diff --git a/src/iomtee.c b/src/iomtee.c
index 68c3eb4..06dd116 100644
--- a/src/iomtee.c
+++ b/src/iomtee.c
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ static void *tee_run(void *arg) {
 iomtee_t *iomtee_open(int *vfd, int num_fds, ...)
 {
     iomtee_t *tee = calloc(1, sizeof(iomtee_t));
-    tee->iomux = iomux_create(0, 0, 1);
+    tee->iomux = iomux_create(0, 1);
     int rc = pipe(tee->pipe);
     if (rc != 0) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Can't create pipe : %s\n", strerror(errno));
diff --git a/src/iomux.c b/src/iomux.c
index 2b73022..4522b5f 100644
--- a/src/iomux.c
+++ b/src/iomux.c
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
+#include <sys/resource.h>
+
 #if defined(HAVE_EPOLL)
 #include <sys/epoll.h>
 #elif defined(HAVE_KQUEUE)
@@ -124,7 +126,7 @@ static void set_error(iomux_t *iomux, char *fmt, ...) {
 static void iomux_handle_timeout(iomux_t *iomux, void *priv);
 
 iomux_t *
-iomux_create(int max_connections, int bufsize, int threadsafe)
+iomux_create(int bufsize, int threadsafe)
 {
     iomux_t *iomux = (iomux_t *)calloc(1, sizeof(iomux_t));
 
@@ -134,7 +136,15 @@ iomux_create(int max_connections, int bufsize, int threadsafe)
     }
 
     iomux->bufsize = (bufsize > 0) ? bufsize : IOMUX_CONNECTION_BUFSIZE_DEFAULT;
-    iomux->maxconnections = (max_connections > 0) ? max_connections : IOMUX_CONNECTIONS_MAX_DEFAULT;
+
+    struct rlimit rlim;
+    if (getrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rlim) == 0) {
+        iomux->maxconnections = rlim.rlim_max;
+    } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Can't get the max number of filedescriptors: %s\n",
+                strerror(errno));
+        iomux->maxconnections = IOMUX_CONNECTIONS_MAX_DEFAULT;
+    }
 
 #if defined(HAVE_EPOLL)
     iomux->efd = epoll_create1(0);
diff --git a/src/iomux.h b/src/iomux.h
index 9a31eb5..5cd8bbb 100644
--- a/src/iomux.h
+++ b/src/iomux.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ typedef struct __iomux_callbacks {
  * @brief Create a new iomux handler
  * @returns A valid iomux handler
  */
-iomux_t *iomux_create(int max_connections, int bufsize, int threadsafe);
+iomux_t *iomux_create(int bufsize, int threadsafe);
 
 /**
  * @brief Add a filedescriptor to the mux
diff --git a/test/iomux_test.c b/test/iomux_test.c
index 09f655d..d0b05ad 100644
--- a/test/iomux_test.c
+++ b/test/iomux_test.c
@@ -280,8 +280,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     ut_init(basename(argv[0]));
      
-    ut_testing("iomux_create(0, 0, 0)");
-    mux = iomux_create(0, 0, 0);
+    ut_testing("iomux_create(0, 0)");
+    mux = iomux_create(0, 0);
     if (mux)
         ut_success();
     else
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     };
 
     server = open_socket("localhost", TEST_SERVER_PORT);
-    mux = iomux_create(0, 0, 0);
+    mux = iomux_create(0, 0);
     iomux_add(mux, server, &cbs);
     iomux_listen(mux, server);