git a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/Tuning.h b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/Tuning.h
index a23d482f28..706c2459b6 100644
--- a/src/ripple/overlay/impl/Tuning.h
+++ b/src/ripple/overlay/impl/Tuning.h
@@ -35,9 +35,11 @@ enum {
         consider it diverged */
     divergedLedgerLimit = 128,
 
-    /** The maximum number of ledger entries in a single
-        reply */
-    maxReplyNodes = 8192,
+    /** The soft cap on the number of ledger entries in a single reply. */
+    softMaxReplyNodes = 8192,
+
+    /** The hard cap on the number of ledger entries in a single reply. */
+    hardMaxReplyNodes = 12288,
 
     /** How many timer intervals a sendq has to stay large before we disconnect
      */