diff --git a/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/DevFlags.java b/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/DevFlags.java
index 2e76ee79a6..b7349c9311 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/DevFlags.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/DevFlags.java
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 public class DevFlags {
     private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(DevFlags.class);
 
-    public static final boolean STRESS_TEST_MODE = false;
+    public static final boolean STRESS_TEST_MODE = true;
     public static final boolean DEV_MODE = STRESS_TEST_MODE || false;
     public static final boolean IS_RELEASE_VERSION = !DEV_MODE && true;
 
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/ProgramArguments.java b/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/ProgramArguments.java
index 185a92a402..e01a544477 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/ProgramArguments.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/ProgramArguments.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ public class ProgramArguments {
     // program arg names
     public static final String TOR_DIR = "torDir";
     public static final String USE_LOCALHOST = "useLocalhost";
+    public static final String MAX_CONNECTIONS = "maxConnections";
 
 
     public static final String NAME_KEY = "node.name";
diff --git a/gui/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/BitsquareAppMain.java b/gui/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/BitsquareAppMain.java
index d4d41af28f..5f0934d3bb 100644
--- a/gui/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/BitsquareAppMain.java
+++ b/gui/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/app/BitsquareAppMain.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package io.bitsquare.app;
 import io.bitsquare.BitsquareException;
 import io.bitsquare.btc.BitcoinNetwork;
 import io.bitsquare.btc.RegTestHost;
+import io.bitsquare.p2p.P2PService;
 import io.bitsquare.util.joptsimple.EnumValueConverter;
 import joptsimple.OptionException;
 import joptsimple.OptionParser;
@@ -106,6 +107,9 @@ public class BitsquareAppMain extends BitsquareExecutable {
         parser.accepts(ProgramArguments.USE_LOCALHOST, description("Use localhost network for development", false))
                 .withRequiredArg()
                 .ofType(boolean.class);
+        parser.accepts(ProgramArguments.MAX_CONNECTIONS, description("Max. connections a peer will try to keep", P2PService.MAX_CONNECTIONS_DEFAULT))
+                .withRequiredArg()
+                .ofType(int.class);
         parser.accepts(BitcoinNetwork.KEY, description("Bitcoin network", BitcoinNetwork.DEFAULT))
                 .withRequiredArg()
                 .ofType(BitcoinNetwork.class)
diff --git a/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PModule.java b/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PModule.java
index 3818da82b1..4ae571da9e 100644
--- a/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PModule.java
+++ b/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PModule.java
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ public class P2PModule extends AppModule {
         Integer port = env.getProperty(ProgramArguments.PORT_KEY, int.class, 9999);
         bind(int.class).annotatedWith(Names.named(ProgramArguments.PORT_KEY)).toInstance(port);
 
+        Integer maxConnections = env.getProperty(ProgramArguments.MAX_CONNECTIONS, int.class, P2PService.MAX_CONNECTIONS_DEFAULT);
+        bind(int.class).annotatedWith(Names.named(ProgramArguments.MAX_CONNECTIONS)).toInstance(maxConnections);
+
         Integer networkId = env.getProperty(ProgramArguments.NETWORK_ID, int.class, 1);
         bind(int.class).annotatedWith(Names.named(ProgramArguments.NETWORK_ID)).toInstance(networkId);
     }
diff --git a/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PService.java b/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PService.java
index dde89d05ab..d38142f4ad 100644
--- a/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PService.java
+++ b/network/src/main/java/io/bitsquare/p2p/P2PService.java
@@ -102,13 +102,15 @@ public class P2PService implements SetupListener, MessageListener, ConnectionLis
                       @Named(ProgramArguments.TOR_DIR) File torDir,
                       @Named(ProgramArguments.USE_LOCALHOST) boolean useLocalhost,
                       @Named(ProgramArguments.NETWORK_ID) int networkId,
+                      @Named(ProgramArguments.MAX_CONNECTIONS) int maxConnections,
                       @Named("storage.dir") File storageDir,
                       Clock clock,
                       @Nullable EncryptionService encryptionService,
                       @Nullable KeyRing keyRing) {
         this(
                 seedNodesRepository,
-                port, MAX_CONNECTIONS_DEFAULT,
+                port,
+                maxConnections,
                 torDir,
                 useLocalhost,
                 networkId,