diff --git a/defaults/yacy.init b/defaults/yacy.init
index 2525beda4..d0da05d69 100644
--- a/defaults/yacy.init
+++ b/defaults/yacy.init
@@ -813,7 +813,7 @@ search.audio = false
 search.video = false
 search.app = false
 
-# number of search results displayed by default
+# number of search results per page displayed by default
 search.items = 10
 
 # target for search results; this is the href target attribute inside every search result link
diff --git a/htroot/ConfigPortal.html b/htroot/ConfigPortal.html
index 1533e47c4..516e4b07c 100644
--- a/htroot/ConfigPortal.html
+++ b/htroot/ConfigPortal.html
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
           </dd>
           
           <dt>Default maximum number of results per page</dt>
-          <dd><input type="text" name="maximumRecords" value="#[maximumRecords]#" size="3" /> <small>max = 100 (with CACHEONLY=5000)</small></dd>
+          <dd><input type="text" name="maximumRecords" value="#[maximumRecords]#" size="3" /></dd>
 
           <dt>Default index.html Page (by forwarder)</dt>
           <dd><input type="text" name="indexForward" value="#[indexForward]#" size="60" /></dd>
diff --git a/htroot/yacysearch.java b/htroot/yacysearch.java
index 8e29fc3e3..a5c87b63b 100644
--- a/htroot/yacysearch.java
+++ b/htroot/yacysearch.java
@@ -220,14 +220,15 @@ public class yacysearch {
         
         // collect search attributes
 
-        int itemsPerPage =
-            Math.min(
-                (authenticated)
-                    ? (snippetFetchStrategy != null && snippetFetchStrategy.isAllowedToFetchOnline()
-                        ? 100
-                        : 5000) : (snippetFetchStrategy != null
-                        && snippetFetchStrategy.isAllowedToFetchOnline() ? 20 : 1000),
-                post.getInt("maximumRecords", post.getInt("count", post.getInt("rows", sb.getConfigInt(SwitchboardConstants.SEARCH_ITEMS, 10))))); // SRU syntax with old property as alternative
+        // check an determine items per page (max of [100 or configured default]}
+        final int defaultItemsPerPage = sb.getConfigInt(SwitchboardConstants.SEARCH_ITEMS, 10);
+        int itemsPerPage = post.getInt("maximumRecords", post.getInt("count", post.getInt("rows", defaultItemsPerPage))); // requested or default // SRU syntax with old property as alternative
+        // whatever admin has set as default, that's always ok
+        if (itemsPerPage > defaultItemsPerPage && itemsPerPage > 100) { // if above hardcoded 100 limit restrict request (except default allows more)
+            // search option (index.html) offers up to 100 (that defines the lower limit available to request)
+            itemsPerPage = Math.max((snippetFetchStrategy != null && snippetFetchStrategy.isAllowedToFetchOnline() ? 100 : 1000), defaultItemsPerPage);
+        }
+
         int startRecord = post.getInt("startRecord", post.getInt("offset", post.getInt("start", 0)));
 
         final boolean indexof = (post != null && post.get("indexof", "").equals("on"));