diff --git a/plugins/libplugin-pay.c b/plugins/libplugin-pay.c
index 95f47ad9e..63d5287f2 100644
--- a/plugins/libplugin-pay.c
+++ b/plugins/libplugin-pay.c
@@ -2372,10 +2372,18 @@ REGISTER_PAYMENT_MODIFIER(waitblockheight, void *, NULL, waitblockheight_cb);
  * really the case, so this is likely a lower bound on the success rate.
  *
  * As the network evolves these numbers are also likely to change.
+ *
+ * Finally, if applied trivially this splitter may end up creating more splits
+ * than the sum of all channels can support, i.e., each split results in an
+ * HTLC, and each channel has an upper limit on the number of HTLCs it'll
+ * allow us to add. If the initial split would result in more than 1/3rd of
+ * the total available HTLCs we clamp the number of splits to 1/3rd. We don't
+ * use 3/3rds in order to retain flexibility in the adaptive splitter.
  */
 #define MPP_TARGET_SIZE (10 * 1000 * 1000)
 #define MPP_TARGET_MSAT AMOUNT_MSAT(MPP_TARGET_SIZE)
 #define MPP_TARGET_FUZZ ( 1 * 1000 * 1000)
+#define PRESPLIT_MAX_HTLC_SHARE 3
 
 static struct presplit_mod_data *presplit_mod_data_init(struct payment *p)
 {
@@ -2389,6 +2397,18 @@ static struct presplit_mod_data *presplit_mod_data_init(struct payment *p)
 	}
 }
 
+static u32 payment_max_htlcs(const struct payment *p)
+{
+	struct channel_hint *h;
+	u32 res = 0;
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < tal_count(p->channel_hints); i++) {
+		h = &p->channel_hints[i];
+		if (h->local && h->enabled)
+			res += h->htlc_budget;
+	}
+	return res;
+}
+
 static bool payment_supports_mpp(struct payment *p)
 {
 	if (p->invoice == NULL || p->invoice->features == NULL)
@@ -2401,6 +2421,7 @@ static void presplit_cb(struct presplit_mod_data *d, struct payment *p)
 {
 	struct payment *root = payment_root(p);
 	struct amount_msat amt = root->amount;
+	struct amount_msat target = MPP_TARGET_MSAT;
 
 	if (d->disable || p->parent != NULL || !payment_supports_mpp(p))
 		return payment_continue(p);
@@ -2421,6 +2442,7 @@ static void presplit_cb(struct presplit_mod_data *d, struct payment *p)
 		/* The presplitter only acts on the root and only in the first
 		 * step. */
 		size_t count = 0;
+		u32 htlcs = payment_max_htlcs(p) / PRESPLIT_MAX_HTLC_SHARE;
 
 		/* We need to opt-in to the MPP sending facility no matter
 		 * what we do. That means setting all partids to a non-zero
@@ -2433,9 +2455,18 @@ static void presplit_cb(struct presplit_mod_data *d, struct payment *p)
 		 * but makes debugging a bit easier. */
 		root->next_partid++;
 
+		if (htlcs == 0) {
+			p->abort = true;
+			return payment_fail(
+			    p, "Cannot attempt payment, we have no channel to "
+			       "which we can add an HTLC");
+		}  else if (p->amount.millisatoshis / MPP_TARGET_SIZE >
+			   htlcs) /* Raw: division */
+			target.millisatoshis = p->amount.millisatoshis / htlcs; /* Raw: division */
+
 		/* If we are already below the target size don't split it
 		 * either. */
-		if (amount_msat_greater(MPP_TARGET_MSAT, p->amount))
+		if (amount_msat_greater(target, p->amount))
 			return payment_continue(p);
 
 		/* Ok, we know we should split, so split here and then skip this
@@ -2449,7 +2480,7 @@ static void presplit_cb(struct presplit_mod_data *d, struct payment *p)
 			double rand = pseudorand_double() * 2 - 1;
 			double multiplier;
 
-			c->amount.millisatoshis = rand * MPP_TARGET_FUZZ + MPP_TARGET_SIZE; /* Raw: Multiplication */
+			c->amount.millisatoshis = rand * target.millisatoshis + MPP_TARGET_SIZE; /* Raw: Multiplication */
 
 			/* Clamp the value to the total amount, so the fuzzing
 			 * doesn't go above the total. */
@@ -2479,11 +2510,10 @@ static void presplit_cb(struct presplit_mod_data *d, struct payment *p)
 		p->route = NULL;
 		p->why = tal_fmt(
 		    p,
-		    "Split into %zu sub-payments due to initial size (%s > "
-		    "%dmsat)",
+		    "Split into %zu sub-payments due to initial size (%s > %s)",
 		    count,
 		    type_to_string(tmpctx, struct amount_msat, &root->amount),
-		    MPP_TARGET_SIZE);
+		    type_to_string(tmpctx, struct amount_msat, &target));
 		payment_set_step(p, PAYMENT_STEP_SPLIT);
 		plugin_log(p->plugin, LOG_INFORM, "%s", p->why);
 	}