diff --git a/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py b/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py
index 5a89069f6a..4a6a6ccdf8 100644
--- a/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py
+++ b/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import resource
 import sys
 import uuid
 
@@ -59,6 +60,22 @@ def preupgrade(args, breadcrumbs):
     except LeappError as exc:
         raise CommandError(exc.message)
 
+    soft_nofile, _ = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE)
+    soft_fsize, _ = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE)
+    nofile_limit = 1024*16
+
+    if soft_nofile < nofile_limit:
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE, (nofile_limit, nofile_limit))
+        except OSError as err:
+            raise CommandError('Failed to set limit for maximum number of open file descriptors: {}'.format(err))
+
+    if soft_fsize != resource.RLIM_INFINITY:
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE, (resource.RLIM_INFINITY, resource.RLIM_INFINITY))
+        except OSError as err:
+            raise CommandError('Failed to set limit for maximum writeable file size: {}'.format(err))
+
     workflow = repositories.lookup_workflow('IPUWorkflow')()
     util.warn_if_unsupported(configuration)
     util.process_whitelist_experimental(repositories, workflow, configuration, logger)
diff --git a/commands/upgrade/__init__.py b/commands/upgrade/__init__.py
index 1e15b59c45..5275629194 100644
--- a/commands/upgrade/__init__.py
+++ b/commands/upgrade/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import os
+import resource
 import sys
 import uuid
 
@@ -89,6 +90,23 @@ def upgrade(args, breadcrumbs):
         repositories = util.load_repositories()
     except LeappError as exc:
         raise CommandError(exc.message)
+
+    soft_nofile, _ = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE)
+    soft_fsize, _ = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE)
+    nofile_limit = 1024*16
+
+    if soft_nofile < nofile_limit:
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE, (nofile_limit, nofile_limit))
+        except OSError as err:
+            raise CommandError('Failed to set limit for maximum number of open file descriptors: {}'.format(err))
+
+    if soft_fsize != resource.RLIM_INFINITY:
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE, (resource.RLIM_INFINITY, resource.RLIM_INFINITY))
+        except OSError as err:
+            raise CommandError('Failed to set limit for maximum writeable file size: {}'.format(err))
+
     workflow = repositories.lookup_workflow('IPUWorkflow')(auto_reboot=args.reboot)
     util.process_whitelist_experimental(repositories, workflow, configuration, logger)
     util.warn_if_unsupported(configuration)