diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
index ae13af6a6e..e699873ddc 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/cli/BesuCommand.java
@@ -2391,12 +2391,8 @@ public class BesuCommand implements DefaultCommandValues, Runnable {
   // Loopback IP is used by default as this is how smokeTests require it to be
   // and it's probably a good security behaviour to default only on the localhost.
   private InetAddress autoDiscoverDefaultIP() {
-
-    if (autoDiscoveredDefaultIP != null) {
-      return autoDiscoveredDefaultIP;
-    }
-
-    autoDiscoveredDefaultIP = InetAddress.getLoopbackAddress();
+    autoDiscoveredDefaultIP =
+        Optional.ofNullable(autoDiscoveredDefaultIP).orElseGet(InetAddress::getLoopbackAddress);
 
     return autoDiscoveredDefaultIP;
   }
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManager.java b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManager.java
index 80b5521da8..4aa14fb0d0 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManager.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManager.java
@@ -235,6 +235,11 @@ public class EthProtocolManager implements ProtocolManager, MinedBlockObserver {
       return;
     }
 
+    if (message.getData().getSize() > 10 * 1_000_000 /*10MB*/) {
+      LOG.debug("Received message over 10MB. Disconnecting from {}", peer);
+      peer.disconnect(DisconnectReason.BREACH_OF_PROTOCOL);
+    }
+
     // Handle STATUS processing
     if (message.getData().getCode() == EthPV62.STATUS) {
       handleStatusMessage(peer, message.getData());
diff --git a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java
index 1658d62bc8..874bbb5b8b 100644
--- a/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java
+++ b/ethereum/eth/src/test/java/org/hyperledger/besu/ethereum/eth/manager/EthProtocolManagerTest.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import static org.mockito.Mockito.reset;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verifyZeroInteractions;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.ProtocolContext;
 import org.hyperledger.besu.ethereum.chain.Blockchain;
@@ -180,6 +181,25 @@ public final class EthProtocolManagerTest {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void disconnectOnVeryLargeMessage() {
+    try (final EthProtocolManager ethManager =
+        EthProtocolManagerTestUtil.create(
+            blockchain,
+            () -> false,
+            protocolContext.getWorldStateArchive(),
+            transactionPool,
+            EthProtocolConfiguration.defaultConfig())) {
+      final MessageData messageData = mock(MessageData.class);
+      when(messageData.getSize()).thenReturn(10 * 1_000_000 + 1 /* just over 10MB*/);
+      when(messageData.getCode()).thenReturn(EthPV62.TRANSACTIONS);
+      final MockPeerConnection peer = setupPeer(ethManager, (cap, msg, conn) -> {});
+
+      ethManager.processMessage(EthProtocol.ETH63, new DefaultMessage(peer, messageData));
+      assertThat(peer.isDisconnected()).isTrue();
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void disconnectOnWrongGenesisHash() {
     try (final EthProtocolManager ethManager =