diff --git a/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/defaults/main.yml b/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/defaults/main.yml
index 736557f65..3264bed8a 100644
--- a/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/defaults/main.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ kafka:
       state: started
     environment:
       KAFKA_HEAP_OPTS: "-Xmx1g"
+    systemd_defaults:
+      LimitNOFILE: 102400
     kerberosEnvironment:
       KAFKA_HEAP_OPTS: "-Xmx1g"
       KAFKA_OPTS: "-Djava.security.auth.login.config=/etc/kafka/kafka_server_jaas.conf"
diff --git a/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/templates/environment.j2 b/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/templates/environment.j2
index 313c9b531..bf287b1f9 100644
--- a/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/templates/environment.j2
+++ b/roles/confluent.kafka-broker/templates/environment.j2
@@ -2,3 +2,6 @@
 {% for key, value in kafka.broker.environment.items() %}
 Environment="{{key}}={{value}}"
 {% endfor %}
+{% for key, value in kafka.broker.systemd_defaults.items() %}
+{{key}}={{value}}
+{% endfor %}