diff --git a/locust/argument_parser.py b/locust/argument_parser.py
index 827a2f880e..f158bba521 100644
--- a/locust/argument_parser.py
+++ b/locust/argument_parser.py
@@ -416,6 +416,12 @@ def setup_parser_arguments(parser):
         help="Stop after the specified amount of time, e.g. (300s, 20m, 3h, 1h30m, etc.). Only used together with --headless or --autostart. Defaults to run forever.",
         env_var="LOCUST_RUN_TIME",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--max-run-time",
+        metavar="<time string>",
+        help="Maximum allowed run time that caps or overrides the --run-time setting. Accepts the same formats as run-time, e.g. (300s, 20m, 3h, 1h30m, etc.).",
+        env_var="LOCUST_MAX_RUN_TIME",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "-l",
         "--list",
diff --git a/locust/main.py b/locust/main.py
index 67b278f8a1..8fbd3a9eb0 100644
--- a/locust/main.py
+++ b/locust/main.py
@@ -477,6 +477,22 @@ def ensure_user_class_name(config):
             )
             sys.exit(1)
 
+    if options.max_run_time:
+        if options.worker:
+            logger.info("--max-run-time specified for a worker node will be ignored.")
+        try:
+            options.max_run_time = parse_timespan(options.max_run_time)
+        except ValueError:
+            logger.error(
+                f"Invalid --max-run-time argument ({options.max_run_time}), accepted formats are for example 120, 120s, 2m, 3h, 3h30m10s."
+            )
+            sys.exit(1)
+        if options.run_time is None or options.max_run_time < options.run_time:
+            logger.info(
+                f"Applying --max-run-time cap: run time reduced from {options.run_time if options.run_time else 'undefined'} to {options.max_run_time}."
+            )
+            options.run_time = options.max_run_time
+
     if options.csv_prefix:
         base_csv_file = os.path.basename(options.csv_prefix)
         base_csv_dir = options.csv_prefix[: -len(base_csv_file)]