diff --git a/docs/environment-variables.md b/docs/environment-variables.md
index 018147f0ab1..46b092b28aa 100644
--- a/docs/environment-variables.md
+++ b/docs/environment-variables.md
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ happens, subgraphs might process inconsistent data. Defaults to 250.
   value for both is unlimited.
 - `GRAPH_GRAPHQL_MAX_OPERATIONS_PER_CONNECTION`: maximum number of GraphQL
   operations per WebSocket connection. Any operation created after the limit
-  will return an error to the client. Default: unlimited.
+  will return an error to the client. Default: 1000.
 - `GRAPH_GRAPHQL_HTTP_PORT` : Port for the GraphQL HTTP server
 - `GRAPH_GRAPHQL_WS_PORT` : Port for the GraphQL WebSocket server
 - `GRAPH_SQL_STATEMENT_TIMEOUT`: the maximum number of seconds an
diff --git a/graph/src/env/graphql.rs b/graph/src/env/graphql.rs
index 61296b92638..e7405998b30 100644
--- a/graph/src/env/graphql.rs
+++ b/graph/src/env/graphql.rs
@@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ pub struct EnvVarsGraphQl {
     /// Set by the environment variable `GRAPH_GRAPHQL_ERROR_RESULT_SIZE`. The
     /// default value is [`usize::MAX`].
     pub error_result_size: usize,
-    /// Set by the flag `GRAPH_GRAPHQL_MAX_OPERATIONS_PER_CONNECTION`. No
-    /// default is provided.
-    pub max_operations_per_connection: Option<usize>,
+    /// Set by the flag `GRAPH_GRAPHQL_MAX_OPERATIONS_PER_CONNECTION`.
+    /// Defaults to 1000.
+    pub max_operations_per_connection: usize,
 }
 
 // This does not print any values avoid accidentally leaking any sensitive env vars
@@ -166,6 +166,6 @@ pub struct InnerGraphQl {
     warn_result_size: WithDefaultUsize<NoUnderscores<usize>, { usize::MAX }>,
     #[envconfig(from = "GRAPH_GRAPHQL_ERROR_RESULT_SIZE", default = "")]
     error_result_size: WithDefaultUsize<NoUnderscores<usize>, { usize::MAX }>,
-    #[envconfig(from = "GRAPH_GRAPHQL_MAX_OPERATIONS_PER_CONNECTION")]
-    max_operations_per_connection: Option<usize>,
+    #[envconfig(from = "GRAPH_GRAPHQL_MAX_OPERATIONS_PER_CONNECTION", default = "1000")]
+    max_operations_per_connection: usize,
 }
diff --git a/server/websocket/src/connection.rs b/server/websocket/src/connection.rs
index ff0c1d41aa1..ff5563aaddf 100644
--- a/server/websocket/src/connection.rs
+++ b/server/websocket/src/connection.rs
@@ -250,17 +250,13 @@ where
                         );
                     }
 
-                    if let Some(max_ops) = ENV_VARS.graphql.max_operations_per_connection {
-                        if operations.operations.len() >= max_ops {
-                            return send_error_string(
-                                &msg_sink,
-                                id,
-                                format!(
-                                    "Reached the limit of {} operations per connection",
-                                    max_ops
-                                ),
-                            );
-                        }
+                    let max_ops = ENV_VARS.graphql.max_operations_per_connection;
+                    if operations.operations.len() >= max_ops {
+                        return send_error_string(
+                            &msg_sink,
+                            id,
+                            format!("Reached the limit of {} operations per connection", max_ops),
+                        );
                     }
 
                     // Parse the GraphQL query document; respond with a GQL_ERROR if