diff --git a/src/Xrd/XrdConfig.cc b/src/Xrd/XrdConfig.cc
index f1d13566509..f838f214046 100644
--- a/src/Xrd/XrdConfig.cc
+++ b/src/Xrd/XrdConfig.cc
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ int XrdConfig::setFDL()
 
 // Set the limit to the maximum allowed
 //
-   if (rlim.rlim_max == RLIM_INFINITY) rlim.rlim_cur = maxFD;
+   if (rlim.rlim_max == RLIM_INFINITY || rlim.rlim_max > maxFD) rlim.rlim_cur = maxFD;
       else rlim.rlim_cur = rlim.rlim_max;
 #if (defined(__APPLE__) && defined(MAC_OS_X_VERSION_10_5))
    if (rlim.rlim_cur > OPEN_MAX) rlim.rlim_max = rlim.rlim_cur = OPEN_MAX;