diff --git a/plugins/poll/config/locales/server.en.yml b/plugins/poll/config/locales/server.en.yml
index 3434059bc5b..1590536aff4 100644
--- a/plugins/poll/config/locales/server.en.yml
+++ b/plugins/poll/config/locales/server.en.yml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 en:
   site_settings:
     poll_enabled: "Allow users to create polls?"
+    poll_maximum_options: "Maximum number of options allowed in a poll."
 
   poll:
     multiple_polls_without_name: "There are multiple polls without a name. Use the '<code>name</code>' attribute to uniquely identify your polls."
@@ -16,8 +17,11 @@ en:
     default_poll_must_have_at_least_2_options: "Poll must have at least 2 options."
     named_poll_must_have_at_least_2_options: "Poll named <strong>%{name}</strong> must have at least 2 options."
 
+    default_poll_must_have_less_options: "Poll must have less than %{max} options."
+    named_poll_must_have_less_options: "Poll named <strong>%{name}</strong> must have less than %{max} options."
+
     default_poll_must_have_different_options: "Poll must have different options."
-    named_poll_must_have_different_options: "Poll name <strong>%{name}</strong> must have different options."
+    named_poll_must_have_different_options: "Poll named <strong>%{name}</strong> must have different options."
 
     requires_at_least_1_valid_option: "You must select at least 1 valid option."
     cannot_change_polls_after_5_minutes: "Polls cannot be changed after the first 5 minutes. Contact a moderator if you need to change them."
diff --git a/plugins/poll/config/settings.yml b/plugins/poll/config/settings.yml
index eb5cc0aafe1..354288bf720 100644
--- a/plugins/poll/config/settings.yml
+++ b/plugins/poll/config/settings.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
 plugins:
   poll_enabled:
     default: true
+  poll_maximum_options:
+    default: 10
diff --git a/plugins/poll/plugin.rb b/plugins/poll/plugin.rb
index 514ef785a5e..fa3d268b6c1 100644
--- a/plugins/poll/plugin.rb
+++ b/plugins/poll/plugin.rb
@@ -231,6 +231,14 @@ after_initialize do
         return
       end
 
+      # maximum # of options
+      if poll["options"].size > SiteSetting.poll_maximum_options
+        poll["name"] == DEFAULT_POLL_NAME ?
+          self.errors.add(:base, I18n.t("poll.default_poll_must_have_less_options", max: SiteSetting.poll_maximum_options)) :
+          self.errors.add(:base, I18n.t("poll.named_poll_must_have_less_options", name: poll["name"], max: SiteSetting.poll_maximum_options))
+        return
+      end
+
       # store the valid poll
       polls[poll["name"]] = poll
     end
diff --git a/plugins/poll/spec/controllers/posts_controller_spec.rb b/plugins/poll/spec/controllers/posts_controller_spec.rb
index c36befe22f4..e37c4d4848f 100644
--- a/plugins/poll/spec/controllers/posts_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/plugins/poll/spec/controllers/posts_controller_spec.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,18 @@ describe PostsController do
       expect(json["errors"][0]).to eq(I18n.t("poll.default_poll_must_have_at_least_2_options"))
     end
 
+    it "should have at most 'SiteSetting.poll_maximum_options' options" do
+      raw = "[poll]"
+      (SiteSetting.poll_maximum_options + 1).times { |n| raw << "\n- #{n}" }
+      raw << "[/poll]"
+
+      xhr :post, :create, { title: title, raw: raw }
+
+      expect(response).not_to be_success
+      json = ::JSON.parse(response.body)
+      expect(json["errors"][0]).to eq(I18n.t("poll.default_poll_must_have_less_options", max: SiteSetting.poll_maximum_options))
+    end
+
     describe "edit window" do
 
       describe "within the first 5 minutes" do