diff --git a/guix-data-service/web/server.scm b/guix-data-service/web/server.scm
index 2fd26f5..6818258 100644
--- a/guix-data-service/web/server.scm
+++ b/guix-data-service/web/server.scm
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@
 
   (%guix-data-service-metrics-registry registry)
 
+  (with-exception-handler
+      (lambda (exn)
+        (simple-format #t "failed increasing open file limit: ~A\n" exn))
+    (lambda ()
+      (setrlimit 'nofile 4096 4096))
+    #:unwind? #t)
+
   (let ((finished?         (make-condition))
         (priority-scheduler #f)
         (request-scheduler #f))