diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1b98f08c6..6d3e7a2bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ jscs path[ path[...]] --reporter=./some-dir/my-reporter.js
 ### `--no-colors`
 Clean output without colors.
 
+### '--max-errors'
+Set the maximum number of errors to report
+
 ### `--help`
 Outputs usage information.
 
@@ -166,6 +169,20 @@ Values: A single file extension or an Array of file extensions, beginning with a
 "fileExtensions": [".js"]
 ```
 
+### maxErrors
+
+Set the maximum number of errors to report
+
+Type: `Number`
+
+Default: 50
+
+#### Example
+
+```js
+"maxErrors": 10
+```
+
 ## Error Suppression
 
 ### Inline Comments
diff --git a/bin/jscs b/bin/jscs
index a217443a1..57ffd1076 100755
--- a/bin/jscs
+++ b/bin/jscs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ program
     .option('-p, --preset <preset>', 'preset config')
     .option('-r, --reporter <reporter>', 'error reporter, console - default, text, checkstyle, junit, inline')
     .option('-v, --verbose', 'adds rule names to the error output')
+    .option('-m, --max-errors <number>', 'maximum number of errors to report')
     .option('', 'Also accepts relative or absolute path to custom reporter')
     .option('', 'For instance:')
     .option('', '\t  ../some-dir/my-reporter.js\t(relative path with extension)')
diff --git a/lib/checker.js b/lib/checker.js
index 468ddfa21..3f5dcf0f5 100644
--- a/lib/checker.js
+++ b/lib/checker.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ var path = require('path');
 var additionalRules = require('./options/additional-rules');
 var excludeFiles = require('./options/exclude-files');
 var fileExtensions = require('./options/file-extensions');
+var maxErrors = require('./options/max-errors');
 
 /**
  * Starts Code Style checking process.
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ Checker.prototype.configure = function(config) {
     fileExtensions(config, this);
     excludeFiles(config, this, cwd);
     additionalRules(config, this, cwd);
+    maxErrors(config, this);
 
     StringChecker.prototype.configure.apply(this, arguments);
 };
diff --git a/lib/cli.js b/lib/cli.js
index daab6f232..07b134dca 100644
--- a/lib/cli.js
+++ b/lib/cli.js
@@ -82,6 +82,10 @@ module.exports = function(program) {
         config.preset = program.preset;
     }
 
+    if (program.maxErrors) {
+        config.maxErrors = Number(program.maxErrors);
+    }
+
     if (program.reporter) {
         reporterPath = path.resolve(process.cwd(), program.reporter);
         returnArgs.reporter = reporterPath;
@@ -135,6 +139,10 @@ module.exports = function(program) {
 
             reporter(errorsCollection);
 
+            if (checker.maxErrorsHit) {
+                console.log('Hi friend, there were more errors.');
+            }
+
             errorsCollection.forEach(function(errors) {
                 if (!errors.isEmpty()) {
                     defer.reject(2);
diff --git a/lib/errors.js b/lib/errors.js
index 41e326f1c..45e4b54a4 100644
--- a/lib/errors.js
+++ b/lib/errors.js
@@ -14,6 +14,29 @@ var Errors = function(file, verbose) {
     this._verbose = verbose || false;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Default maximum number of errors
+ *
+ * Dangling for tests to reset
+ *
+ * @type {Number}
+ */
+Errors._defaultMaxErrors = 50;
+
+/**
+ * Tracks the number of errors found across all instances
+ *
+ * @type {Number}
+ */
+Errors._errorCount = 0;
+
+/**
+ * Maximum number of errors possible across all instances
+ *
+ * @type {Number}
+ */
+Errors.maxErrors = Errors._defaultMaxErrors;
+
 Errors.prototype = {
     /**
      * Adds style error to the list
@@ -21,6 +44,9 @@ Errors.prototype = {
      * @param {String} message
      * @param {Number|Object} line
      * @param {Number} [column]
+     * @returns {Boolean|undefined} true if the addition was successful,
+     *                              false if the add limit was hit
+     *                              undefined if the rule is not enabled
      */
     add: function(message, line, column) {
         if (typeof line === 'object') {
@@ -32,12 +58,22 @@ Errors.prototype = {
             return;
         }
 
+        // We're trying to add more than the max number of errors
+        if (Errors._errorCount === Errors.maxErrors) {
+            this.maxErrorsHit = true;
+            return false;
+        }
+
         this._errorList.push({
             rule: this._currentRule,
             message: this._verbose ? this._currentRule + ': ' + message : message,
             line: line,
             column: column || 0
         });
+
+        Errors._errorCount++;
+
+        return true;
     },
 
     /**
diff --git a/lib/options/max-errors.js b/lib/options/max-errors.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c84b62970
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/options/max-errors.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+var Errors = require('../errors');
+
+/**
+ * Limits the total number of errors reported
+ *
+ * @param  {Object} config
+ * @param  {lib/checker} instance
+ */
+module.exports = function(config, instance) {
+    if (config.maxErrors) {
+        Errors.maxErrors = Number(config.maxErrors);
+    }
+
+    Object.defineProperty(config, 'maxErrors', {
+        value: config.maxErrors,
+        enumerable: false
+    });
+};
diff --git a/lib/string-checker.js b/lib/string-checker.js
index af6ceff6a..51d5303dc 100644
--- a/lib/string-checker.js
+++ b/lib/string-checker.js
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ StringChecker.prototype = {
 
         }, this);
 
+        this.maxErrorsHit = errors.maxErrorsHit;
+
         // sort errors list to show errors as they appear in source
         errors.getErrorList().sort(function(a, b) {
             return (a.line - b.line) || (a.column - b.column);
diff --git a/test/cli.js b/test/cli.js
index 269e34f20..940259c6e 100644
--- a/test/cli.js
+++ b/test/cli.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var exec = require('child_process').exec;
 
 var cli = rewire('../lib/cli');
 var startingDir = process.cwd();
+var Errors = require('../lib/errors');
 
 describe('modules/cli', function() {
     before(function() {
@@ -524,4 +525,29 @@ describe('modules/cli', function() {
             });
         });
     });
+
+    describe('maxErrors option', function() {
+        beforeEach(function() {
+            sinon.spy(console, 'log');
+            Errors._resetMaxErrors();
+        });
+
+        afterEach(function() {
+            console.log.restore();
+            Errors._resetMaxErrorsForTests();
+        });
+
+        it('should limit the number of errors reported to the provided amount', function(done) {
+            return cli({
+                maxErrors: 1,
+                args: ['test/data/cli/error.js'],
+                config: 'test/data/cli/maxErrors.json'
+            })
+            .promise.always(function() {
+                assert(console.log.getCall(1).args[0].indexOf('1 code style error found.') !== -1);
+                rAfter();
+                done();
+            });
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/test/data/cli/maxErrors.json b/test/data/cli/maxErrors.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..12fe1d4d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/data/cli/maxErrors.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "disallowKeywords": ["with"],
+  "requireSpaceBeforePostfixUnaryOperators": ["++"]
+}
+
diff --git a/test/errors.js b/test/errors.js
index 5223bd3a2..dc906937b 100644
--- a/test/errors.js
+++ b/test/errors.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 var Checker = require('../lib/checker');
+var Errors = require('../lib/errors');
 var assert = require('assert');
+var fs = require('fs');
 
 describe('modules/errors', function() {
     var checker = new Checker();
@@ -88,4 +90,12 @@ describe('modules/errors', function() {
 
         assert.ok(errors.isEmpty());
     });
+
+    it('should report a maximum of 50 errors, by default', function() {
+        Errors._resetMaxErrors();
+        var fixture = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/data/validate-indentation.js', 'utf8');
+        checker.configure({ validateIndentation: 2 });
+        assert(checker.checkString(fixture).getErrorList().length === 50);
+        Errors._resetMaxErrorsForTests();
+    });
 });
diff --git a/test/mocha.opts b/test/mocha.opts
index 4ebbf346b..c2496d75e 100644
--- a/test/mocha.opts
+++ b/test/mocha.opts
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-test/*.js test/rules/*.js test/options/*.js test/reporters/*.js
+test/test-config.js test/*.js test/rules/*.js test/options/*.js test/reporters/*.js
 -R dot
 -u bdd
diff --git a/test/rules/validate-indentation.js b/test/rules/validate-indentation.js
index 663adec14..2da559f5d 100644
--- a/test/rules/validate-indentation.js
+++ b/test/rules/validate-indentation.js
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ describe('rules/validate-indentation', function() {
     });
 
     it('should validate 2 spaces indentation properly', function() {
-        checker.configure({ validateIndentation: 2 });
+        // maxErrors set to avoid this test failing with the default value
+        checker.configure({ validateIndentation: 2, maxErrors: 500 });
         checkErrors(fixture, [
             5,
             10,
diff --git a/test/string-checker.js b/test/string-checker.js
index c317344e9..84ac49f34 100644
--- a/test/string-checker.js
+++ b/test/string-checker.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 var Checker = require('../lib/checker');
+var Errors = require('../lib/errors');
 var assert = require('assert');
 
 describe('modules/string-checker', function() {
@@ -70,6 +71,32 @@ describe('modules/string-checker', function() {
         }
     });
 
+    describe('maxErrors', function() {
+        beforeEach(function() {
+            Errors._resetMaxErrors();
+            checker.configure({
+                requireSpaceBeforeBinaryOperators: ['='],
+                maxErrors: 1
+            });
+        });
+
+        afterEach(function() {
+            Errors._resetMaxErrorsForTests();
+        });
+
+        it('should allow a maximum number of reported errors to be set', function() {
+            var errors = checker.checkString('var foo=1;\n var bar=2;').getErrorList();
+            assert(errors.length === 1);
+        });
+
+        it('should not report more than the maximum errors across multiple checks', function() {
+            var errors = checker.checkString('var foo=1;\n var bar=2;').getErrorList();
+            var errors2 = checker.checkString('var baz=1;\n var qux=2;').getErrorList();
+            assert(errors.length === 1);
+            assert(errors2.length === 0);
+        });
+    });
+
     describe('rules registration', function() {
         it('should report rules in config which don\'t match any registered rules', function() {
             var error;
diff --git a/test/test-config.js b/test/test-config.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02cc4f397
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test-config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+var Errors = require('../lib/errors');
+
+var largeDefault = 1000000;
+
+// Set an arbitrarily large number of errors for the tests to bypass
+// the maxErrors default of 50 errors. Otherwise, the specs would
+// hit the limit and fail the suite.
+Errors.maxErrors = largeDefault;
+
+/**
+ * Reset maxErrors to the large default value.
+ *
+ * Tests for maxError will need to manipulate the constructor's value
+ * at runtime and need a way to set the testing default
+ */
+Errors._resetMaxErrorsForTests = function() {
+    Errors._resetMaxErrors();
+    Errors.maxErrors = largeDefault;
+};
+
+Errors._resetMaxErrors = function() {
+    this._errorCount = 0;
+    this.maxErrors = this._defaultMaxErrors;
+};