diff --git a/server-main.go b/server-main.go
index 1321088fa..60c6028d3 100644
--- a/server-main.go
+++ b/server-main.go
@@ -203,6 +203,11 @@ func initServerConfig(c *cli.Context) {
 	// Set maxOpenFiles, This is necessary since default operating
 	// system limits of 1024, 2048 are not enough for Minio server.
 	setMaxOpenFiles()
+	// Set maxMemory, This is necessary since default operating
+	// system limits might be changed and we need to make sure we
+	// do not crash the server so the set the maxCacheSize appropriately.
+	setMaxMemory()
+
 	// Do not fail if this is not allowed, lower limits are fine as well.
 }
 
diff --git a/server-rlimit-nix.go b/server-rlimit-nix.go
index a70ad7074..549e39b12 100644
--- a/server-rlimit-nix.go
+++ b/server-rlimit-nix.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ func setMaxOpenFiles() error {
 		return err
 	}
 	// Set the current limit to Max, it is usually around 4096.
-	// TO increate this limit further user has to manually edit
+	// TO increase this limit further user has to manually edit
 	// `/etc/security/limits.conf`
 	rLimit.Cur = rLimit.Max
 	err = syscall.Setrlimit(syscall.RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rLimit)
@@ -43,3 +43,34 @@ func setMaxOpenFiles() error {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// Set max memory used by minio as a process, this value is usually
+// set to 'unlimited' but we need to validate additionally to verify
+// if any hard limit is set by the user, in such a scenario would need
+// to reset the global max cache size to be 80% of the hardlimit set
+// by the user. This is done to honor the system limits and not crash.
+func setMaxMemory() error {
+	var rLimit syscall.Rlimit
+	err := syscall.Getrlimit(syscall.RLIMIT_AS, &rLimit)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// Set the current limit to Max, it is default 'unlimited'.
+	// TO decrease this limit further user has to manually edit
+	// `/etc/security/limits.conf`
+	rLimit.Cur = rLimit.Max
+	err = syscall.Setrlimit(syscall.RLIMIT_AS, &rLimit)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = syscall.Getrlimit(syscall.RLIMIT_AS, &rLimit)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	// Validate if rlimit memory is set to lower
+	// than max cache size. Then we should use such value.
+	if rLimit.Cur < globalMaxCacheSize {
+		globalMaxCacheSize = (80 / 100) * rLimit.Cur
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/server-rlimit-win.go b/server-rlimit-win.go
index 39398be62..9cc676709 100644
--- a/server-rlimit-win.go
+++ b/server-rlimit-win.go
@@ -24,3 +24,8 @@ func setMaxOpenFiles() error {
 	// (well, you do but it is based on your resources like memory).
 	return nil
 }
+
+func setMaxMemory() error {
+	// TODO: explore if Win32 API's provide anything special here.
+	return nil
+}