diff --git a/docs/cli_commands.md b/docs/cli_commands.md
index 116a4914..395deb46 100644
--- a/docs/cli_commands.md
+++ b/docs/cli_commands.md
@@ -738,7 +738,9 @@ This document provides an overview of CLI commands that can be sent to MeshCore
 - `set region.autotag.max.hops <value>`
 
 **Parameters:**
-- `value`: Maximum path hash count (0-8). `0` means only auto-tag packets without scope received directly (zero-hop); higher values also auto-tag packets without scope that already traversed that many repeaters.
+- `value`: Maximum path hash count. `0` means only auto-tag packets without scope received directly (zero-hop); higher values also auto-tag packets without scope that already traversed that many repeaters.
+
+**Range:** `0` to `8` (inclusive). Values outside this range are rejected by `set` and clamped to this range on load. The upper bound of `8` is intentionally well below the default `flood.max` of `64`, because auto-tagging packets from far across the mesh almost always produces incorrect region assignments — the limit exists to keep admins honest about the geographic scope they can actually account for.
 
 **Default:** `1`
 
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
index 2d348f8f..81fc5764 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void CommonCLI::loadPrefsInt(FILESYSTEM* fs, const char* filename) {
     // sanitise settings
     _prefs->rx_boosted_gain = constrain(_prefs->rx_boosted_gain, 0, 1); // boolean
     _prefs->region_autotag = constrain(_prefs->region_autotag, 0, 1);   // boolean
-    _prefs->region_autotag_max_hops = constrain(_prefs->region_autotag_max_hops, 0, 8);
+    _prefs->region_autotag_max_hops = constrain(_prefs->region_autotag_max_hops, 0, REGION_AUTOTAG_MAX_HOPS_LIMIT);
 
     file.close();
   }
@@ -630,12 +630,12 @@ void CommonCLI::handleCommand(uint32_t sender_timestamp, const char* command, ch
         strcpy(reply, "OK");
       } else if (memcmp(config, "region.autotag.max.hops ", 24) == 0) {
         int h = atoi(&config[24]);
-        if (h >= 0 && h <= 8) {
+        if (h >= 0 && h <= REGION_AUTOTAG_MAX_HOPS_LIMIT) {
           _prefs->region_autotag_max_hops = (uint8_t)h;
           savePrefs();
           strcpy(reply, "OK");
         } else {
-          strcpy(reply, "Error, range is 0-8");
+          sprintf(reply, "Error, range is 0-%d", REGION_AUTOTAG_MAX_HOPS_LIMIT);
         }
       } else if (memcmp(config, "region.autotag ", 15) == 0) {
         _prefs->region_autotag = memcmp(&config[15], "on", 2) == 0;
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
index f0bd2aba..72c200c0 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #define ADVERT_LOC_SHARE      1
 #define ADVERT_LOC_PREFS      2
 
+#define REGION_AUTOTAG_MAX_HOPS_LIMIT 8    // upper bound for region.autotag.max.hops pref
+
 #define LOOP_DETECT_OFF       0
 #define LOOP_DETECT_MINIMAL   1
 #define LOOP_DETECT_MODERATE  2