diff --git a/cmd/geth/config.go b/cmd/geth/config.go
index 9c703758e0..673b36a306 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/config.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/config.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func makeConfigNode(ctx *cli.Context) (*node.Node, gethConfig) {
 	if err != nil {
 		utils.Fatalf("Failed to create the protocol stack: %v", err)
 	}
-	utils.SetEthConfig(ctx, stack, &cfg.Eth)
+	utils.SetEthConfig(ctx, stack, &cfg.Eth, &cfg.Node.P2P)
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(utils.EthStatsURLFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.Ethstats.URL = ctx.GlobalString(utils.EthStatsURLFlag.Name)
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/utils/flags.go b/cmd/utils/flags.go
index ae4d7e67dd..f46ea440a2 100644
--- a/cmd/utils/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/utils/flags.go
@@ -794,23 +794,21 @@ func SetP2PConfig(ctx *cli.Context, cfg *p2p.Config) {
 	setBootstrapNodes(ctx, cfg)
 	setBootstrapNodesV5(ctx, cfg)
 
-	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(MaxPeersFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.MaxPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(MaxPeersFlag.Name)
-	} else if ctx.GlobalIsSet(EthPeersFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalIsSet(LightPeersFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.MaxPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(EthPeersFlag.Name) + ctx.GlobalInt(LightPeersFlag.Name)
-	}
-
+	// note: cfg.MaxPeers is calculated in SetEthConfig
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(MaxPendingPeersFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.MaxPendingPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(MaxPendingPeersFlag.Name)
 	}
-	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(NoDiscoverFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalBool(LightModeFlag.Name) {
+
+	lightClient := ctx.GlobalBool(LightModeFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalString(SyncModeFlag.Name) == "light"
+	lightServer := ctx.GlobalInt(LightServFlag.Name) != 0
+	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(NoDiscoverFlag.Name) || lightClient {
 		cfg.NoDiscovery = true
 	}
 
 	// if we're running a light client or server, force enable the v5 peer discovery
 	// unless it is explicitly disabled with --nodiscover note that explicitly specifying
 	// --v5disc overrides --nodiscover, in which case the later only disables v4 discovery
-	forceV5Discovery := (ctx.GlobalBool(LightModeFlag.Name) || ctx.GlobalInt(LightServFlag.Name) > 0) && !ctx.GlobalBool(NoDiscoverFlag.Name)
+	forceV5Discovery := (lightClient || lightServer) && !ctx.GlobalBool(NoDiscoverFlag.Name)
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(DiscoveryV5Flag.Name) {
 		cfg.DiscoveryV5 = ctx.GlobalBool(DiscoveryV5Flag.Name)
 	} else if forceV5Discovery {
@@ -976,7 +974,7 @@ func SetShhConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *whisper.Config) {
 }
 
 // SetEthConfig applies eth-related command line flags to the config.
-func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *eth.Config) {
+func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *eth.Config, p2pcfg *p2p.Config) {
 	// Avoid conflicting network flags
 	checkExclusive(ctx, DeveloperFlag, TestnetFlag, RinkebyFlag)
 	checkExclusive(ctx, FastSyncFlag, LightModeFlag, SyncModeFlag)
@@ -997,19 +995,70 @@ func SetEthConfig(ctx *cli.Context, stack *node.Node, cfg *eth.Config) {
 	case ctx.GlobalBool(LightModeFlag.Name):
 		cfg.SyncMode = downloader.LightSync
 	}
-	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(EthPeersFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.EthPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(EthPeersFlag.Name)
-	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LightServFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.LightServ = ctx.GlobalInt(LightServFlag.Name)
 	}
-	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LightPeersFlag.Name) {
-		cfg.LightPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(LightPeersFlag.Name)
-	}
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(NetworkIdFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.NetworkId = ctx.GlobalUint64(NetworkIdFlag.Name)
 	}
 
+	ethPeers := cfg.EthPeers
+	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(EthPeersFlag.Name) {
+		ethPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(EthPeersFlag.Name)
+	}
+	ethPeersFixed := ctx.GlobalIsSet(EthPeersFlag.Name)
+	lightPeers := cfg.LightPeers
+	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(LightPeersFlag.Name) {
+		lightPeers = ctx.GlobalInt(LightPeersFlag.Name)
+	}
+	lightPeersFixed := ctx.GlobalIsSet(LightPeersFlag.Name)
+
+	if cfg.SyncMode == downloader.LightSync {
+		// ETH is not used
+		ethPeers = 0
+		ethPeersFixed = true
+	} else if cfg.LightServ == 0 {
+		// LES is not used
+		lightPeers = 0
+		lightPeersFixed = true
+	}
+
+	// if maxpeers is specified, adjust ethpeers and/or lightpeers if possible
+	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(MaxPeersFlag.Name) {
+		maxPeersDiff := ctx.GlobalInt(MaxPeersFlag.Name) - ethPeers - lightPeers
+		if maxPeersDiff > 0 {
+			// when adjusting upwards, ETH has priority
+			if !ethPeersFixed {
+				ethPeers += maxPeersDiff
+			} else if !lightPeersFixed {
+				lightPeers += maxPeersDiff
+			}
+		} else if maxPeersDiff < 0 {
+			// when adjusting downwards, LES has priority
+			if !lightPeersFixed {
+				if lightPeers >= -maxPeersDiff {
+					lightPeers += maxPeersDiff
+					maxPeersDiff = 0
+				} else {
+					maxPeersDiff += lightPeers
+					lightPeers = 0
+				}
+			}
+			if !ethPeersFixed {
+				if ethPeers >= -maxPeersDiff {
+					ethPeers += maxPeersDiff
+					maxPeersDiff = 0
+				} else {
+					maxPeersDiff += ethPeers
+					ethPeers = 0
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	cfg.EthPeers = ethPeers
+	cfg.LightPeers = lightPeers
+	p2pcfg.MaxPeers = ethPeers + lightPeers
+
 	if ctx.GlobalIsSet(CacheFlag.Name) {
 		cfg.DatabaseCache = ctx.GlobalInt(CacheFlag.Name)
 	}