diff --git a/lib/kaminari/config.rb b/lib/kaminari/config.rb
index 0c5025c..1e709ee 100644
--- a/lib/kaminari/config.rb
+++ b/lib/kaminari/config.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ module Kaminari
     config_accessor :left
     config_accessor :right
     config_accessor :page_method_name
+    config_accessor :max_pages
 
     def param_name
       config.param_name.respond_to?(:call) ? config.param_name.call : config.param_name
@@ -45,5 +46,6 @@ module Kaminari
     config.right = 0
     config.page_method_name = :page
     config.param_name = :page
+    config.max_pages = nil
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/kaminari/models/configuration_methods.rb b/lib/kaminari/models/configuration_methods.rb
index bfff9ac..eab0ef7 100644
--- a/lib/kaminari/models/configuration_methods.rb
+++ b/lib/kaminari/models/configuration_methods.rb
@@ -29,6 +29,20 @@ module Kaminari
       def max_per_page
         @_max_per_page || Kaminari.config.max_per_page
       end
+
+      # Overrides the max_pages value per model
+      #   class Article < ActiveRecord::Base
+      #     max_pages_per 100
+      #   end
+      def max_pages_per(val)
+        @_max_pages = val
+      end
+
+      # This model's max_pages value
+      # returns max_pages value unless explicitly overridden via <tt>max_pages_per</tt>
+      def max_pages
+        @_max_pages || Kaminari.config.max_pages
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/kaminari/models/page_scope_methods.rb b/lib/kaminari/models/page_scope_methods.rb
index 7008bc0..60a9557 100644
--- a/lib/kaminari/models/page_scope_methods.rb
+++ b/lib/kaminari/models/page_scope_methods.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ module Kaminari
 
     # Total number of pages
     def total_pages
-      (total_count.to_f / limit_value).ceil
+      total_pages_count = (total_count.to_f / limit_value).ceil
+      if max_pages.present? && max_pages < total_pages_count
+        max_pages
+      else
+        total_pages_count
+      end
     end
     #FIXME for compatibility. remove num_pages at some time in the future
     alias num_pages total_pages
diff --git a/spec/config/config_spec.rb b/spec/config/config_spec.rb
index 3215a4d..260d07b 100644
--- a/spec/config/config_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/config/config_spec.rb
@@ -73,4 +73,19 @@ describe Kaminari::Configuration do
       end
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'max_pages' do
+    context 'by default' do
+      its(:max_pages) { should == nil }
+    end
+    context 'configure via config block' do
+      before do
+        Kaminari.configure {|c| c.max_pages = 5}
+      end
+      its(:max_pages) { should == 5 }
+      after do
+        Kaminari.configure {|c| c.max_pages = nil}
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/active_record/max_pages_spec.rb b/spec/models/active_record/max_pages_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..91d8c95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/active_record/max_pages_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+if defined? ActiveRecord
+
+  describe 'max pages' do
+    describe 'AR::Base' do
+      subject { ActiveRecord::Base }
+      it { should_not respond_to :max_pages_per }
+    end
+
+    subject { User.page 0 }
+
+    context 'by default' do
+      its(:max_pages) { should == nil }
+    end
+
+    context 'when explicitly set via max_pages_per' do
+      before { User.max_pages_per 3 }
+      its(:max_pages) { should == 3 }
+      after { User.max_pages_per nil }
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/active_record/scopes_spec.rb b/spec/models/active_record/scopes_spec.rb
index 2911e2f..a555e34 100644
--- a/spec/models/active_record/scopes_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/active_record/scopes_spec.rb
@@ -98,6 +98,26 @@ if defined? ActiveRecord
             subject { model_class.page(5).per('aho') }
             its(:total_pages) { should == 4 }
           end
+
+          context 'with max_pages < total pages count from database' do
+            before { model_class.max_pages_per 3 }
+            subject { model_class.page }
+            its(:total_pages) { should == 3 }
+            after { model_class.max_pages_per nil }
+          end
+
+          context 'with max_pages > total pages count from database' do
+            before { model_class.max_pages_per 11 }
+            subject { model_class.page }
+            its(:total_pages) { should == 4 }
+            after { model_class.max_pages_per nil }
+          end
+
+          context 'with max_pages is nil' do
+            before { model_class.max_pages_per nil }
+            subject { model_class.page }
+            its(:total_pages) { should == 4 }
+          end
         end