diff --git a/src/txmempool.cpp b/src/txmempool.cpp
index 960be428c65..e021cfb06e3 100644
--- a/src/txmempool.cpp
+++ b/src/txmempool.cpp
@@ -200,6 +200,23 @@ bool CTxMemPool::CheckPackageLimits(const Package& package,
                                     const int64_t total_vsize,
                                     std::string &errString) const
 {
+    size_t pack_count = package.size();
+
+    // Package itself is busting mempool limits; should be rejected even if no staged_ancestors exist
+    if (pack_count > static_cast<uint64_t>(m_limits.ancestor_count)) {
+        errString = strprintf("package count %u exceeds ancestor count limit [limit: %u]", pack_count, m_limits.ancestor_count);
+        return false;
+    } else if (pack_count > static_cast<uint64_t>(m_limits.descendant_count)) {
+        errString = strprintf("package count %u exceeds descendant count limit [limit: %u]", pack_count, m_limits.descendant_count);
+        return false;
+    } else if (total_vsize > m_limits.ancestor_size_vbytes) {
+        errString = strprintf("package size %u exceeds ancestor size limit [limit: %u]", total_vsize, m_limits.ancestor_size_vbytes);
+        return false;
+    } else if (total_vsize > m_limits.descendant_size_vbytes) {
+        errString = strprintf("package size %u exceeds descendant size limit [limit: %u]", total_vsize, m_limits.descendant_size_vbytes);
+        return false;
+    }
+
     CTxMemPoolEntry::Parents staged_ancestors;
     for (const auto& tx : package) {
         for (const auto& input : tx->vin) {