diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index 4539538..3393e8c 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 
 	ws "github.com/coder/websocket"
 	"github.com/puzpuzpuz/xsync/v3"
+	"github.com/tidwall/gjson"
 )
 
 var subscriptionIDCounter atomic.Int64
@@ -73,6 +74,9 @@ type Relay struct {
 	okCallbacksMutex              sync.Mutex
 	subscriptionChannelCloseQueue chan *Subscription
 
+	subscriptionLimitCheckMutex sync.Mutex
+	realSubscriptionsLimit      int
+
 	// custom things that aren't often used
 	//
 	AssumeValid bool // this will skip verifying signatures for events received from this relay
@@ -577,6 +581,69 @@ func (r *Relay) publish(ctx context.Context, id ID, env Envelope) error {
 	}
 }
 
+var ErrTooManySubscriptions = errors.New("subscription limit reached")
+
+func (r *Relay) checkSubscriptionLimit(ctx context.Context) error {
+	current := r.Subscriptions.Size()
+	tempLimit := 20
+
+	// special case troublesome relays
+	if strings.HasPrefix(r.URL, "wss://relay.bullishbounty.com") {
+		r.realSubscriptionsLimit = 10
+		if current >= r.realSubscriptionsLimit {
+			return ErrTooManySubscriptions
+		}
+	}
+
+	if current < tempLimit {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	r.subscriptionLimitCheckMutex.Lock()
+	if r.realSubscriptionsLimit == 0 {
+		r.realSubscriptionsLimit = r.fetchSubscriptionLimit(ctx)
+	}
+	r.subscriptionLimitCheckMutex.Unlock()
+
+	if current < r.realSubscriptionsLimit {
+		return ErrTooManySubscriptions
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (r *Relay) fetchSubscriptionLimit(ctx context.Context) int {
+	if _, ok := ctx.Deadline(); !ok {
+		var cancel context.CancelFunc
+		ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 7*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+	}
+	req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, "GET", "http"+r.URL[2:], nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 40
+	}
+	req.Header.Add("Accept", "application/nostr+json")
+	req.Header.Add("User-Agent", "nostrlib/go")
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 40
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	body, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 40
+	}
+	result := gjson.GetBytes(body, "limitations.max_subscriptions")
+	if !result.Exists() {
+		return 40
+	}
+	limit := result.Int()
+	if limit == 0 {
+		return 40
+	}
+	return int(limit)
+}
+
 // Subscribe sends a "REQ" command to the relay r as in NIP-01.
 // Events are returned through the channel sub.Events.
 // The subscription is closed when context ctx is cancelled ("CLOSE" in NIP-01).
@@ -587,6 +654,9 @@ func (r *Relay) Subscribe(ctx context.Context, filter Filter, opts SubscriptionO
 	if !r.IsConnected() {
 		return nil, ErrDisconnected
 	}
+	if err := r.checkSubscriptionLimit(ctx); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 
 	sub := r.PrepareSubscription(ctx, filter, opts)
 
@@ -748,6 +818,9 @@ func (r *Relay) countInternal(ctx context.Context, filter Filter, opts Subscript
 	hasAuthed := false
 
 	for {
+		if err := r.checkSubscriptionLimit(ctx); err != nil {
+			return CountEnvelope{}, err
+		}
 		sub := r.PrepareSubscription(ctx, filter, opts)
 		sub.countResult = make(chan CountEnvelope, 1)