diff --git a/src/Config.cpp b/src/Config.cpp
index fad11cf7f..99aff080a 100644
--- a/src/Config.cpp
+++ b/src/Config.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 #define SECTION_VALIDATION_KEY			"validation_key"
 #define SECTION_PEER_SSL_CIPHER_LIST	"peer_ssl_cipher_list"
 #define SECTION_PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN	"peer_scan_interval_min"
+#define SECTION_PEER_START_MAX			"peer_start_max"
+#define	SECTION_PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER	"peer_connect_low_water"
 
 Config theConfig;
 
@@ -40,6 +42,9 @@ Config::Config()
 	PEER_SSL_CIPHER_LIST	= DEFAULT_PEER_SSL_CIPHER_LIST;
 	PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN	= DEFAULT_PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN;
 
+	PEER_START_MAX			= DEFAULT_PEER_START_MAX;
+	PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER	= DEFAULT_PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER;
+
 	TRANSACTION_FEE_BASE	= 1000;
 }
 
@@ -83,6 +88,10 @@ void Config::load()
 			(void) sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_PEER_SSL_CIPHER_LIST, PEER_SSL_CIPHER_LIST);
 			(void) sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN, strTemp);
 				PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN=MAX(60, boost::lexical_cast<int>(strTemp));
+			(void) sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_PEER_START_MAX, strTemp);
+				PEER_START_MAX=MIN(1, boost::lexical_cast<int>(strTemp));
+			(void) sectionSingleB(secConfig, SECTION_PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER, strTemp);
+				PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER=MAX(1, boost::lexical_cast<int>(strTemp));
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/Config.h b/src/Config.h
index 40e4da145..d01121ee9 100644
--- a/src/Config.h
+++ b/src/Config.h
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ const int SYSTEM_PEER_PORT=6561;
 // 1 hour.
 #define DEFAULT_PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN	(60*60)
 
+// Maximum number of peers to try to connect to as client at once.
+#define DEFAULT_PEER_START_MAX		5
+
+// Might connect with fewer for testing.
+#define	DEFAULT_PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER	4
+
 class Config
 {
 public:
@@ -52,6 +58,8 @@ public:
 
 	std::string PEER_SSL_CIPHER_LIST;
 	int	    PEER_SCAN_INTERVAL_MIN;
+	int	    PEER_START_MAX;
+	int	    PEER_CONNECT_LOW_WATER;
 
 	// configuration parameters
 	std::string DATA_DIR;