diff --git a/.pending/bugfixes/sdk/4394-Fix-signature-c b/.pending/bugfixes/sdk/4394-Fix-signature-c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9beebf1fb8ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pending/bugfixes/sdk/4394-Fix-signature-c
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#4394 Fix signature count check to use the TxSigLimit param instead of
+a default.
diff --git a/x/auth/ante.go b/x/auth/ante.go
index 57b566d04f7d..32042bbd0b24 100644
--- a/x/auth/ante.go
+++ b/x/auth/ante.go
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ func NewAnteHandler(ak AccountKeeper, fck FeeCollectionKeeper, sigGasConsumer Si
 			}
 		}()
 
+		if res := ValidateSigCount(stdTx, params); !res.IsOK() {
+			return newCtx, res, true
+		}
+
 		if err := tx.ValidateBasic(); err != nil {
 			return newCtx, err.Result(), true
 		}
@@ -154,6 +158,24 @@ func GetSignerAcc(ctx sdk.Context, ak AccountKeeper, addr sdk.AccAddress) (Accou
 	return nil, sdk.ErrUnknownAddress(fmt.Sprintf("account %s does not exist", addr)).Result()
 }
 
+// ValidateSigCount validates that the transaction has a valid cumulative total
+// amount of signatures.
+func ValidateSigCount(stdTx StdTx, params Params) sdk.Result {
+	stdSigs := stdTx.GetSignatures()
+
+	sigCount := 0
+	for i := 0; i < len(stdSigs); i++ {
+		sigCount += countSubKeys(stdSigs[i].PubKey)
+		if uint64(sigCount) > params.TxSigLimit {
+			return sdk.ErrTooManySignatures(
+				fmt.Sprintf("signatures: %d, limit: %d", sigCount, params.TxSigLimit),
+			).Result()
+		}
+	}
+
+	return sdk.Result{}
+}
+
 // ValidateMemo validates the memo size.
 func ValidateMemo(stdTx StdTx, params Params) sdk.Result {
 	memoLength := len(stdTx.GetMemo())
diff --git a/x/auth/stdtx.go b/x/auth/stdtx.go
index 20efaae424f2..2233752621c3 100644
--- a/x/auth/stdtx.go
+++ b/x/auth/stdtx.go
@@ -56,16 +56,6 @@ func (tx StdTx) ValidateBasic() sdk.Error {
 		return sdk.ErrUnauthorized("wrong number of signers")
 	}
 
-	sigCount := 0
-	for i := 0; i < len(stdSigs); i++ {
-		sigCount += countSubKeys(stdSigs[i].PubKey)
-		if uint64(sigCount) > DefaultTxSigLimit {
-			return sdk.ErrTooManySignatures(
-				fmt.Sprintf("signatures: %d, limit: %d", sigCount, DefaultTxSigLimit),
-			)
-		}
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/x/auth/stdtx_test.go b/x/auth/stdtx_test.go
index a1fbf4a34ba4..1139407ad293 100644
--- a/x/auth/stdtx_test.go
+++ b/x/auth/stdtx_test.go
@@ -63,12 +63,6 @@ func TestTxValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	// keys and addresses
 	priv1, _, addr1 := keyPubAddr()
 	priv2, _, addr2 := keyPubAddr()
-	priv3, _, addr3 := keyPubAddr()
-	priv4, _, addr4 := keyPubAddr()
-	priv5, _, addr5 := keyPubAddr()
-	priv6, _, addr6 := keyPubAddr()
-	priv7, _, addr7 := keyPubAddr()
-	priv8, _, addr8 := keyPubAddr()
 
 	// msg and signatures
 	msg1 := newTestMsg(addr1, addr2)
@@ -101,17 +95,6 @@ func TestTxValidateBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Error(t, err)
 	require.Equal(t, sdk.CodeUnauthorized, err.Result().Code)
 
-	// require to fail validation when there are too many signatures
-	privs = []crypto.PrivKey{priv1, priv2, priv3, priv4, priv5, priv6, priv7, priv8}
-	accNums, seqs = []uint64{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}, []uint64{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
-	badMsg := newTestMsg(addr1, addr2, addr3, addr4, addr5, addr6, addr7, addr8)
-	badMsgs := []sdk.Msg{badMsg}
-	tx = newTestTx(ctx, badMsgs, privs, accNums, seqs, fee)
-
-	err = tx.ValidateBasic()
-	require.Error(t, err)
-	require.Equal(t, sdk.CodeTooManySignatures, err.Result().Code)
-
 	// require to fail with invalid gas supplied
 	badFee = newStdFee()
 	badFee.Gas = 9223372036854775808