diff --git a/common/ruletypes.h b/common/ruletypes.h
index 5a30bfc2c..36a5630e4 100644
--- a/common/ruletypes.h
+++ b/common/ruletypes.h
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ RULE_BOOL(Spells, NPCInnateProcOverride, true, "NPC innate procs override the ta
 RULE_BOOL(Spells, OldRainTargets, false, "Use old incorrectly implemented maximum targets for rains")
 RULE_BOOL(Spells, NPCSpellPush, false, "Enable spell push on NPCs")
 RULE_BOOL(Spells, July242002PetResists, true, "Enable Pets using PCs resist change from July 24 2002")
+RULE_INT(Spells, AOEMaxTargets, 0, "Max number of targets a Targeted AOE spell can cast on. Set to 0 for no limit.")
 RULE_CATEGORY_END()
 
 RULE_CATEGORY(Combat)
diff --git a/zone/effects.cpp b/zone/effects.cpp
index b095c84a3..6123ede4a 100644
--- a/zone/effects.cpp
+++ b/zone/effects.cpp
@@ -784,14 +784,14 @@ void EntityList::AESpell(
 	/**
 	 * Max AOE targets
 	 */
-	int max_targets_allowed = 0; // unlimited
+	int max_targets_allowed = RuleI(Range, AOEMaxTargets); // unlimited
 	if (max_targets) { // rains pass this in since they need to preserve the count through waves
 		max_targets_allowed = *max_targets;
 	}
 	else if (spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets) {
 		max_targets_allowed = spells[spell_id].aemaxtargets;
 	}
-	else if (IsTargetableAESpell(spell_id) && is_detrimental_spell && !is_npc) {
+	else if (IsTargetableAESpell(spell_id) && is_detrimental_spell && !is_npc && !IsEffectInSpell(spell_id, SE_Lull) && !IsEffectInSpell(spell_id, SE_Mez)) {
 		max_targets_allowed = 4;
 	}