diff --git a/letta/server/db.py b/letta/server/db.py
index 11365522..dd484bca 100644
--- a/letta/server/db.py
+++ b/letta/server/db.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import asyncio
 import os
 import threading
 import time
@@ -116,6 +117,13 @@ class DatabaseRegistry:
         self.config = LettaConfig.load()
         self.logger = get_logger(__name__)
 
+        if settings.db_max_concurrent_sessions:
+            self._db_semaphore = asyncio.Semaphore(settings.db_max_concurrent_sessions)
+            self.logger.info(f"Initialized database throttling with max {settings.db_max_concurrent_sessions} concurrent sessions")
+        else:
+            self.logger.info("Database throttling is disabled")
+            self._db_semaphore = None
+
     def initialize_sync(self, force: bool = False) -> None:
         """Initialize the synchronous database engine if not already initialized."""
         with self._lock:
@@ -364,16 +372,28 @@ class DatabaseRegistry:
     @trace_method
     @asynccontextmanager
     async def async_session(self, name: str = "default") -> AsyncGenerator[AsyncSession, None]:
-        """Async context manager for database sessions."""
-        session_factory = self.get_async_session_factory(name)
-        if not session_factory:
-            raise ValueError(f"No async session factory found for '{name}' or async database is not configured")
+        """Async context manager for database sessions with throttling."""
+        if self._db_semaphore:
+            async with self._db_semaphore:
+                session_factory = self.get_async_session_factory(name)
+                if not session_factory:
+                    raise ValueError(f"No async session factory found for '{name}' or async database is not configured")
 
-        session = session_factory()
-        try:
-            yield session
-        finally:
-            await session.close()
+                session = session_factory()
+                try:
+                    yield session
+                finally:
+                    await session.close()
+        else:
+            session_factory = self.get_async_session_factory(name)
+            if not session_factory:
+                raise ValueError(f"No async session factory found for '{name}' or async database is not configured")
+
+            session = session_factory()
+            try:
+                yield session
+            finally:
+                await session.close()
 
     @trace_method
     def session_caller_trace(self, caller_info: str):
diff --git a/letta/settings.py b/letta/settings.py
index e438faa2..619fd466 100644
--- a/letta/settings.py
+++ b/letta/settings.py
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
     pool_pre_ping: bool = True  # Pre ping to check for dead connections
     pool_use_lifo: bool = True
     disable_sqlalchemy_pooling: bool = False
+    db_max_concurrent_sessions: Optional[int] = None
 
     redis_host: Optional[str] = Field(default=None, description="Host for Redis instance")
     redis_port: Optional[int] = Field(default=6379, description="Port for Redis instance")