diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2c855277d..1694f917d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -248,6 +248,16 @@ available, calls to getConnection() will block for up to ``connectionTimeout`` m
 before timing out.  Please read [about pool sizing](https://github.com/brettwooldridge/HikariCP/wiki/About-Pool-Sizing).
 *Default: 10*
 
+&#128290;``maximumPendingConnections``<br/>
+This property controls the maximum number of threads that are allowed to simultaneously wait
+for a connection from the pool.  When this limit is exceeded, subsequent calls to
+``getConnection()`` will fail immediately with a ``SQLTransientConnectionException`` instead of
+blocking for up to ``connectionTimeout`` milliseconds.  This acts as a load-shedding mechanism
+that prevents unbounded thread accumulation during traffic spikes or database outages, avoiding
+thundering-herd timeouts and reducing the blast radius of pool exhaustion.
+A value of 0 means unlimited — all threads will wait up to ``connectionTimeout``.
+*Default: 0 (unlimited)*
+
 &#128200;``metricRegistry``<br/>
 This property is only available via programmatic configuration or IoC container.  This property
 allows you to specify an instance of a *Codahale/Dropwizard* ``MetricRegistry`` to be used by the
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/HikariConfig.java b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/HikariConfig.java
index cc3de63fb..921221407 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/HikariConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/HikariConfig.java
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ public class HikariConfig implements HikariConfigMXBean
    private Properties healthCheckProperties;
 
    private long keepaliveTime;
+   private int maximumPendingConnections;
 
    private volatile boolean sealed;
 
@@ -738,6 +739,36 @@ public void addHealthCheckProperty(String key, String value)
       healthCheckProperties.setProperty(key, value);
    }
 
+   /**
+    * Get the maximum number of threads that are allowed to simultaneously wait for a connection from the pool.
+    * When this limit is exceeded, subsequent calls to {@code getConnection()} will fail immediately with a
+    * {@code SQLTransientConnectionException} instead of blocking for {@code connectionTimeout}.
+    *
+    * @return the maximum number of pending connection requests, or 0 (default) for unlimited
+    */
+   public int getMaximumPendingConnections()
+   {
+      return maximumPendingConnections;
+   }
+
+   /**
+    * Set the maximum number of threads that are allowed to simultaneously wait for a connection from the pool.
+    * When this limit is exceeded, subsequent calls to {@code getConnection()} will fail immediately with a
+    * {@code SQLTransientConnectionException} instead of blocking for {@code connectionTimeout}.
+    * <p>
+    * A value of 0 (default) means unlimited — all threads will wait up to {@code connectionTimeout}.
+    *
+    * @param maximumPendingConnections the maximum number of pending connection requests, or 0 for unlimited
+    */
+   public void setMaximumPendingConnections(int maximumPendingConnections)
+   {
+      checkIfSealed();
+      if (maximumPendingConnections < 0) {
+         throw new IllegalArgumentException("maximumPendingConnections cannot be negative");
+      }
+      this.maximumPendingConnections = maximumPendingConnections;
+   }
+
    /**
     * This property controls the keepalive interval for a connection in the pool. An in-use connection will never be
     * tested by the keepalive thread, only when it is idle will it be tested.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/HikariPool.java b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/HikariPool.java
index a7b21ec47..b04517a77 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/HikariPool.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/HikariPool.java
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ public HikariPool(final HikariConfig config)
    {
       super(config);
 
-      this.connectionBag = new ConcurrentBag<>(this);
+      this.connectionBag = new ConcurrentBag<>(this, config.getMaximumPendingConnections());
       this.suspendResumeLock = config.isAllowPoolSuspension() ? new SuspendResumeLock() : SuspendResumeLock.FAUX_LOCK;
 
       this.houseKeepingExecutorService = initializeHouseKeepingExecutorService();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/ConcurrentBag.java b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/ConcurrentBag.java
index 0cc5a1f17..eb750a31c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/ConcurrentBag.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/ConcurrentBag.java
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public class ConcurrentBag<T extends IConcurrentBagEntry> implements AutoCloseab
    private final ThreadLocal<List<Object>> threadLocalList;
    private final IBagStateListener listener;
    private final AtomicInteger waiters;
+   private final int maxWaiters;
    private volatile boolean closed;
 
    private final SynchronousQueue<T> handoffQueue;
@@ -106,10 +107,12 @@ public interface IBagStateListener
     * Construct a ConcurrentBag with the specified listener.
     *
     * @param listener the IBagStateListener to attach to this bag
+    * @param maxWaiters the maximum number of threads allowed to wait for a bag item, or 0 for unlimited
     */
-   public ConcurrentBag(final IBagStateListener listener)
+   public ConcurrentBag(final IBagStateListener listener, final int maxWaiters)
    {
       this.listener = listener;
+      this.maxWaiters = maxWaiters;
       this.useWeakThreadLocals = useWeakThreadLocals();
 
       this.handoffQueue = new SynchronousQueue<>(true);
@@ -155,6 +158,13 @@ public T borrow(long timeout, final TimeUnit timeUnit) throws InterruptedExcepti
             }
          }
 
+         // TODO: should the condition include getTotalConnections() < config.getMaximumPoolSize()?
+         //   It would allow threads to wait for the initial connection establishment, and it would
+         //   protect against the pile of the connection requests if the pool is already full.
+         if (maxWaiters > 0 && waiting > maxWaiters) {
+            return null;
+         }
+
          listener.addBagItem(waiting);
 
          timeout = timeUnit.toNanos(timeout);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/TestConcurrentBag.java b/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/TestConcurrentBag.java
index b70a87c37..0fd9302c2 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/TestConcurrentBag.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/pool/TestConcurrentBag.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public static void teardown()
    @Test
    public void testConcurrentBag() throws Exception
    {
-      try (ConcurrentBag<PoolEntry> bag = new ConcurrentBag<>(x -> CompletableFuture.completedFuture(Boolean.TRUE))) {
+      try (ConcurrentBag<PoolEntry> bag = new ConcurrentBag<>(x -> CompletableFuture.completedFuture(Boolean.TRUE), 0)) {
          assertEquals(0, bag.values(8).size());
 
          PoolEntry reserved = pool.newPoolEntry(false);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/TomcatConcurrentBagLeakTest.java b/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/TomcatConcurrentBagLeakTest.java
index 545597309..aa1622f2e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/TomcatConcurrentBagLeakTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/zaxxer/hikari/util/TomcatConcurrentBagLeakTest.java
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public static class FauxWebContext
       @SuppressWarnings({"ResultOfMethodCallIgnored"})
       public void createConcurrentBag() throws InterruptedException
       {
-         try (ConcurrentBag<PoolEntry> bag = new ConcurrentBag<>(x -> CompletableFuture.completedFuture(Boolean.TRUE))) {
+         try (ConcurrentBag<PoolEntry> bag = new ConcurrentBag<>(x -> CompletableFuture.completedFuture(Boolean.TRUE), 0)) {
 
             PoolEntry entry = new PoolEntry();
             bag.add(entry);