diff --git a/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.c b/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.c
index b9a261871af..d7ca3278b80 100644
--- a/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.c
+++ b/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.c
@@ -291,6 +291,12 @@ static ucs_config_field_t ucp_config_table[] = {
    "require out of band synchronization before destroying UCP resources.",
    ucs_offsetof(ucp_config_t, ctx.sockaddr_cm_enable), UCS_CONFIG_TYPE_TERNARY},
 
+  {"LISTENER_BACKLOG", "auto",
+   "'auto' means that each transport would use its maximal allowed value.\n"
+   "If a value larger than what a transport supports is set, the backlog value\n"
+   "would be cut to that maximal value.",
+   ucs_offsetof(ucp_config_t, ctx.listener_backlog), UCS_CONFIG_TYPE_ULUNITS},
+
   {"PROTO_ENABLE", "n",
    "Experimental: enable new protocol selection logic",
    ucs_offsetof(ucp_config_t, ctx.proto_enable), UCS_CONFIG_TYPE_BOOL},
diff --git a/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.h b/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.h
index 2bed2008d10..9614236f4db 100644
--- a/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.h
+++ b/src/ucp/core/ucp_context.h
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ typedef struct ucp_context_config {
     int                                    unified_mode;
     /** Enable cm wireup-and-close protocol for client-server connections */
     ucs_ternary_value_t                    sockaddr_cm_enable;
+    /** Maximal number of pending connection requests for a listener */
+    size_t                                 listener_backlog;
     /** Enable new protocol selection logic */
     int                                    proto_enable;
 } ucp_context_config_t;
diff --git a/src/ucp/core/ucp_listener.c b/src/ucp/core/ucp_listener.c
index b8c442bb2a6..971fd8095fb 100644
--- a/src/ucp/core/ucp_listener.c
+++ b/src/ucp/core/ucp_listener.c
@@ -242,9 +242,12 @@ ucp_listen_on_cm(ucp_listener_h listener, const ucp_listener_params_t *params)
     ucs_assert_always(num_cms > 0);
 
     uct_params.field_mask       = UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_CONN_REQUEST_CB |
-                                  UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_USER_DATA;
+                                  UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_USER_DATA       |
+                                  UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_BACKLOG;
     uct_params.conn_request_cb  = ucp_cm_server_conn_request_cb;
     uct_params.user_data        = listener;
+    uct_params.backlog          = ucs_min((size_t)INT_MAX,
+                                          worker->context->config.ext.listener_backlog);
 
     listener->num_rscs          = 0;
     uct_listeners               = ucs_calloc(num_cms, sizeof(*uct_listeners),
diff --git a/src/uct/base/uct_cm.c b/src/uct/base/uct_cm.c
index 4c862a39ff1..c730f18d391 100644
--- a/src/uct/base/uct_cm.c
+++ b/src/uct/base/uct_cm.c
@@ -223,6 +223,29 @@ ucs_status_t uct_listener_reject(uct_listener_h listener,
     return listener->cm->ops->listener_reject(listener, conn_request);
 }
 
+ucs_status_t uct_listener_backlog_adjust(const uct_listener_params_t *params,
+                                         int max_value, int *backlog)
+{
+    if (params->field_mask & UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_BACKLOG) {
+        if (params->backlog > max_value) {
+            ucs_diag("configure value %d is greater than the max_value %d. "
+                     "using max_value", params->backlog, max_value);
+            *backlog = max_value;
+        } else {
+            *backlog = params->backlog;
+        }
+    } else {
+        *backlog = max_value;
+    }
+
+    if (*backlog <= 0) {
+        ucs_error("the backlog value cannot be zero or negative");
+        return UCS_ERR_INVALID_PARAM;
+    }
+
+    return UCS_OK;
+}
+
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_STATS
 static ucs_stats_class_t uct_cm_stats_class = {
diff --git a/src/uct/base/uct_cm.h b/src/uct/base/uct_cm.h
index 9544597465d..691cc06cc17 100644
--- a/src/uct/base/uct_cm.h
+++ b/src/uct/base/uct_cm.h
@@ -108,6 +108,9 @@ extern ucs_config_field_t uct_cm_config_table[];
 UCS_CLASS_DECLARE(uct_cm_t, uct_cm_ops_t*, uct_iface_ops_t*, uct_worker_h,
                   uct_component_h);
 
+ucs_status_t uct_listener_backlog_adjust(const uct_listener_params_t *params,
+                                         int max_value, int *backlog);
+
 ucs_status_t uct_cm_set_common_data(uct_cm_base_ep_t *ep,
                                     const uct_ep_params_t *params);
 
diff --git a/src/uct/ib/rdmacm/rdmacm_listener.c b/src/uct/ib/rdmacm/rdmacm_listener.c
index f785e0cf369..6832fd56979 100644
--- a/src/uct/ib/rdmacm/rdmacm_listener.c
+++ b/src/uct/ib/rdmacm/rdmacm_listener.c
@@ -11,6 +11,25 @@
 #include "rdmacm_listener.h"
 
 
+#define UCS_RDMACM_MAX_BACKLOG_PATH        "/proc/sys/net/rdma_ucm/max_backlog"
+
+
+static long ucs_rdmacm_max_backlog()
+{
+    static long max_backlog = 0;
+
+    if ((max_backlog != 0) ||
+        (ucs_read_file_number(&max_backlog, 1, UCS_RDMACM_MAX_BACKLOG_PATH) == UCS_OK)) {
+        ucs_assert(max_backlog <= INT_MAX);
+    } else {
+        ucs_diag("unable to read max_backlog value from %s file",
+                 UCS_RDMACM_MAX_BACKLOG_PATH);
+        max_backlog = 1024;
+    }
+
+    return max_backlog;
+}
+
 UCS_CLASS_INIT_FUNC(uct_rdmacm_listener_t, uct_cm_h cm,
                     const struct sockaddr *saddr, socklen_t socklen,
                     const uct_listener_params_t *params)
@@ -41,8 +60,12 @@ UCS_CLASS_INIT_FUNC(uct_rdmacm_listener_t, uct_cm_h cm,
         goto err_destroy_id;
     }
 
-    backlog = (params->field_mask & UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_BACKLOG) ?
-              params->backlog : SOMAXCONN;
+    status = uct_listener_backlog_adjust(params, ucs_rdmacm_max_backlog(),
+                                         &backlog);
+    if (status != UCS_OK) {
+        goto err_destroy_id;
+    }
+
     if (rdma_listen(self->id, backlog)) {
         ucs_error("rdma_listen(id:=%p addr=%s backlog=%d) failed: %m",
                   self->id, ucs_sockaddr_str(saddr, ip_port_str,
diff --git a/src/uct/tcp/tcp_listener.c b/src/uct/tcp/tcp_listener.c
index 3ad4c427132..347efd6d501 100644
--- a/src/uct/tcp/tcp_listener.c
+++ b/src/uct/tcp/tcp_listener.c
@@ -106,8 +106,11 @@ UCS_CLASS_INIT_FUNC(uct_tcp_listener_t, uct_cm_h cm,
     self->conn_request_cb = params->conn_request_cb;
     self->user_data       = (params->field_mask & UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_USER_DATA) ?
                             params->user_data : NULL;
-    backlog               = (params->field_mask & UCT_LISTENER_PARAM_FIELD_BACKLOG) ?
-                            params->backlog : ucs_socket_max_conn();
+
+    status = uct_listener_backlog_adjust(params, ucs_socket_max_conn(), &backlog);
+    if (status != UCS_OK) {
+        goto err;
+    }
 
     status = ucs_socket_server_init(saddr, socklen, backlog, 0,
                                     self->sockcm->allow_addr_inuse,