diff --git a/libs/ardour/globals.cc b/libs/ardour/globals.cc
index 49852a912e..bed44b5d68 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/globals.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/globals.cc
@@ -215,7 +215,12 @@ lotsa_files_please ()
 
 	if (getrlimit (RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rl) == 0) {
 
-		rl.rlim_cur = rl.rlim_max;
+#ifdef __APPLE__
+                /* See the COMPATIBILITY note on the Apple setrlimit() man page */
+                rl.rlim_cur = min ((rlim_t) OPEN_MAX, rl.rlim_max);
+#else
+                rl.rlim_cur = rl.rlim_max;
+#endif
 
 		if (setrlimit (RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rl) != 0) {
 			if (rl.rlim_cur == RLIM_INFINITY) {