diff --git a/engine_test.go b/engine_test.go
index 92c7d2040..c8cd01ec0 100644
--- a/engine_test.go
+++ b/engine_test.go
@@ -565,6 +565,42 @@ func TestQueries(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestSessionSelectLimit(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := newCtx()
+	ctx.Session.Set("sql_select_limit", sql.Int64, int64(1))
+
+	q := []struct {
+		query    string
+		expected []sql.Row
+	}{
+		{
+			"SELECT * FROM mytable ORDER BY i",
+			[]sql.Row{{int64(1), "first row"}},
+		},
+		{
+			"SELECT * FROM mytable ORDER BY i LIMIT 2",
+			[]sql.Row{
+				{int64(1), "first row"},
+				{int64(2), "second row"},
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			"SELECT i FROM (SELECT i FROM mytable LIMIT 2) t ORDER BY i",
+			[]sql.Row{{int64(1)}},
+		},
+		{
+			"SELECT i FROM (SELECT i FROM mytable) t ORDER BY i LIMIT 2",
+			[]sql.Row{{int64(1)}},
+		},
+	}
+	e := newEngine(t)
+	t.Run("sql_select_limit", func(t *testing.T) {
+		for _, tt := range q {
+			testQueryWithContext(ctx, t, e, tt.query, tt.expected)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
 func TestSessionDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := newCtx()
 	ctx.Session.Set("auto_increment_increment", sql.Int64, 0)
@@ -602,6 +638,7 @@ func TestSessionDefaults(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Equal(defaults["ndbinfo_version"].Value, val)
 	})
 }
+
 func TestWarnings(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := newCtx()
 	ctx.Session.Warn(&sql.Warning{Code: 1})
diff --git a/sql/parse/parse.go b/sql/parse/parse.go
index 76474496a..fb6f876f4 100644
--- a/sql/parse/parse.go
+++ b/sql/parse/parse.go
@@ -287,6 +287,9 @@ func convertSelect(ctx *sql.Context, s *sqlparser.Select) (sql.Node, error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
+	} else if ok, val := sql.HasDefaultValue(ctx.Session, "sql_select_limit"); !ok {
+		limit := val.(int64)
+		node = plan.NewLimit(int64(limit), node)
 	}
 
 	if s.Limit != nil && s.Limit.Offset != nil {
diff --git a/sql/session.go b/sql/session.go
index 53ca7d246..f8b5ea26a 100644
--- a/sql/session.go
+++ b/sql/session.go
@@ -152,6 +152,15 @@ func DefaultSessionConfig() map[string]TypedValue {
 	}
 }
 
+// HasDefaultValue checks if session variable value is the default one.
+func HasDefaultValue(s Session, key string) (bool, interface{}) {
+	typ, val := s.Get(key)
+	if cfg, ok := DefaultSessionConfig()[key]; ok {
+		return (cfg.Typ == typ && cfg.Value == val), val
+	}
+	return false, val
+}
+
 // NewSession creates a new session with data.
 func NewSession(address string, user string, id uint32) Session {
 	return &BaseSession{
diff --git a/sql/session_test.go b/sql/session_test.go
index 9240944e6..fe6dcb05f 100644
--- a/sql/session_test.go
+++ b/sql/session_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ func TestSessionConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	require := require.New(t)
 
 	sess := NewSession("foo", "bar", 1)
-
 	typ, v := sess.Get("foo")
 	require.Equal(Null, typ)
 	require.Equal(nil, v)
@@ -34,7 +33,20 @@ func TestSessionConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(3, sess.Warnings()[0].Code)
 	require.Equal(2, sess.Warnings()[1].Code)
 	require.Equal(1, sess.Warnings()[2].Code)
+}
+
+func TestHasDefaultValue(t *testing.T) {
+	require := require.New(t)
+	sess := NewSession("foo", "bar", 1)
+
+	for key := range DefaultSessionConfig() {
+		require.True(HasDefaultValue(sess, key))
+	}
+
+	sess.Set("auto_increment_increment", Int64, 123)
+	require.False(HasDefaultValue(sess, "auto_increment_increment"))
 
+	require.False(HasDefaultValue(sess, "non_existing_key"))
 }
 
 type testNode struct{}