diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f68668e..b3f2fc2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ All variables which can be overridden are stored in [defaults/main.yml](defaults
 | `besu_identity` | ___unset___  | Configuration of Identity in the Client ID |
 | `besu_host_ip` | "" | The host IP that Besu uses for the P2P network. This specifies the host on which P2P listens |
 | `besu_default_ip` | "{{ default(ansible_host) \| default('127.0.0.1') }}" | The fallback default for `besu_host_ip` |
+| `besu_max_peers` | ___unset___ | The maximum number of P2P connections you can establish |
 | `besu_network` | mainnet | The network that this node will join. Other values are 'ropsten', 'rinkeby', 'goerli', 'dev' and 'custom' |
 | `besu_genesis_path` | ___unset___ | The path to the genesis file, only valid when `besu_network` is `custom` |
 | `besu_sync_mode` | FAST | Specifies the synchronization mode. Other values are 'FULL' |
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ All variables which can be overridden are stored in [defaults/main.yml](defaults
 | `besu_permissions_accounts_contract_address` | ___unset___ | The contract address for onchain accounts permissioning |
 | `besu_permissions_nodes_contract_address` | ___unset___ | The contract address for onchain nodes permissioning |
 | `besu_cmdline_args` | "" | Command line args that are passed in as overrides |
-| `besu_env_opts` | "" | Environmental variable BESU_OPTS that gets passed to the JVM. eg: -agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=5005 |
+| `besu_env_opts` | [] | Settings passed to the JVM through `BESU_OPTS` environment variable. eg: `-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=5005` |
 | `orion_version` | ___unset___ | Version of Orion installed. When supplied, adds required privacy config items and requires `orion_config_dir` and `orion_key_name` to be set |
 | `orion_config_dir` | ___unset___ | Path to Orion configuration directory |
 | `orion_key_name` | ___unset___ | Name of the Node Key |
diff --git a/filter_plugins/besu_filters.py b/filter_plugins/besu_filters.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bdba9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/filter_plugins/besu_filters.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#! /usr/bin/env python
+
+from typing import Union, List
+
+
+class FilterModule(object):
+    def filters(self):
+        return {
+            'besu_opts_format': self.besuOptsFormat,
+        }
+
+    def besuOptsFormat(self, besu_env_opts: Union[str, List[str]]):
+        if isinstance(besu_env_opts, str):
+            besu_env_opts = besu_env_opts.split()
+
+        escaped_besu_env_opts = [item.replace('"', '\\"') for item in besu_env_opts]
+
+        return f'''"{'" "'.join(escaped_besu_env_opts)}"'''
diff --git a/templates/besu.service.j2 b/templates/besu.service.j2
index 65ff9cd..9dd5d23 100644
--- a/templates/besu.service.j2
+++ b/templates/besu.service.j2
@@ -9,10 +9,10 @@ Environment=HOME=/home/{{ besu_user }}
 {% if besu_log4j_config_file %}
 Environment=LOG4J_CONFIGURATION_FILE={{ besu_log4j_config_file }}
 {% endif %}
-Environment=BESU_OPTS={{ besu_env_opts }}
+Environment='BESU_OPTS={{ besu_env_opts|besu_opts_format }}'
 Type=simple
 {% if besu_cmdline_args %}
-ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "{{ besu_current_dir }}/bin/besu --config-file={{ besu_config_dir }}/config.toml {{ besu_cmdline_args }} >> {{besu_log_dir}}/besu.log 2>&1"
+ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "{{ besu_current_dir }}/bin/besu --config-file={{ besu_config_dir }}/config.toml {{ besu_cmdline_args|quote }} >> {{besu_log_dir}}/besu.log 2>&1"
 {% else %}
 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "{{ besu_current_dir }}/bin/besu --config-file={{ besu_config_dir }}/config.toml >> {{besu_log_dir}}/besu.log 2>&1"
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/templates/config.toml.j2 b/templates/config.toml.j2
index 1b9c1c6..901965b 100644
--- a/templates/config.toml.j2
+++ b/templates/config.toml.j2
@@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ graphql-http-cors-origins=[{{besu_graphql_http_cors_origins|map('to_json')|join(
 p2p-host="{{besu_host_ip}}"
 {% endif %}
 p2p-port={{besu_p2p_port}}
+{% if besu_max_peers is defined %}
+max_peers={{besu_max_peers}}
+{% endif %}
 
 # metrics
 metrics-enabled=true
@@ -92,7 +95,7 @@ permissions-nodes-contract-address="{{ besu_permissions_nodes_contract_address }
 
 {% if besu_bootnodes|length > 0 %}
 # bootnodes
-bootnodes={{besu_bootnodes}}
+bootnodes=[{{besu_bootnodes|map('to_json')|join(',')}}]
 {% endif %}
 
 {% if orion_version is defined %}