diff --git a/cmd/geth/main.go b/cmd/geth/main.go
index 1963a1a7f859..891211022777 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/main.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/main.go
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ var (
 		utils.IdentityFlag,
 		utils.UnlockedAccountFlag,
 		utils.PasswordFileFlag,
-		utils.InsecureUnlockAllowedFlag,
 		utils.BootnodesFlag,
 		utils.BootnodesV4Flag,
 		utils.BootnodesV5Flag,
@@ -136,8 +135,6 @@ var (
 		utils.VMEnableDebugFlag,
 		utils.NetworkIdFlag,
 		utils.ConstantinopleOverrideFlag,
-		utils.RPCCORSDomainFlag,
-		utils.RPCVirtualHostsFlag,
 		utils.EthStatsURLFlag,
 		utils.FakePoWFlag,
 		utils.NoCompactionFlag,
@@ -152,6 +149,8 @@ var (
 		utils.RPCEnabledFlag,
 		utils.RPCListenAddrFlag,
 		utils.RPCPortFlag,
+		utils.RPCCORSDomainFlag,
+		utils.RPCVirtualHostsFlag,
 		utils.GraphQLEnabledFlag,
 		utils.GraphQLListenAddrFlag,
 		utils.GraphQLPortFlag,
@@ -165,6 +164,8 @@ var (
 		utils.WSAllowedOriginsFlag,
 		utils.IPCDisabledFlag,
 		utils.IPCPathFlag,
+		utils.InsecureUnlockAllowedFlag,
+		utils.RPCGlobalGasCap,
 	}
 
 	whisperFlags = []cli.Flag{
diff --git a/cmd/geth/usage.go b/cmd/geth/usage.go
index 6d039ba040f6..7ec1ab03f573 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/usage.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/usage.go
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ var AppHelpFlagGroups = []flagGroup{
 			utils.RPCListenAddrFlag,
 			utils.RPCPortFlag,
 			utils.RPCApiFlag,
+			utils.RPCGlobalGasCap,
 			utils.WSEnabledFlag,
 			utils.WSListenAddrFlag,
 			utils.WSPortFlag,
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index f6e42886926b..f5f4cde5b433 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -448,6 +448,10 @@ var (
 		Name:  "allow-insecure-unlock",
 		Usage: "Allow insecure account unlocking when account-related RPCs are exposed by http",
 	}
+	RPCGlobalGasCap = cli.Uint64Flag{
+		Name:  "rpc.gascap",
+		Usage: "Sets a cap on gas that can be used in eth_call/estimateGas",
+	}
 	// Logging and debug settings
 	EthStatsURLFlag = cli.StringFlag{
 		Name:  "ethstats",
@@ -1400,6 +1404,9 @@ func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *eth.Config) {
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(EVMInterpreterFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.EVMInterpreter = ctx.GlobalString(EVMInterpreterFlag.Name)
 	}
+	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(RPCGlobalGasCap.Name) {
+		cfg.RPCGasCap = new(big.Int).SetUint64(ctx.GlobalUint64(RPCGlobalGasCap.Name))
+	}
 
 	// Override any default configs for hard coded networks.
 	switch {
diff --git a/eth/api_backend.go b/eth/api_backend.go
index 29ce19e28f29..00424caed236 100644
--- a/eth/api_backend.go
+++ b/eth/api_backend.go
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ func (b *EthAPIBackend) ExtRPCEnabled() bool {
 	return b.extRPCEnabled
 }
 
+func (b *EthAPIBackend) RPCGasCap() *big.Int {
+	return b.eth.config.RPCGasCap
+}
+
 func (b *EthAPIBackend) BloomStatus() (uint64, uint64) {
 	sections, _, _ := b.eth.bloomIndexer.Sections()
 	return params.BloomBitsBlocks, sections
diff --git a/eth/config.go b/eth/config.go
index a98e69053ae1..d97ae3070de0 100644
--- a/eth/config.go
+++ b/eth/config.go
@@ -151,6 +151,9 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// Constantinople block override (TODO: remove after the fork)
 	ConstantinopleOverride *big.Int
+
+	// RPCGasCap is the global gas cap for eth-call variants.
+	RPCGasCap *big.Int `toml:",omitempty"`
 }
 
 type configMarshaling struct {
diff --git a/graphql/graphql.go b/graphql/graphql.go
index b3bcbd8a43e2..d22a3afb6fb2 100644
--- a/graphql/graphql.go
+++ b/graphql/graphql.go
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ func (b *Block) Call(ctx context.Context, args struct {
 		}
 	}
 
-	result, gas, failed, err := ethapi.DoCall(ctx, b.backend, args.Data, *b.num, vm.Config{}, 5*time.Second)
+	result, gas, failed, err := ethapi.DoCall(ctx, b.backend, args.Data, *b.num, vm.Config{}, 5*time.Second, b.backend.RPCGasCap())
 	status := hexutil.Uint64(1)
 	if failed {
 		status = 0
@@ -883,7 +883,7 @@ func (b *Block) EstimateGas(ctx context.Context, args struct {
 		}
 	}
 
-	gas, err := ethapi.DoEstimateGas(ctx, b.backend, args.Data, *b.num)
+	gas, err := ethapi.DoEstimateGas(ctx, b.backend, args.Data, *b.num, b.backend.RPCGasCap())
 	return gas, err
 }
 
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ func (p *Pending) Account(ctx context.Context, args struct {
 func (p *Pending) Call(ctx context.Context, args struct {
 	Data ethapi.CallArgs
 }) (*CallResult, error) {
-	result, gas, failed, err := ethapi.DoCall(ctx, p.backend, args.Data, rpc.PendingBlockNumber, vm.Config{}, 5*time.Second)
+	result, gas, failed, err := ethapi.DoCall(ctx, p.backend, args.Data, rpc.PendingBlockNumber, vm.Config{}, 5*time.Second, p.backend.RPCGasCap())
 	status := hexutil.Uint64(1)
 	if failed {
 		status = 0
@@ -942,7 +942,7 @@ func (p *Pending) Call(ctx context.Context, args struct {
 func (p *Pending) EstimateGas(ctx context.Context, args struct {
 	Data ethapi.CallArgs
 }) (hexutil.Uint64, error) {
-	return ethapi.DoEstimateGas(ctx, p.backend, args.Data, rpc.PendingBlockNumber)
+	return ethapi.DoEstimateGas(ctx, p.backend, args.Data, rpc.PendingBlockNumber, p.backend.RPCGasCap())
 }
 
 // Resolver is the top-level object in the GraphQL hierarchy.
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/api.go b/internal/ethapi/api.go
index e5a8124b1f97..ccd918be220c 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/api.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/api.go
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ type CallArgs struct {
 	Data     *hexutil.Bytes  `json:"data"`
 }
 
-func DoCall(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumber, vmCfg vm.Config, timeout time.Duration) ([]byte, uint64, bool, error) {
+func DoCall(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumber, vmCfg vm.Config, timeout time.Duration, globalGasCap *big.Int) ([]byte, uint64, bool, error) {
 	defer func(start time.Time) { log.Debug("Executing EVM call finished", "runtime", time.Since(start)) }(time.Now())
 
 	state, header, err := b.StateAndHeaderByNumber(ctx, blockNr)
@@ -697,6 +697,10 @@ func DoCall(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumb
 	if args.Gas != nil {
 		gas = uint64(*args.Gas)
 	}
+	if globalGasCap != nil && globalGasCap.Uint64() < gas {
+		log.Warn("Caller gas above allowance, capping", "requested", gas, "cap", globalGasCap)
+		gas = globalGasCap.Uint64()
+	}
 	gasPrice := new(big.Int).SetUint64(defaultGasPrice)
 	if args.GasPrice != nil {
 		gasPrice = args.GasPrice.ToInt()
@@ -752,11 +756,11 @@ func DoCall(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumb
 // Call executes the given transaction on the state for the given block number.
 // It doesn't make and changes in the state/blockchain and is useful to execute and retrieve values.
 func (s *PublicBlockChainAPI) Call(ctx context.Context, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumber) (hexutil.Bytes, error) {
-	result, _, _, err := DoCall(ctx, s.b, args, blockNr, vm.Config{}, 5*time.Second)
+	result, _, _, err := DoCall(ctx, s.b, args, blockNr, vm.Config{}, 5*time.Second, s.b.RPCGasCap())
 	return (hexutil.Bytes)(result), err
 }
 
-func DoEstimateGas(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumber) (hexutil.Uint64, error) {
+func DoEstimateGas(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.BlockNumber, gasCap *big.Int) (hexutil.Uint64, error) {
 	// Binary search the gas requirement, as it may be higher than the amount used
 	var (
 		lo  uint64 = params.TxGas - 1
@@ -773,13 +777,17 @@ func DoEstimateGas(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.Bl
 		}
 		hi = block.GasLimit()
 	}
+	if gasCap != nil && hi > gasCap.Uint64() {
+		log.Warn("Caller gas above allowance, capping", "requested", hi, "cap", gasCap)
+		hi = gasCap.Uint64()
+	}
 	cap = hi
 
 	// Create a helper to check if a gas allowance results in an executable transaction
 	executable := func(gas uint64) bool {
 		args.Gas = (*hexutil.Uint64)(&gas)
 
-		_, _, failed, err := DoCall(ctx, b, args, rpc.PendingBlockNumber, vm.Config{}, 0)
+		_, _, failed, err := DoCall(ctx, b, args, rpc.PendingBlockNumber, vm.Config{}, 0, gasCap)
 		if err != nil || failed {
 			return false
 		}
@@ -797,7 +805,7 @@ func DoEstimateGas(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.Bl
 	// Reject the transaction as invalid if it still fails at the highest allowance
 	if hi == cap {
 		if !executable(hi) {
-			return 0, fmt.Errorf("gas required exceeds allowance or always failing transaction")
+			return 0, fmt.Errorf("gas required exceeds allowance (%d) or always failing transaction", cap)
 		}
 	}
 	return hexutil.Uint64(hi), nil
@@ -806,7 +814,7 @@ func DoEstimateGas(ctx context.Context, b Backend, args CallArgs, blockNr rpc.Bl
 // EstimateGas returns an estimate of the amount of gas needed to execute the
 // given transaction against the current pending block.
 func (s *PublicBlockChainAPI) EstimateGas(ctx context.Context, args CallArgs) (hexutil.Uint64, error) {
-	return DoEstimateGas(ctx, s.b, args, rpc.PendingBlockNumber)
+	return DoEstimateGas(ctx, s.b, args, rpc.PendingBlockNumber, s.b.RPCGasCap())
 }
 
 // ExecutionResult groups all structured logs emitted by the EVM
diff --git a/internal/ethapi/backend.go b/internal/ethapi/backend.go
index e88207f87d26..0c6c7eace898 100644
--- a/internal/ethapi/backend.go
+++ b/internal/ethapi/backend.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type Backend interface {
 	EventMux() *event.TypeMux
 	AccountManager() *accounts.Manager
 	ExtRPCEnabled() bool
+	RPCGasCap() *big.Int // global gas cap for eth_call over rpc: DoS protection
 
 	// BlockChain API
 	SetHead(number uint64)
diff --git a/les/api_backend.go b/les/api_backend.go
index 8b03979a29a7..4fe352136631 100644
--- a/les/api_backend.go
+++ b/les/api_backend.go
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ func (b *LesApiBackend) ExtRPCEnabled() bool {
 	return b.extRPCEnabled
 }
 
+func (b *LesApiBackend) RPCGasCap() *big.Int {
+	return b.eth.config.RPCGasCap
+}
+
 func (b *LesApiBackend) BloomStatus() (uint64, uint64) {
 	if b.eth.bloomIndexer == nil {
 		return 0, 0