diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 1f68c6f2..8b9a109c 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -428,7 +428,14 @@ void MyMesh::sendFloodReply(mesh::Packet* packet, unsigned long delay_millis, ui
 
 bool MyMesh::allowPacketForward(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
   if (_prefs.disable_fwd) return false;
-  if (packet->isRouteFlood() && packet->getPathHashCount() >= _prefs.flood_max) return false;
+  if (packet->isRouteFlood()) {
+    uint8_t limit = _prefs.flood_max;
+    if (packet->getRouteType() == ROUTE_TYPE_FLOOD
+        && _prefs.flood_max_unscoped != FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET) {
+      limit = _prefs.flood_max_unscoped;
+    }
+    if (packet->getPathHashCount() >= limit) return false;
+  }
   if (packet->isRouteFlood() && recv_pkt_region == NULL) {
     MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("allowPacketForward: unknown transport code, or wildcard not allowed for FLOOD packet");
     return false;
@@ -886,6 +893,7 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.advert_interval = 1;        // default to 2 minutes for NEW installs
   _prefs.flood_advert_interval = 47; // 47 hours
   _prefs.flood_max = 64;
+  _prefs.flood_max_unscoped = FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET;
   _prefs.interference_threshold = 0; // disabled
 
   // bridge defaults
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index 2fb80be2..7520749d 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -282,7 +282,14 @@ uint32_t MyMesh::getDirectRetransmitDelay(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
 
 bool MyMesh::allowPacketForward(const mesh::Packet *packet) {
   if (_prefs.disable_fwd) return false;
-  if (packet->isRouteFlood() && packet->getPathHashCount() >= _prefs.flood_max) return false;
+  if (packet->isRouteFlood()) {
+    uint8_t limit = _prefs.flood_max;
+    if (packet->getRouteType() == ROUTE_TYPE_FLOOD
+        && _prefs.flood_max_unscoped != FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET) {
+      limit = _prefs.flood_max_unscoped;
+    }
+    if (packet->getPathHashCount() >= limit) return false;
+  }
   return true;
 }
 
@@ -643,6 +650,7 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.advert_interval = 1;        // default to 2 minutes for NEW installs
   _prefs.flood_advert_interval = 47; // 47 hours
   _prefs.flood_max = 64;
+  _prefs.flood_max_unscoped = FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET;
   _prefs.interference_threshold = 0; // disabled
 #ifdef ROOM_PASSWORD
   StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.guest_password, ROOM_PASSWORD, sizeof(_prefs.guest_password));
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
index cae8bfd8..91fd07c4 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ void CommonCLI::loadPrefsInt(FILESYSTEM* fs, const char* filename) {
     file.read((uint8_t *)&_prefs->adc_multiplier, sizeof(_prefs->adc_multiplier));                 // 166
     file.read((uint8_t *)_prefs->owner_info, sizeof(_prefs->owner_info));                          // 170
     file.read((uint8_t *)&_prefs->rx_boosted_gain, sizeof(_prefs->rx_boosted_gain));              // 290
-    // next: 291
+    file.read((uint8_t *)&_prefs->flood_max_unscoped, sizeof(_prefs->flood_max_unscoped));   // 291
+    // next: 292
 
     // sanitise bad pref values
     _prefs->rx_delay_base = constrain(_prefs->rx_delay_base, 0, 20.0f);
@@ -120,6 +121,11 @@ void CommonCLI::loadPrefsInt(FILESYSTEM* fs, const char* filename) {
     // sanitise settings
     _prefs->rx_boosted_gain = constrain(_prefs->rx_boosted_gain, 0, 1); // boolean
 
+    // sanitise only if user sets unscoped max
+    if (_prefs->flood_max_unscoped != FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET) {
+      _prefs->flood_max_unscoped = constrain(_prefs->flood_max_unscoped, 0, 64);
+    }
+
     file.close();
   }
 }
@@ -180,7 +186,8 @@ void CommonCLI::savePrefs(FILESYSTEM* fs) {
     file.write((uint8_t *)&_prefs->adc_multiplier, sizeof(_prefs->adc_multiplier));                 // 166
     file.write((uint8_t *)_prefs->owner_info, sizeof(_prefs->owner_info));                          // 170
     file.write((uint8_t *)&_prefs->rx_boosted_gain, sizeof(_prefs->rx_boosted_gain));              // 290
-    // next: 291
+    file.write((uint8_t *)&_prefs->flood_max_unscoped, sizeof(_prefs->flood_max_unscoped));   // 291
+    // next: 292
 
     file.close();
   }
@@ -607,6 +614,15 @@ void CommonCLI::handleSetCmd(uint32_t sender_timestamp, char* command, char* rep
     } else {
       strcpy(reply, "Error, max 64");
     }
+  } else if (memcmp(config, "flood.max.unscoped ", 19) == 0) {
+    uint8_t m = atoi(&config[19]);
+    if (m <= 64) {
+      _prefs->flood_max_unscoped = m;
+      savePrefs();
+      strcpy(reply, "OK");
+    } else {
+      strcpy(reply, "Error, max 64");
+    } 
   } else if (memcmp(config, "direct.txdelay ", 15) == 0) {
     float f = atof(&config[15]);
     if (f >= 0 && f <= 2.0f) {
@@ -782,6 +798,12 @@ void CommonCLI::handleGetCmd(uint32_t sender_timestamp, char* command, char* rep
     sprintf(reply, "> %s", StrHelper::ftoa(_prefs->rx_delay_base));
   } else if (memcmp(config, "txdelay", 7) == 0) {
     sprintf(reply, "> %s", StrHelper::ftoa(_prefs->tx_delay_factor));
+  } else if (memcmp(config, "flood.max.unscoped", 18) == 0) {
+    if (_prefs->flood_max_unscoped == FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET) {
+      sprintf(reply, "> default (tracks flood.max=%u)", (unsigned)_prefs->flood_max);
+    } else {
+      sprintf(reply, "> %d", (uint32_t)_prefs->flood_max_unscoped);
+    }
   } else if (memcmp(config, "flood.max", 9) == 0) {
     sprintf(reply, "> %d", (uint32_t)_prefs->flood_max);
   } else if (memcmp(config, "direct.txdelay", 14) == 0) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
index ffdc7c65..c1f4d7fb 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 #define ADVERT_LOC_SHARE      1
 #define ADVERT_LOC_PREFS      2
 
+#define FLOOD_MAX_UNSCOPED_UNSET 0xFF
+
 #define LOOP_DETECT_OFF       0
 #define LOOP_DETECT_MINIMAL   1
 #define LOOP_DETECT_MODERATE  2
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ struct NodePrefs { // persisted to file
   uint8_t multi_acks;
   float bw;
   uint8_t flood_max;
+  uint8_t flood_max_unscoped;
   uint8_t interference_threshold;
   uint8_t agc_reset_interval; // secs / 4
   // Bridge settings