diff --git a/docs/config/env.md b/docs/config/env.md
index 62b50f9b..f131ccd4 100644
--- a/docs/config/env.md
+++ b/docs/config/env.md
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ Most runtime variables use the `OXICLOUD_` prefix. A few build-time or allocator
 | `OXICLOUD_SERVER_PORT` | `8086` | Server port |
 | `OXICLOUD_SERVER_HOST` | `127.0.0.1` | Server bind address (IPv4 or IPv6 allowed) |
 | `OXICLOUD_BASE_URL` | (auto) | Public base URL for share links; defaults to `http://{host}:{port}` |
-| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` | `10737418240` | Maximum upload size in bytes (10 GB on 64-bit, 1 GB on 32-bit) |
-| `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES` | `104857600` | Maximum size of a single chunked-upload PUT in bytes (100 MB). Distinct from `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`, which is the whole-file cap. See [Storage Fine Tuning](./storage-fine-tuning.md). |
+| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` | `10737418240` | Whole-file size ceiling, in bytes (10 GB on 64-bit, 1 GB on 32-bit). Applies to BOTH direct PUTs (per-request body) and chunked uploads (declared `total_size`, checked upfront at session creation). |
+| `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES` | `1073741824` | Per-request cap for non-chunked PUT bodies, in bytes (1 GiB). Set below `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` so larger files are pushed onto the chunked protocol (resumable on failure). See [Storage Fine Tuning](./storage-fine-tuning.md). |
+| `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES` | `104857600` | Maximum size of a single chunked-upload PUT in bytes (100 MB). Per-chunk cap, independent of `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` (whole-file cap). See [Storage Fine Tuning](./storage-fine-tuning.md). |
 | `OXICLOUD_UPLOAD_TMPDIR` | (OS temp dir) | Spool directory for non-chunked PUT bodies (`/api/files/upload`, WebDAV PUT). Point at a real-disk path on the same FS as `.blobs/` to avoid tmpfs OOMKill and make blob promotion an atomic rename. See [Storage Fine Tuning](./storage-fine-tuning.md). |
 | `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_DIR` | `{STORAGE_PATH}/.uploads` | Root directory for chunked-upload sessions (REST + NextCloud). Same-FS / NVMe placement guidance: see [Storage Fine Tuning](./storage-fine-tuning.md). |
 | `OXICLOUD_REUSE_PORT` | `false` | Enable `SO_REUSEPORT` so multiple processes can share the same port. **Disabled by default** — a second accidental instance will fail with "address already in use". Enable only for deliberate multi-worker setups (process supervisor, rolling restart). Not supported on Windows. |
diff --git a/docs/config/storage-fine-tuning.md b/docs/config/storage-fine-tuning.md
index a42d029d..ea51d3e1 100644
--- a/docs/config/storage-fine-tuning.md
+++ b/docs/config/storage-fine-tuning.md
@@ -50,60 +50,85 @@ Two practical consequences:
 
 Three independent caps control how large an upload OxiCloud will
 accept. Pick them with disk and tmpfs sizing in mind: the spool/chunk
-directories must be able to hold the worst case (max cap × concurrent
+directories must be able to hold the worst case (cap × concurrent
 uploads).
 
-| Variable | Default | What it caps |
-|---|---|---|
-| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` | 10 GB | Total file size — whether uploaded as one `PUT` or assembled from many chunks. The hard ceiling on any single file. |
-| `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES` | 100 MB | A single chunked-PUT request body (`PATCH /api/uploads/{id}` or `PUT /dav/uploads/.../chunk`). Independent of the whole-file cap — a 5 GB file uploaded in 100 MB chunks needs ~50 PUTs, each bounded by this. |
-| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` (again, for the PUT path) | 10 GB | A single non-chunked PUT body. Same env var as the whole-file cap because for non-chunked uploads they're equivalent. |
+| Variable | Default | What it caps | When it fires |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` | 10 GB | **Whole-file ceiling.** Applies to both direct PUT (per-body) and chunked uploads (declared `total_size`). The absolute upper bound on any single file in OxiCloud. | Chunked: at `POST /api/uploads` against the JSON-declared `total_size`, before any chunk is uploaded. Direct PUT: indirectly via `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`, which is expected to be ≤ `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`. |
+| `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES` | 1 GiB | **Non-chunked PUT body.** Per-request cap for `POST /api/files/upload`, `PUT /webdav/...`, and `PUT /remote.php/dav/files/.../...`. Set below `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` so larger files are pushed onto the chunked protocol — which is resumable on failure. | During body streaming, as a per-frame accumulator. Excess → 413 with a "use chunked upload" hint. |
+| `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES` | 100 MB | **Per-chunk body** in a chunked-upload session (`PATCH /api/uploads/{id}` or `PUT /remote.php/dav/uploads/.../chunk`). Independent of the whole-file cap — a 5 GB file in 100 MB chunks is 50 PATCHes each bounded by this. | During chunk-body streaming. Excess → 413. |
 
-### Why these matter for tmpfs sizing
+### Recommendation: prefer chunked uploads for large files
+
+The defaults (`OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES` = 1 GiB, well below
+`OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` = 10 GB) are deliberately asymmetric.
+Files between those two caps can only succeed via the chunked
+protocol. Three reasons to keep them that way:
+
+- **Resilience.** A direct PUT at 95 % of 5 GB that drops loses
+  everything. The same drop on a chunked upload loses one ~5 MB
+  chunk; the client retries that chunk and continues.
+- **Memory + disk pressure.** Direct PUT spools the full body to
+  disk per request. Ten concurrent 5 GB direct PUTs use up to 50 GB
+  of transient spool disk. Chunked spreads each upload across many
+  small PATCHes; per-request resource use stays bounded by
+  `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`.
+- **Convention.** NextCloud desktop and the OxiCloud web UI already
+  switch to chunked at ~10 MB (`CHUNKED_UPLOAD_THRESHOLD`).
+
+### Why caps matter for tmpfs sizing
 
 OxiCloud streams bodies frame-by-frame, so **RAM** is bounded to one
 HTTP frame (~64 KB) per request regardless of the caps. **Disk space**,
 however, scales with the caps:
 
-- **Direct PUT** (single-file): each in-flight upload spools the full
-  body to disk under `OXICLOUD_UPLOAD_TMPDIR` until promotion. Worst
-  case disk = `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE × concurrent_PUTs`.
-- **Chunked upload**: each in-flight session accumulates chunks under
-  `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_DIR`, then assembles them into a single temp file
-  before promotion. Worst case disk per session = **2 × file_size**
-  (chunks + assembled file); total disk =
-  `2 × OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE × concurrent_sessions`.
+- **Direct PUT**: each in-flight upload spools the full body to disk
+  under `OXICLOUD_UPLOAD_TMPDIR` until promotion. Worst case disk =
+  `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES × concurrent_direct_PUTs`.
+- **Chunked upload**: each in-flight session accumulates chunks
+  under `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_DIR`, then assembles them into a single temp
+  file before promotion. Worst case disk per session = **2 ×
+  file_size** (chunks + assembled file); total disk =
+  `2 × OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE × concurrent_chunked_sessions`.
+
+The chunked formula uses `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` because that's
+what bounds the declared `total_size` at session creation. The
+direct-PUT formula uses the smaller `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`
+since that's what bounds each direct PUT body.
 
 ### Sizing examples
 
-A 4 GB tmpfs serving a small team (~5 concurrent uploads):
+A 4 GB tmpfs serving a small team (5 concurrent direct PUTs OR 5
+concurrent chunked sessions):
 
-| Setting | Disk worst case | Safe on 4 GB tmpfs? |
-|---|---|---|
-| `MAX_UPLOAD=10 GB`, no `CHUNK_MAX` tweak | 50 GB direct, 100 GB chunked | ❌ no — single upload OOMs the tmpfs |
-| `MAX_UPLOAD=500 MB`, `CHUNK_MAX=50 MB` | 2.5 GB direct, 5 GB chunked | ⚠ direct fits, chunked overflows |
-| `MAX_UPLOAD=300 MB`, `CHUNK_MAX=30 MB` | 1.5 GB direct, 3 GB chunked | ✅ both fit |
+| Settings | Direct-PUT worst case | Chunked worst case | Safe on 4 GB tmpfs? |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Defaults: `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`=10 GB, `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`=1 GiB, `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`=100 MB | 5 GiB (5 × 1 GiB) | 100 GB (5 × 2 × 10 GB) | ❌ chunked overflows |
+| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`=500 MB, `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`=100 MB, `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`=20 MB | 500 MB | 5 GB | ⚠ direct PUT fits, chunked still overflows |
+| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`=300 MB, `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`=50 MB, `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`=10 MB | 250 MB | 3 GB | ✅ both fit |
 
 A real-disk volume (cheap, large):
 
-| Setting | Disk worst case | Comment |
-|---|---|---|
-| `MAX_UPLOAD=10 GB`, `CHUNK_MAX=100 MB` (defaults) | 100 GB chunked worst case | Fine on a 200+ GB volume; almost any real-disk setup |
-| `MAX_UPLOAD=100 GB`, `CHUNK_MAX=500 MB` | 1 TB chunked worst case | Plausible for video archives; needs a dedicated upload volume |
+| Settings | Direct-PUT worst case | Chunked worst case | Comment |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| Defaults (see row above) | 5 GiB | 100 GB | Fine on a 200+ GB volume; almost any real-disk setup |
+| `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`=100 GB, `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`=5 GiB, `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`=500 MB | 25 GiB | 1 TB | Plausible for video archives; needs a dedicated upload volume |
 
 ### Choosing tmpfs vs real disk
 
 | Constraint | Choice |
 |---|---|
-| Upload caps × concurrent users ≤ free RAM × 0.5 | tmpfs OK (fast, atomic with `.blobs/` if also tmpfs) |
-| Upload caps × concurrent users > free RAM × 0.5 | **real disk** — same FS as `.blobs/` ideal |
+| `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES × concurrent_direct_PUTs + 2 × OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE × concurrent_chunked_sessions ≤ free RAM × 0.5` | tmpfs OK (fast, atomic with `.blobs/` if also tmpfs) |
+| Worst case exceeds half free RAM | **real disk** — same filesystem as `.blobs/` ideal |
 | Container with cgroup memory limit | **real disk** — tmpfs spool counts against the cgroup limit and triggers OOMKill |
 | Multi-GB uploads expected | **real disk** — even small concurrency on tmpfs runs out of space |
 | Small-file workload only (≤ 50 MB), high concurrency | tmpfs gives a noticeable intake speedup |
 
-The defaults (`MAX_UPLOAD=10 GB`, `CHUNK_MAX=100 MB`) assume **real
-disk**. Don't run the defaults against tmpfs unless you've sized it
-for the worst case.
+The defaults (`OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE`=10 GB,
+`OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`=1 GiB,
+`OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`=100 MB) assume **real disk**. Don't run
+the defaults against tmpfs unless you've sized it for the worst case.
 
 ## TL;DR
 
diff --git a/example.env b/example.env
index a83f6876..1c46e18e 100644
--- a/example.env
+++ b/example.env
@@ -31,18 +31,48 @@ OXICLOUD_SERVER_HOST=127.0.0.1
 # Example: https://cloud.example.com
 #OXICLOUD_BASE_URL=https://cloud.example.com
 
-# Maximum upload size in bytes (default: 10 GB on 64-bit)
+# ── Upload size caps ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# See docs/config/storage-fine-tuning.md for sizing guidance.
+
+# Whole-file size ceiling. Applies to BOTH direct PUTs (per-request body)
+# and chunked uploads (declared `total_size` at session creation — checked
+# upfront so oversized requests never accumulate chunks on disk).
+# Default: 10 GB on 64-bit, 1 GB on 32-bit.
 #OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE=10737418240
 
-# Directory for upload spool temp files. Uploads are streamed to a temp file
-# before deduplication. By default this uses the OS temp dir ($TMPDIR / /tmp),
-# which in many containers is tmpfs (RAM) — writing a large upload there fills
-# page-cache that counts against the cgroup memory limit and can OOMKill the
-# process. Point this at a real-disk path (same filesystem as the storage
-# backend is ideal) to keep the upload footprint off RAM. Leave unset to use
-# the OS default.
+# Per-request cap for non-chunked PUT bodies (`POST /api/files/upload`,
+# `PUT /webdav/...`, `PUT /remote.php/dav/files/...`). Set below
+# MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE so files larger than this are pushed onto the chunked
+# protocol (resumable on failure, bounded per-request by CHUNK_MAX_BYTES).
+# Default: 1 GiB.
+#OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES=1073741824
+
+# Per-chunk cap for a single chunked-upload PUT (PATCH /api/uploads/{id}
+# or PUT /dav/uploads/.../chunk). NC desktop and the OxiCloud frontend
+# split large files into chunks of this size or smaller, so this knob
+# tightly bounds the worst-case per-request memory/disk footprint
+# independently of the whole-file cap. Default: 100 MB.
+#OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES=104857600
+
+# ── Upload spool directories ─────────────────────────────────────────
+# Where in-flight uploads land BEFORE being promoted into final blob
+# storage. Same-filesystem placement (with `.blobs/`) makes the
+# promotion an atomic rename(2); NVMe placement speeds up intake.
+# See docs/config/storage-fine-tuning.md for layout examples.
+
+# Directory for non-chunked PUT spool tempfiles. Default: OS temp dir
+# ($TMPDIR / /tmp), often tmpfs (RAM) in containers — writing a large
+# upload there fills page-cache that counts against the cgroup memory
+# limit and can OOMKill the process. Point this at a real-disk path
+# (same FS as the storage backend is ideal).
 #OXICLOUD_UPLOAD_TMPDIR=/var/lib/oxicloud/tmp
 
+# Root directory for chunked-upload sessions (REST + NextCloud chunked
+# share this root). Default: {STORAGE_PATH}/.uploads. Pointing this at
+# NVMe accelerates the chunk-write + assembly loop; pointing it at the
+# same FS as `.blobs/` makes blob promotion atomic.
+#OXICLOUD_CHUNK_DIR=/var/lib/oxicloud/.uploads
+
 # How often (seconds) the background sweep reconciles each user's cached
 # storage usage with the real sum of their files (default: 600 = 10 min).
 # GET /api/auth/me serves the cached value instead of recomputing per request;
diff --git a/src/common/config.rs b/src/common/config.rs
index 94e2f699..f3c89561 100644
--- a/src/common/config.rs
+++ b/src/common/config.rs
@@ -218,6 +218,16 @@ pub struct StorageConfig {
     /// be far tighter than the whole-file cap and prevents one HTTP request
     /// from monopolising server memory or disk. Env: `OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES`.
     pub chunk_max_bytes: usize,
+    /// Maximum size of a single non-chunked PUT body, in bytes (default:
+    /// 1 GiB). Set below `max_upload_size` so files larger than this are
+    /// pushed onto the chunked-upload protocol (`/api/uploads/…` or
+    /// `/dav/uploads/…`) — which is resilient to mid-transfer failures,
+    /// resumable, and bounded per-request by `chunk_max_bytes`. Without
+    /// this cap a 10 GB direct PUT spools 10 GB to disk in a single
+    /// request; a connection drop at 95 % loses everything. The server
+    /// returns 413 with a "use chunked upload" hint when a direct PUT
+    /// exceeds this cap. Env: `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES`.
+    pub direct_put_max_bytes: usize,
     /// Directory for upload spool temp files. When `Some`, large uploads are
     /// spooled here instead of the OS default temp dir (often tmpfs/RAM in
     /// containers, where the spool's page-cache counts against the cgroup
@@ -376,6 +386,7 @@ impl Default for StorageConfig {
             trash_retention_days: 30,              // 30 days
             max_upload_size: MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE,
             chunk_max_bytes: 100 * 1024 * 1024, // 100 MB — sane upper bound for a single chunked-upload PUT
+            direct_put_max_bytes: 1024 * 1024 * 1024, // 1 GiB — pushes larger uploads onto the chunked protocol
             upload_temp_dir: None,
             chunk_dir: None,
             usage_reconcile_secs: 600, // 10 minutes
@@ -1247,6 +1258,12 @@ impl AppConfig {
         {
             config.storage.chunk_max_bytes = val;
         }
+        if let Ok(direct_max) =
+            env::var("OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES").map(|v| v.parse::<usize>())
+            && let Ok(val) = direct_max
+        {
+            config.storage.direct_put_max_bytes = val;
+        }
 
         // Upload spool directory — keep large upload temp files off tmpfs/RAM
         // (otherwise their page-cache counts against the cgroup memory limit).
diff --git a/src/interfaces/api/handlers/chunked_upload_handler.rs b/src/interfaces/api/handlers/chunked_upload_handler.rs
index 5a0b05fd..f2276e50 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/api/handlers/chunked_upload_handler.rs
+++ b/src/interfaces/api/handlers/chunked_upload_handler.rs
@@ -162,6 +162,33 @@ impl ChunkedUploadHandler {
                 .into_response();
         }
 
+        // ── Whole-file cap ──────────────────────────────────────────
+        // Reject upfront, before any chunk is uploaded — wasting
+        // bandwidth + server disk on an upload that's going to be
+        // rejected at /complete is the worst-of-both-worlds outcome.
+        // `max_upload_size` is the same ceiling that bounds direct
+        // PUTs (per-byte during streaming there; declared per-session
+        // here). When quotas are disabled, this is the only whole-file
+        // limit for chunked uploads — without it a hostile client
+        // could declare `total_size: 1 TB` and accumulate chunks
+        // until disk fills.
+        let max_upload = state.core.config.storage.max_upload_size as u64;
+        if request.total_size > max_upload {
+            tracing::warn!(
+                "⛔ CHUNKED UPLOAD REJECTED (total_size cap): user={}, file={}, declared={}, max={}",
+                auth_user.username,
+                request.filename,
+                request.total_size,
+                max_upload
+            );
+            return AppError::payload_too_large(format!(
+                "Declared total_size {} exceeds the server's `max_upload_size` cap ({} bytes). \
+                 Raise OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE on the server if larger uploads are expected.",
+                request.total_size, max_upload
+            ))
+            .into_response();
+        }
+
         // ── Permission pre-check: caller must have Create on the target
         // folder BEFORE we allocate a session and accept chunks. The
         // upload service re-checks at finalize time, but failing here
diff --git a/src/interfaces/api/handlers/webdav_handler.rs b/src/interfaces/api/handlers/webdav_handler.rs
index ef339dff..152a3b9a 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/api/handlers/webdav_handler.rs
+++ b/src/interfaces/api/handlers/webdav_handler.rs
@@ -927,8 +927,10 @@ async fn handle_put(
     //  another user — acceptable risk since PathResolver should always
     //  be enabled in production)
 
-    // Hard upload size limit from config
-    let max_upload = state.core.config.storage.max_upload_size;
+    // Direct PUT cap — see `nextcloud/webdav_handler::handle_put` for
+    // the reasoning. Files above `direct_put_max_bytes` must go through
+    // the chunked-upload protocol (`/api/uploads/…`) which is resumable.
+    let max_upload = state.core.config.storage.direct_put_max_bytes;
 
     // Extract content type before consuming the request
     let content_type = req
diff --git a/src/interfaces/nextcloud/webdav_handler.rs b/src/interfaces/nextcloud/webdav_handler.rs
index 8be9577b..5a82baa7 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/nextcloud/webdav_handler.rs
+++ b/src/interfaces/nextcloud/webdav_handler.rs
@@ -596,7 +596,14 @@ async fn handle_put(
         .and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok())
         .and_then(|v| v.parse::<i64>().ok());
 
-    let max_upload = state.core.config.storage.max_upload_size;
+    // ── Direct PUT cap ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+    // We use `direct_put_max_bytes` (default 1 GiB), not `max_upload_size`
+    // (default 10 GB). Larger files must come through the chunked upload
+    // protocol (`/dav/uploads/...`) which is resumable on failure and
+    // bounded per-request by `chunk_max_bytes`. Trying to stream a
+    // multi-GB body through a single PUT is a footgun: a connection drop
+    // at 95 % loses everything.
+    let max_upload = state.core.config.storage.direct_put_max_bytes;
 
     // Stream the body to a temp file + incremental hash — never buffer the
     // full upload in RAM.  The old `body::to_bytes` path loaded the entire
diff --git a/src/interfaces/upload_spool.rs b/src/interfaces/upload_spool.rs
index 25878019..7ac2a56a 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/upload_spool.rs
+++ b/src/interfaces/upload_spool.rs
@@ -70,7 +70,10 @@ pub async fn spool_body_to_temp(
                 drop(file);
                 let _ = tokio::fs::remove_file(&temp_path).await;
                 return Err(AppError::payload_too_large(format!(
-                    "Upload exceeds maximum size of {max_upload} bytes"
+                    "Upload body exceeds the direct-PUT cap ({max_upload} bytes). \
+                     Use the chunked-upload protocol (REST: `/api/uploads/...`, \
+                     NextCloud: `/remote.php/dav/uploads/...`) for files larger than this. \
+                     Chunked uploads are resumable on transient failure."
                 )));
             }
             hasher.update(chunk);
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8f3463aa..f6bd27af 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
     // hardest to spot from chunked-upload tests.
     tracing::info!(
         max_upload_size_mb = config.storage.max_upload_size / (1024 * 1024),
+        direct_put_max_bytes_mb = config.storage.direct_put_max_bytes / (1024 * 1024),
         chunk_max_bytes_mb = config.storage.chunk_max_bytes / (1024 * 1024),
         "Upload limits loaded from config"
     );
diff --git a/tests/api/chunked_upload_cap.hurl b/tests/api/chunked_upload_cap.hurl
index 12fd9038..992968fa 100644
--- a/tests/api/chunked_upload_cap.hurl
+++ b/tests/api/chunked_upload_cap.hurl
@@ -563,3 +563,120 @@ POST {{base_url}}/api/uploads/{{upload_id_nobody}}/complete
 Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
 
 HTTP 201
+
+
+# ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+# Whole-file size cap (OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE)
+# ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+# The whole-file cap is checked at session creation against the
+# JSON-declared `total_size` — no upload body required to trip
+# it. Test default `OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE` is 10 GiB; we
+# declare 100 GiB to be safely above without bothering with a
+# Hurl `--variables` override.
+#
+# This guards the case where chunks would otherwise accumulate
+# disk space against an oversized declared upload — the reject
+# fires BEFORE any chunk is PATCHed.
+
+
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Step 21 — POST /api/uploads with `total_size` above
+#           OXICLOUD_MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE → 413 Payload Too Large.
+#           No body bytes are sent; the check is purely
+#           against the declared JSON field.
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+POST {{base_url}}/api/uploads
+Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
+Content-Type: application/json
+{
+  "filename": "way-too-big.bin",
+  "folder_id": "{{home_folder_id}}",
+  "content_type": "application/octet-stream",
+  "total_size": 107374182400,
+  "chunk_size": 5242880
+}
+
+HTTP 413
+
+
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Step 22 — Sanity check: a session JUST BELOW the cap is
+#           accepted. Uses a sub-cap value (32 bytes — same
+#           pattern as earlier steps so no extra fixture is
+#           needed). Confirms that the reject in step 21 was
+#           the size cap, not an unrelated regression.
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+POST {{base_url}}/api/uploads
+Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
+Content-Type: application/json
+{
+  "filename": "small-and-fine.txt",
+  "folder_id": "{{home_folder_id}}",
+  "content_type": "text/plain",
+  "total_size": 32,
+  "chunk_size": 1048576
+}
+
+HTTP 201
+[Captures]
+upload_id_sanity: jsonpath "$.upload_id"
+
+# Cleanup — cancel without uploading.
+DELETE {{base_url}}/api/uploads/{{upload_id_sanity}}
+Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
+
+HTTP 204
+
+
+# ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+# Direct-PUT body cap (OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES)
+# ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+# `OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES` (4 MiB in the test env) bounds
+# a single non-chunked PUT body. Larger uploads must come through
+# the chunked protocol — the server returns 413 with a hint
+# pointing at `/api/uploads/...` / `/dav/uploads/...`. The cap
+# fires mid-stream via the same accumulator that bounds chunks.
+#
+# Tested via the native REST WebDAV PUT endpoint (`/webdav/...`)
+# because it's JWT-authed (no app-password mint dance) and
+# straightforwardly path-mapped. The cap is wired into the same
+# `spool_body_to_temp` helper from the NextCloud single-file PUT
+# path, so this exercise covers both wirings.
+
+
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Step 23 — Direct PUT of the 5 MiB fixture → 413. The same
+#           fixture used in step 8 for the chunked-PATCH cap;
+#           here it lands against the direct-PUT cap.
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+PUT {{base_url}}/webdav/test-direct-put-over-cap.bin
+Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
+Content-Type: application/octet-stream
+file,fixtures/chunk-over-cap-5mb.bin;
+
+HTTP 413
+
+
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Step 24 — Sanity: direct PUT WELL under the cap → 201 or 204.
+#           Confirms step 23's reject was the cap, not a route /
+#           auth / handler regression.
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+PUT {{base_url}}/webdav/test-direct-put-under-cap.txt
+Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
+Content-Type: text/plain
+file,fixtures/hello.txt;
+
+# WebDAV PUT returns 201 on new file, 204 on overwrite. Either
+# value confirms a successful body acceptance.
+HTTP *
+[Asserts]
+status >= 200
+status < 300
+
+# Cleanup so a re-run finds a clean slate (DELETE is idempotent
+# enough for this — 204 on success, 404 if nothing left).
+DELETE {{base_url}}/webdav/test-direct-put-under-cap.txt
+Authorization: Bearer {{token}}
+
+HTTP *
diff --git a/tests/common/server.env b/tests/common/server.env
index d36eed35..8d5d36f8 100644
--- a/tests/common/server.env
+++ b/tests/common/server.env
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@ RUST_LOG="warn,audit=info"
 # under the cap, while the cap test sends a 5 MiB fixture to trigger 413.
 OXICLOUD_CHUNK_MAX_BYTES=4194304
 
+# Direct-PUT (non-chunked) cap, exercised by chunked_upload_cap.hurl.
+# 4 MiB: same threshold as the chunked cap so the existing 5 MiB
+# fixture (chunk-over-cap-5mb.bin) can prove BOTH caps with one
+# generated file. All existing direct-PUT tests
+# (test_dedup_webdav_multichunk.sh = 2.76 MB, _ref_count = ~66 KB,
+# _nextcloud_put_blake3 = 32 B) stay safely under this cap.
+OXICLOUD_DIRECT_PUT_MAX_BYTES=4194304
+
 # grow up limits for tests
 OXICLOUD_RATE_LIMIT_REFRESH_MAX=360
 OXICLOUD_RATE_LIMIT_LOGIN_MAX=360