diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/resources/reference.conf b/modules/restserver/src/main/resources/reference.conf
index 25a172d3..4b174649 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/resources/reference.conf
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/resources/reference.conf
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ docspell.server {
     port = 7880
   }
 
+  # This is a hard limit to restrict the size of a batch that is
+  # returned when searching for items. The user can set this limit
+  # within the client config, but it is restricted by the server to
+  # the number defined here. An admin might choose a lower number
+  # depending on the available resources.
+  max-item-page-size = 500
+
   # Authentication.
   auth {
 
diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Config.scala b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Config.scala
index db66c98b..f971cc63 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Config.scala
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/Config.scala
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ case class Config(
     bind: Config.Bind,
     backend: BackendConfig,
     auth: Login.Config,
-    integrationEndpoint: Config.IntegrationEndpoint
+    integrationEndpoint: Config.IntegrationEndpoint,
+    maxItemPageSize: Int
 )
 
 object Config {
diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala
index 3785d5d4..e0495298 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/RestServer.scala
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ object RestServer {
       "user"                    -> UserRoutes(restApp.backend, token),
       "collective"              -> CollectiveRoutes(restApp.backend, token),
       "queue"                   -> JobQueueRoutes(restApp.backend, token),
-      "item"                    -> ItemRoutes(restApp.backend, token),
+      "item"                    -> ItemRoutes(cfg, restApp.backend, token),
       "attachment"              -> AttachmentRoutes(restApp.backend, token),
       "upload"                  -> UploadRoutes.secured(restApp.backend, cfg, token),
       "checkfile"               -> CheckFileRoutes.secured(restApp.backend, token),
diff --git a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/routes/ItemRoutes.scala b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/routes/ItemRoutes.scala
index 23c5e51f..7704c849 100644
--- a/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/routes/ItemRoutes.scala
+++ b/modules/restserver/src/main/scala/docspell/restserver/routes/ItemRoutes.scala
@@ -13,12 +13,17 @@ import org.http4s.circe.CirceEntityDecoder._
 import docspell.restapi.model._
 import docspell.common.syntax.all._
 import docspell.restserver.conv.Conversions
+import docspell.restserver.Config
 import org.log4s._
 
 object ItemRoutes {
   private[this] val logger = getLogger
 
-  def apply[F[_]: Effect](backend: BackendApp[F], user: AuthToken): HttpRoutes[F] = {
+  def apply[F[_]: Effect](
+      cfg: Config,
+      backend: BackendApp[F],
+      user: AuthToken
+  ): HttpRoutes[F] = {
     val dsl = new Http4sDsl[F] {}
     import dsl._
 
@@ -31,7 +36,7 @@ object ItemRoutes {
           _ <- logger.ftrace(s"Running query: $query")
           items <- backend.item.findItems(
             query,
-            Batch(mask.offset, mask.limit).restrictLimitTo(500)
+            Batch(mask.offset, mask.limit).restrictLimitTo(cfg.maxItemPageSize)
           )
           resp <- Ok(Conversions.mkItemList(items))
         } yield resp
@@ -44,7 +49,7 @@ object ItemRoutes {
           _ <- logger.ftrace(s"Running query: $query")
           items <- backend.item.findItemsWithTags(
             query,
-            Batch(mask.offset, mask.limit).restrictLimitTo(500)
+            Batch(mask.offset, mask.limit).restrictLimitTo(cfg.maxItemPageSize)
           )
           resp <- Ok(Conversions.mkItemListWithTags(items))
         } yield resp
diff --git a/nix/module-server.nix b/nix/module-server.nix
index f166a5fe..551bfe79 100644
--- a/nix/module-server.nix
+++ b/nix/module-server.nix
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ let
     app-name = "Docspell";
     app-id = "rest1";
     base-url = "http://localhost:7880";
+    max-item-page-size = 500;
     bind = {
       address = "localhost";
       port = 7880;
@@ -100,6 +101,18 @@ in {
         '';
       };
 
+      max-item-page-size = mkOption {
+        type = types.int;
+        default = defaults.max-item-page-size;
+        description = ''
+          This is a hard limit to restrict the size of a batch that is
+          returned when searching for items. The user can set this limit
+          within the client config, but it is restricted by the server to
+          the number defined here. An admin might choose a lower number
+          depending on the available resources.
+        '';
+      };
+
       bind = mkOption {
         type = types.submodule({
           options = {