diff --git a/node/Constants.hpp b/node/Constants.hpp
index 9474338c1..862676b87 100644
--- a/node/Constants.hpp
+++ b/node/Constants.hpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@
  *
  * The protocol allows up to 7, but we limit it to something smaller.
  */
-#define ZT_RELAY_MAX_HOPS 4
+#define ZT_RELAY_MAX_HOPS 3
 
 /**
  * Expire time for multicast 'likes' and indirect multicast memberships in ms
diff --git a/root/root.cpp b/root/root.cpp
index 8a9324d8d..15d3c22d3 100644
--- a/root/root.cpp
+++ b/root/root.cpp
@@ -558,13 +558,13 @@ static void handlePacket(const int v4s,const int v6s,const InetAddress *const ip
 	}
 
 	if (fragment) {
-		if (reinterpret_cast<Packet::Fragment *>(&pkt)->incrementHops() >= ZT_PROTO_MAX_HOPS) {
-			printf("%s refused to forward to %s: max hop count exceeded" ZT_EOL_S,ip->toString(ipstr),dest.toString(astr));
+		if (reinterpret_cast<Packet::Fragment *>(&pkt)->incrementHops() >= ZT_RELAY_MAX_HOPS) {
+			//printf("%s refused to forward to %s: max hop count exceeded" ZT_EOL_S,ip->toString(ipstr),dest.toString(astr));
 			return;
 		}
 	} else {
 		if (pkt.incrementHops() >= ZT_PROTO_MAX_HOPS) {
-			printf("%s refused to forward to %s: max hop count exceeded" ZT_EOL_S,ip->toString(ipstr),dest.toString(astr));
+			//printf("%s refused to forward to %s: max hop count exceeded" ZT_EOL_S,ip->toString(ipstr),dest.toString(astr));
 			return;
 		}
 	}