diff --git a/fs/devpts/inode.c b/fs/devpts/inode.c
index c2c7317d5687..1c6f908e38ca 100644
--- a/fs/devpts/inode.c
+++ b/fs/devpts/inode.c
@@ -41,8 +41,9 @@
  * Otherwise one can eat up all kernel memory by opening /dev/ptmx repeatedly.
  */
 static int pty_limit = NR_UNIX98_PTY_DEFAULT;
+static int pty_reserve = NR_UNIX98_PTY_RESERVE;
 static int pty_limit_min;
-static int pty_limit_max = NR_UNIX98_PTY_MAX;
+static int pty_limit_max = INT_MAX;
 static int pty_count;
 
 static struct ctl_table pty_table[] = {
@@ -54,6 +55,14 @@ static struct ctl_table pty_table[] = {
 		.proc_handler	= proc_dointvec_minmax,
 		.extra1		= &pty_limit_min,
 		.extra2		= &pty_limit_max,
+	}, {
+		.procname	= "reserve",
+		.maxlen		= sizeof(int),
+		.mode		= 0644,
+		.data		= &pty_reserve,
+		.proc_handler	= proc_dointvec_minmax,
+		.extra1		= &pty_limit_min,
+		.extra2		= &pty_limit_max,
 	}, {
 		.procname	= "nr",
 		.maxlen		= sizeof(int),
@@ -94,10 +103,11 @@ struct pts_mount_opts {
 	umode_t mode;
 	umode_t ptmxmode;
 	int newinstance;
+	int max;
 };
 
 enum {
-	Opt_uid, Opt_gid, Opt_mode, Opt_ptmxmode, Opt_newinstance,
+	Opt_uid, Opt_gid, Opt_mode, Opt_ptmxmode, Opt_newinstance,  Opt_max,
 	Opt_err
 };
 
@@ -108,6 +118,7 @@ static const match_table_t tokens = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEVPTS_MULTIPLE_INSTANCES
 	{Opt_ptmxmode, "ptmxmode=%o"},
 	{Opt_newinstance, "newinstance"},
+	{Opt_max, "max=%d"},
 #endif
 	{Opt_err, NULL}
 };
@@ -154,6 +165,7 @@ static int parse_mount_options(char *data, int op, struct pts_mount_opts *opts)
 	opts->gid     = 0;
 	opts->mode    = DEVPTS_DEFAULT_MODE;
 	opts->ptmxmode = DEVPTS_DEFAULT_PTMX_MODE;
+	opts->max     = NR_UNIX98_PTY_MAX;
 
 	/* newinstance makes sense only on initial mount */
 	if (op == PARSE_MOUNT)
@@ -197,6 +209,12 @@ static int parse_mount_options(char *data, int op, struct pts_mount_opts *opts)
 			if (op == PARSE_MOUNT)
 				opts->newinstance = 1;
 			break;
+		case Opt_max:
+			if (match_int(&args[0], &option) ||
+			    option < 0 || option > NR_UNIX98_PTY_MAX)
+				return -EINVAL;
+			opts->max = option;
+			break;
 #endif
 		default:
 			printk(KERN_ERR "devpts: called with bogus options\n");
@@ -303,6 +321,8 @@ static int devpts_show_options(struct seq_file *seq, struct dentry *root)
 	seq_printf(seq, ",mode=%03o", opts->mode);
 #ifdef CONFIG_DEVPTS_MULTIPLE_INSTANCES
 	seq_printf(seq, ",ptmxmode=%03o", opts->ptmxmode);
+	if (opts->max < NR_UNIX98_PTY_MAX)
+		seq_printf(seq, ",max=%d", opts->max);
 #endif
 
 	return 0;
@@ -483,6 +503,12 @@ int devpts_new_index(struct inode *ptmx_inode)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
 	mutex_lock(&allocated_ptys_lock);
+	if (pty_count >= pty_limit -
+			(fsi->mount_opts.newinstance ? pty_reserve : 0)) {
+		mutex_unlock(&allocated_ptys_lock);
+		return -ENOSPC;
+	}
+
 	ida_ret = ida_get_new(&fsi->allocated_ptys, &index);
 	if (ida_ret < 0) {
 		mutex_unlock(&allocated_ptys_lock);
@@ -491,10 +517,10 @@ int devpts_new_index(struct inode *ptmx_inode)
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
-	if (index >= pty_limit) {
+	if (index >= fsi->mount_opts.max) {
 		ida_remove(&fsi->allocated_ptys, index);
 		mutex_unlock(&allocated_ptys_lock);
-		return -EIO;
+		return -ENOSPC;
 	}
 	pty_count++;
 	mutex_unlock(&allocated_ptys_lock);
diff --git a/include/linux/tty.h b/include/linux/tty.h
index d3ebd765b548..d40774188203 100644
--- a/include/linux/tty.h
+++ b/include/linux/tty.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
  * hardcoded at present.)
  */
 #define NR_UNIX98_PTY_DEFAULT	4096      /* Default maximum for Unix98 ptys */
+#define NR_UNIX98_PTY_RESERVE	1024	  /* Default reserve for main devpts */
 #define NR_UNIX98_PTY_MAX	(1 << MINORBITS) /* Absolute limit */
 
 /*