diff --git a/synapse/config/server.py b/synapse/config/server.py
index 25e666623..3910b9dc3 100644
--- a/synapse/config/server.py
+++ b/synapse/config/server.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
         # "disable" federation
         self.send_federation = config.get("send_federation", True)
 
+        self.filter_timeline_limit = config.get("filter_timeline_limit", -1)
+
         if self.public_baseurl is not None:
             if self.public_baseurl[-1] != '/':
                 self.public_baseurl += '/'
@@ -161,6 +163,10 @@ class ServerConfig(Config):
         # The GC threshold parameters to pass to `gc.set_threshold`, if defined
         # gc_thresholds: [700, 10, 10]
 
+        # Set the limit on the returned events in the timeline in the get
+        # and sync operations. The default value is -1, means no upper limit.
+        # filter_timeline_limit: 5000
+
         # List of ports that Synapse should listen on, their purpose and their
         # configuration.
         listeners:
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py
index 20e765f48..279e2a775 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/_base.py
@@ -47,3 +47,11 @@ def client_v2_patterns(path_regex, releases=(0,),
         new_prefix = CLIENT_V2_ALPHA_PREFIX.replace("/v2_alpha", "/r%d" % release)
         patterns.append(re.compile("^" + new_prefix + path_regex))
     return patterns
+
+
+def set_timeline_upper_limit(filter_json, filter_timeline_limit):
+    if filter_timeline_limit < 0:
+        return  # no upper limits
+    if 'room' in filter_json and 'limit' in filter_json['room']:
+        filter_json['room']["limit"] = min(filter_json['room']["limit"],
+                                           filter_timeline_limit)
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/filter.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/filter.py
index b4084fec6..364d20d8e 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/filter.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/filter.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from synapse.http.servlet import RestServlet, parse_json_object_from_request
 from synapse.types import UserID
 
 from ._base import client_v2_patterns
+from ._base import set_timeline_upper_limit
 
 import logging
 
@@ -85,6 +86,9 @@ class CreateFilterRestServlet(RestServlet):
             raise AuthError(403, "Can only create filters for local users")
 
         content = parse_json_object_from_request(request)
+        set_timeline_upper_limit(content,
+                                 self.hs.config.filter_timeline_limit)
+
         filter_id = yield self.filtering.add_user_filter(
             user_localpart=target_user.localpart,
             user_filter=content,
diff --git a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py
index f30eab76f..f5e7349c5 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/client/v2_alpha/sync.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from synapse.api.filtering import FilterCollection, DEFAULT_FILTER_COLLECTION
 from synapse.api.errors import SynapseError
 from synapse.api.constants import PresenceState
 from ._base import client_v2_patterns
+from ._base import set_timeline_upper_limit
 
 import itertools
 import logging
@@ -121,6 +122,8 @@ class SyncRestServlet(RestServlet):
             if filter_id.startswith('{'):
                 try:
                     filter_object = json.loads(filter_id)
+                    set_timeline_upper_limit(filter_object,
+                                             self.hs.config.filter_timeline_limit)
                 except:
                     raise SynapseError(400, "Invalid filter JSON")
                 self.filtering.check_valid_filter(filter_object)