diff --git a/core/p2p/node_config_internal_test.go b/core/p2p/node_config_internal_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ffc6e6bc3b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/p2p/node_config_internal_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+package p2p
+
+import (
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+var _ = Describe("newNodeConfig", func() {
+	It("leaves resource limits disabled when LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS is unset", func() {
+		GinkgoT().Setenv("LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS", "")
+
+		Expect(newNodeConfig("token").Limit.Enable).To(BeFalse())
+	})
+
+	It("enables resource limits when LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS is \"true\"", func() {
+		GinkgoT().Setenv("LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS", "true")
+
+		Expect(newNodeConfig("token").Limit.Enable).To(BeTrue())
+	})
+
+	It("leaves resource limits disabled for any other value", func() {
+		for _, v := range []string{"false", "1", "yes"} {
+			GinkgoT().Setenv("LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS", v)
+
+			Expect(newNodeConfig("token").Limit.Enable).To(BeFalse(), "value %q", v)
+		}
+	})
+
+	It("keeps the network token", func() {
+		Expect(newNodeConfig("token").NetworkToken).To(Equal("token"))
+	})
+})
diff --git a/core/p2p/p2p.go b/core/p2p/p2p.go
index d03a9c50c2..28525c40a3 100644
--- a/core/p2p/p2p.go
+++ b/core/p2p/p2p.go
@@ -375,11 +375,29 @@ func NewNode(token string) (*node.Node, error) {
 
 func newNodeOpts(token string) ([]node.Option, error) {
 	llger := logger.New(log.LevelFatal)
+
+	c := newNodeConfig(token)
+
+	nodeOpts, _, err := c.ToOpts(llger)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing options: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	nodeOpts = append(nodeOpts, services.Alive(30*time.Second, 900*time.Second, 15*time.Minute)...)
+
+	return nodeOpts, nil
+}
+
+// newNodeConfig builds the edgevpn node configuration from the LOCALAI_P2P_*
+// environment variables.
+func newNodeConfig(token string) config.Config {
 	defaultInterval := 10 * time.Second
 
 	// TODO: move this up, expose more config options when creating a node
 	noDHT := os.Getenv("LOCALAI_P2P_DISABLE_DHT") == "true"
-	noLimits := os.Getenv("LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS") != "true"
+	// Resource limits are opt-in: the libp2p resource manager is enabled only
+	// when this is set to "true", as documented.
+	enableLimits := os.Getenv("LOCALAI_P2P_ENABLE_LIMITS") == "true"
 
 	var listenMaddrs []string
 	var bootstrapPeers []string
@@ -400,11 +418,11 @@ func newNodeOpts(token string) ([]node.Option, error) {
 	if libp2ploglevel == "" {
 		libp2ploglevel = "fatal"
 	}
-	c := config.Config{
+	return config.Config{
 		ListenMaddrs:      listenMaddrs,
 		DHTAnnounceMaddrs: dhtAnnounceMaddrs,
 		Limit: config.ResourceLimit{
-			Enable:   noLimits,
+			Enable:   enableLimits,
 			MaxConns: 100,
 		},
 		NetworkToken:   token,
@@ -435,15 +453,6 @@ func newNodeOpts(token string) ([]node.Option, error) {
 			MaxConnections: 1000,
 		},
 	}
-
-	nodeOpts, _, err := c.ToOpts(llger)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("parsing options: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	nodeOpts = append(nodeOpts, services.Alive(30*time.Second, 900*time.Second, 15*time.Minute)...)
-
-	return nodeOpts, nil
 }
 
 func stringsToMultiAddr(peers []string) []multiaddr.Multiaddr {
diff --git a/core/p2p/p2p_suite_test.go b/core/p2p/p2p_suite_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9e931fa5cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/p2p/p2p_suite_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package p2p_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
+	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
+)
+
+func TestP2P(t *testing.T) {
+	RegisterFailHandler(Fail)
+	RunSpecs(t, "P2P test suite")
+}