diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.init.in b/daemon/libvirtd.init.in
index 4e610cb231..3c49b1f017 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.init.in
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.init.in
@@ -60,6 +60,13 @@ start() {
     echo -n $"Starting $SERVICE daemon: "
     mkdir -p @localstatedir@/cache/libvirt
     rm -rf @localstatedir@/cache/libvirt/*
+
+    # LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT from /etc/sysconfig/libvirtd is not handled
+    # automatically
+    if [ -n "$LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT" ]; then
+        ulimit -n "$LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT"
+    fi
+
     KRB5_KTNAME=$KRB5_KTNAME daemon --pidfile $PIDFILE --check $SERVICE $PROCESS --daemon $LIBVIRTD_CONFIG_ARGS $LIBVIRTD_ARGS
     RETVAL=$?
     echo
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.service.in b/daemon/libvirtd.service.in
index 9661428df6..8f2458af0c 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.service.in
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.service.in
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ Before=libvirt-guests.service
 EnvironmentFile=-/etc/sysconfig/libvirtd
 ExecStart=@sbindir@/libvirtd $LIBVIRTD_ARGS
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+# Override the maximum number of opened files
+#LimitNOFILE=2048
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.sysconf b/daemon/libvirtd.sysconf
index ab273c85f6..3af1f037d6 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.sysconf
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.sysconf
@@ -19,3 +19,6 @@
 #QEMU_AUDIO_DRV=sdl
 #
 #SDL_AUDIODRIVER=pulse
+
+# Override the maximum number of opened files
+#LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT=2048
diff --git a/daemon/libvirtd.upstart b/daemon/libvirtd.upstart
index f51701aa6c..e620f41450 100644
--- a/daemon/libvirtd.upstart
+++ b/daemon/libvirtd.upstart
@@ -31,6 +31,11 @@ script
         ulimit -c "$DAEMON_COREFILE_LIMIT"
     fi
 
+    # LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT from /etc/sysconfig/libvirtd is not handled
+    # automatically
+    if [ -n "$LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT" ]; then
+        ulimit -n "$LIBVIRTD_NOFILES_LIMIT"
+    fi
     mkdir -p /var/cache/libvirt
     rm -rf /var/cache/libvirt/*