diff --git a/cmds-balance.c b/cmds-balance.c
index 8a743eca..5de51bd4 100644
--- a/cmds-balance.c
+++ b/cmds-balance.c
@@ -218,6 +218,18 @@ static int parse_filters(char *filters, struct btrfs_balance_args *args)
 			args->flags |= BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_CONVERT;
 		} else if (!strcmp(this_char, "soft")) {
 			args->flags |= BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_SOFT;
+		} else if (!strcmp(this_char, "limit")) {
+			if (!value || !*value) {
+				fprintf(stderr,
+					"the limit filter requires an argument\n");
+				return 1;
+			}
+			if (parse_u64(value, &args->limit)) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Invalid limit argument: %s\n",
+				       value);
+				return 1;
+			}
+			args->flags |= BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_LIMIT;
 		} else {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Unrecognized balance option '%s'\n",
 				this_char);
@@ -252,6 +264,8 @@ static void dump_balance_args(struct btrfs_balance_args *args)
 		printf(", vrange=%llu..%llu",
 		       (unsigned long long)args->vstart,
 		       (unsigned long long)args->vend);
+	if (args->flags & BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_LIMIT)
+		printf(", limit=%llu", (unsigned long long)args->limit);
 
 	printf("\n");
 }
diff --git a/ioctl.h b/ioctl.h
index 9627e8d1..f0fc0608 100644
--- a/ioctl.h
+++ b/ioctl.h
@@ -194,7 +194,9 @@ struct btrfs_balance_args {
 
 	__u64 flags;
 
-	__u64 unused[8];
+	__u64 limit;
+
+	__u64 unused[7];
 } __attribute__ ((__packed__));
 
 struct btrfs_balance_progress {
diff --git a/volumes.h b/volumes.h
index 2e960b50..c7e764bf 100644
--- a/volumes.h
+++ b/volumes.h
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ struct map_lookup {
 #define BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_DEVID	(1ULL << 2)
 #define BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_DRANGE	(1ULL << 3)
 #define BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_VRANGE	(1ULL << 4)
+#define BTRFS_BALANCE_ARGS_LIMIT	(1ULL << 5)
 
 /*
  * Profile changing flags.  When SOFT is set we won't relocate chunk if