diff --git a/include/lib94/lib94.hpp b/include/lib94/lib94.hpp
index cfbb978..c91c24b 100644
--- a/include/lib94/lib94.hpp
+++ b/include/lib94/lib94.hpp
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 #define LIB94_CORE_SIZE 8000
 #endif
 
+#ifndef LIB94_MAX_PROCESSES
+#define LIB94_MAX_PROCESSES 16000
+#endif
+
 namespace lib94 {
 
   //this type is used to represent values inside the core.
diff --git a/lib94/core.cpp b/lib94/core.cpp
index 1c09b3f..1693c39 100644
--- a/lib94/core.cpp
+++ b/lib94/core.cpp
@@ -259,6 +259,10 @@ namespace lib94 {
     this_warrior->processes.push_back(pc);
   }
 
+  bool at_process_limit() {
+    return this_warrior->processes.size() + 1 == LIB94_MAX_PROCESSES;
+  }
+
   template <bool update_address_sets>
   const warrior *single_step() {
     this_warrior = alive_warriors.front();
diff --git a/lib94/executors.cpp b/lib94/executors.cpp
index 0e75cfa..e90e329 100644
--- a/lib94/executors.cpp
+++ b/lib94/executors.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 namespace lib94 {
 
   void enqueue_process(number_t pc);
+  bool at_process_limit();
 
   extern instruction core[LIB94_CORE_SIZE];
   extern number_t program_counter;
@@ -336,9 +337,11 @@ namespace lib94 {
     }
 
     else if constexpr (op == SPL) {
-      maybe_add_read_instruction(a_instruction_writable);
-      enqueue_process((program_counter + 1) % LIB94_CORE_SIZE);
-      program_counter = (a_instruction_writable - core + LIB94_CORE_SIZE - 1) % LIB94_CORE_SIZE;
+      if (!at_process_limit()) {
+        maybe_add_read_instruction(a_instruction_writable);
+        enqueue_process((program_counter + 1) % LIB94_CORE_SIZE);
+        program_counter = (a_instruction_writable - core + LIB94_CORE_SIZE - 1) % LIB94_CORE_SIZE;
+      }
       return true;
     }
 
diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index 1691370..0b09e32 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ Then, to build all of the software, just run make.
 
 lib94 attempts to follow the draft standard at <https://corewar.co.uk/standards/icws94.txt>, minus P-space. There are no read/write
 limits (or if you prefer, they are the same as the core size). The minimum separation is always 0, and the core size is set at 8000.
-To change the core size, change LIB94_CORE_SIZE in include/lib94/lib94.hpp, run make clean, and then run make.
+To change the core size, change LIB94_CORE_SIZE in include/lib94/lib94.hpp, run make clean, and then run make. The maximum number of
+processes is set at 16000. To change that, change LIB94_MAX_PROCESSES in include/lib94/lib94.hpp, run make clean, and then run make.
 
 === bench ===