diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/RegisterController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/RegisterController.php
index b70f1d52a..5eb1159fe 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/RegisterController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/Auth/RegisterController.php
@@ -178,8 +178,9 @@ class RegisterController extends Controller
 			if(config('pixelfed.bouncer.cloud_ips.ban_signups')) {
 				abort_if(BouncerService::checkIp(request()->ip()), 404);
 			}
-			$limit = config('pixelfed.max_users');
-			if($limit) {
+			$hasLimit = config('pixelfed.enforce_max_users');
+			if($hasLimit) {
+				$limit = config('pixelfed.max_users');
 				$count = User::where(function($q){ return $q->whereNull('status')->orWhereNotIn('status', ['deleted','delete']); })->count();
 				if($limit <= $count) {
 					return redirect(route('help.instance-max-users-limit'));
@@ -208,13 +209,17 @@ class RegisterController extends Controller
 			abort_if(BouncerService::checkIp($request->ip()), 404);
 		}
 
-		$count = User::where(function($q){ return $q->whereNull('status')->orWhereNotIn('status', ['deleted','delete']); })->count();
-		$limit = config('pixelfed.max_users');
+		$hasLimit = config('pixelfed.enforce_max_users');
+		if($hasLimit) {
+			$count = User::where(function($q){ return $q->whereNull('status')->orWhereNotIn('status', ['deleted','delete']); })->count();
+			$limit = config('pixelfed.max_users');
 
-		if(false == config_cache('pixelfed.open_registration') || $limit && $limit <= $count) {
-			return redirect(route('help.instance-max-users-limit'));
+    		if($limit && $limit <= $count) {
+    			return redirect(route('help.instance-max-users-limit'));
+    		}
 		}
 
+
 		$this->validator($request->all())->validate();
 
 		event(new Registered($user = $this->create($request->all())));
diff --git a/config/pixelfed.php b/config/pixelfed.php
index 083c879c2..18e78b21d 100644
--- a/config/pixelfed.php
+++ b/config/pixelfed.php
@@ -198,7 +198,8 @@ return [
 	| Allow a maximum number of user accounts. Default: off
 	|
 	*/
-	'max_users' => env('PF_MAX_USERS', false),
+    'max_users' => env('PF_MAX_USERS', 1000),
+    'enforce_max_users' => env('PF_ENFORCE_MAX_USERS', true),
 
 	/*
 	|--------------------------------------------------------------------------