diff --git a/lib/core/option.py b/lib/core/option.py
index 08a561550..0c870515a 100644
--- a/lib/core/option.py
+++ b/lib/core/option.py
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ from lib.core.settings import INJECT_HERE_MARK
 from lib.core.settings import IS_WIN
 from lib.core.settings import LOCALHOST
 from lib.core.settings import MAXDB_ALIASES
+from lib.core.settings import MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES
 from lib.core.settings import MAX_NUMBER_OF_THREADS
 from lib.core.settings import MSSQL_ALIASES
 from lib.core.settings import MYSQL_ALIASES
@@ -1431,6 +1432,9 @@ def _cleanupOptions():
     else:
         kb.adjustTimeDelay = ADJUST_TIME_DELAY.DISABLE
 
+    if conf.retries:
+        conf.retries = min(conf.retries, MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES)
+
     if conf.code:
         conf.code = int(conf.code)
 
diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index c30a78d99..b48ff383a 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -490,6 +490,9 @@ GENERIC_DOC_ROOT_DIRECTORY_NAMES = ("htdocs", "wwwroot", "www")
 # Maximum length of a help part containing switch/option name(s)
 MAX_HELP_OPTION_LENGTH = 18
 
+# Maximum number of connection retries (to prevent problems with recursion)
+MAX_CONNECT_RETRIES = 100
+
 # Strings for detecting formatting errors
 FORMAT_EXCEPTION_STRINGS = ("Type mismatch", "Error converting", "Failed to convert", "System.FormatException", "java.lang.NumberFormatException")