diff --git a/config_test.go b/config_test.go
index 3a3bc1b..ad5c885 100644
--- a/config_test.go
+++ b/config_test.go
@@ -63,13 +63,29 @@ func TestDefaultForMode_SeedHighConnections(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("seed max_connections: got %d, want 1000", cfg.Network.P2P.MaxConnections)
 	}
 	if !cfg.Network.P2P.AllowDuplicateIP {
-		t.Error("seed should allow duplicate IPs")
+		t.Error("seed should allow duplicate IPs — records the intent only; sei-tendermint never reads this field")
 	}
 	if cfg.Storage.PruningStrategy != PruningEverything {
 		t.Errorf("seed pruning: got %s, want everything", cfg.Storage.PruningStrategy)
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDefaultForMode_SeedBoundsPerSourceIPConnections(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := DefaultForMode(ModeSeed)
+
+	got := cfg.Network.P2P.MaxIncomingConnectionAttempts
+	if got != 32 {
+		t.Errorf("seed max_incoming_connection_attempts: got %d, want 32", got)
+	}
+	// The cap is per source IP and counts concurrent connections, so it constrains
+	// nothing unless it sits below the total. Upstream leaves the two equal, where a
+	// single source can hold every slot.
+	if got >= uint(cfg.Network.P2P.MaxConnections) {
+		t.Errorf("seed per-IP cap %d must be below max_connections %d, or one source can fill the node",
+			got, cfg.Network.P2P.MaxConnections)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestDefaultForMode_SeedBindsP2POnAllInterfaces(t *testing.T) {
 	cfg := DefaultForMode(ModeSeed)
 
diff --git a/defaults.go b/defaults.go
index b868939..cdc10b7 100644
--- a/defaults.go
+++ b/defaults.go
@@ -282,7 +282,18 @@ func applySeedOverrides(cfg *SeiConfig) {
 	cfg.TxIndex.Indexer = []string{"null"}
 	cfg.Network.P2P.ListenAddress = p2pListenAddrAllInterfaces
 	cfg.Network.P2P.MaxConnections = 1000
+	// Inert in sei-tendermint: declared and rendered into config.toml, never read.
+	// Kept because true is the right intent for a seed, but the limit that actually
+	// applies is MaxIncomingConnectionAttempts below.
 	cfg.Network.P2P.AllowDuplicateIP = true
+	// Caps CONCURRENT connections per source IP, despite the name. Upstream leaves
+	// it equal to max_connections (100/100) where it can never bind; raising the
+	// total to 1000 makes it the first real constraint. 32 gives one source ~3% of
+	// inbound — ample for an operator running several nodes behind one NAT, while
+	// forcing a flood across ~31 addresses. This assumes the load balancer in front
+	// preserves client IPs; under SNAT it multiplies against the LB's address count
+	// rather than the peers'.
+	cfg.Network.P2P.MaxIncomingConnectionAttempts = 32
 	// Bounds the PEX recv path only, where ReadSizedMsg allocates a peer-declared
 	// size before the channel's ~26 KB RecvMessageCapacity can reject it. The
 	// multiplier is maxInbound (max_connections less the outbound reserve), so at