diff --git a/policies.py b/policies.py
index 6d49f3477..cd34b7c1c 100644
--- a/policies.py
+++ b/policies.py
@@ -617,6 +617,25 @@ def rule_check_anonymous_access_allowed(ctx, address):
     return "true" if address in permit_list else "false"
 
 
+@rule.make(inputs=[], outputs=[0])
+def rule_check_max_connections_exceeded(ctx):
+    """Check if user exceeds the maximum number of connections.
+
+    :param ctx: Combined type of a callback and rei struct
+
+    :returns: 'true' if maximum number of connections is exceeded; otherwise 'false'.
+              Also returns 'false' if the maximum number of connections check has been
+              disabled, or if the maximum number does not apply to the present user.
+    """
+    if not config.user_max_connections_enabled:
+        return "false"
+    elif user.name(ctx) in ['anonymous', 'rods']:
+        return "false"
+    else:
+        connections = user.number_of_connections(ctx)
+        return "false" if connections <= config.user_max_connections_number else "true"
+
+
 @rule.make(inputs=[0, 1, 2, 3, 4], outputs=[])
 def pep_database_gen_query_pre(ctx, dbtype, _ctx, results, genquery_inp, genquery_out):
     if not is_safe_genquery_inp(genquery_inp):
diff --git a/util/config.py b/util/config.py
index 08d50ffad..731d131d9 100644
--- a/util/config.py
+++ b/util/config.py
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ def __repr__(self):
                 vault_copy_backoff_time=300,
                 vault_copy_max_retries=5,
                 vault_copy_multithread_enabled=True,
+                user_max_connections_enabled=False,
+                user_max_connections_number=4,
                 python3_interpreter='/usr/local/bin/python3')
 
 # }}}
diff --git a/util/user.py b/util/user.py
index 9d7083c1b..ed94b67e6 100644
--- a/util/user.py
+++ b/util/user.py
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """Utility / convenience functions for querying user info."""
 
-__copyright__ = 'Copyright (c) 2019-2022, Utrecht University'
+__copyright__ = 'Copyright (c) 2019-2024, Utrecht University'
 __license__   = 'GPLv3, see LICENSE'
 
+import subprocess
 from collections import namedtuple
 
 import genquery
 import session_vars
 
+import log
+
 # User is a tuple consisting of a name and a zone, which stringifies into 'user#zone'.
 User = namedtuple('User', ['name', 'zone'])
 User.__str__ = lambda self: '{}#{}'.format(*self)
@@ -104,3 +107,19 @@ def name_from_id(ctx, user_id):
                                      genquery.AS_LIST, ctx):
         return row[0]
     return ''
+
+
+def number_of_connections(ctx):
+    """Get number of active connections from client user."""
+    connections = 0
+    try:
+        # We don't use the -a option with the ips command, because this takes
+        # significantly more time, which would significantly reduce performance.
+        ips = subprocess.check_output(["ips"])
+        username = session_vars.get_map(ctx.rei)['client_user']['user_name']
+        connections = ips.count(username)
+    except Exception as e:
+        log.write(ctx, "Error: unable to determine number of user connections: " + str(e))
+        return 0
+
+    return connections
diff --git a/uuPolicies.r b/uuPolicies.r
index eac661a15..7e8dcba60 100644
--- a/uuPolicies.r
+++ b/uuPolicies.r
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ pep_api_auth_request_pre(*instanceName, *comm, *request) {
         }
     }
 
+    *max_connections_exceeded = '';
+    rule_check_max_connections_exceeded(*max_connections_exceeded);
+		if ( *max_connections_exceeded == "true" ) {
+		    writeLine("serverLog", "Refused access for *user_name#*zone_name, max connections exceeded.");
+		    failmsg(-1, "Refused access for *user_name#*zone_name, max connections exceeded.");
+		}
+
     writeLine("serverLog", "{*user_name#*zone_name} Agent process started from *client_addr");
 }