diff --git a/client_files/export/main.cpp b/client_files/export/main.cpp
index 79807e1ef..34e137726 100644
--- a/client_files/export/main.cpp
+++ b/client_files/export/main.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "../../common/repositories/skill_caps_repository.h"
 #include "../../common/file.h"
 #include "../../common/events/player_event_logs.h"
+#include "../../common/skill_caps.h"
 
 EQEmuLogSys         LogSys;
 WorldContentService content_service;
@@ -213,17 +214,16 @@ void ExportSkillCaps(SharedDatabase* db)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	const uint8 skill_cap_max_level = (
-		RuleI(Character, SkillCapMaxLevel) > 0 ?
-		RuleI(Character, SkillCapMaxLevel) :
-		RuleI(Character, MaxLevel)
-	);
-
 	for (uint8 class_id = Class::Warrior; class_id <= Class::Berserker; class_id++) {
 		for (uint8 skill_id = EQ::skills::Skill1HBlunt; skill_id <= EQ::skills::Skill2HPiercing; skill_id++) {
 			if (SkillUsable(db, skill_id, class_id)) {
 				uint32 previous_cap = 0;
-				for (uint8 level = 1; level <= skill_cap_max_level; level++) {
+
+				for (
+					uint8 level = 1;
+					level <= SkillCaps::GetSkillCapMaxLevel(class_id, static_cast<EQ::skills::SkillType>(skill_id));
+					level++
+					) {
 					uint32 cap = GetSkill(db, skill_id, class_id, level);
 					if (cap < previous_cap) {
 						cap = previous_cap;
diff --git a/common/skill_caps.cpp b/common/skill_caps.cpp
index c76eab372..c8b75c4f5 100644
--- a/common/skill_caps.cpp
+++ b/common/skill_caps.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,15 @@
 #include "skill_caps.h"
 #include "timer.h"
 
+// cache the skill cap max level in the database
+std::map<uint8_t, int32_t> skill_max_level = {};
+
+uint8 skill_cap_max_level = (
+	RuleI(Character, SkillCapMaxLevel) > 0 ?
+		RuleI(Character, SkillCapMaxLevel) :
+		RuleI(Character, MaxLevel)
+);
+
 SkillCaps *SkillCaps::SetContentDatabase(Database *db)
 {
 	m_content_database = db;
@@ -8,15 +17,30 @@ SkillCaps *SkillCaps::SetContentDatabase(Database *db)
 	return this;
 }
 
+int32_t SkillCaps::GetSkillCapMaxLevel(uint8 class_id, EQ::skills::SkillType skill_id)
+{
+	// pull the max value defined in the database if it exists
+	auto it = skill_max_level.find((class_id * 1000000) + skill_id);
+	if (it != skill_max_level.end()) {
+		return it->second;
+	}
+
+	return skill_cap_max_level;
+}
+
 SkillCapsRepository::SkillCaps SkillCaps::GetSkillCap(uint8 class_id, EQ::skills::SkillType skill_id, uint8 level)
 {
-	if (!IsPlayerClass(class_id)) {
+	if (!IsPlayerClass(class_id) || static_cast<uint32>(skill_id) > EQ::skills::HIGHEST_SKILL + 1) {
 		return SkillCapsRepository::NewEntity();
 	}
 
-	const uint64_t key = (class_id * 1000000) + (level * 1000) + static_cast<uint32>(skill_id);
+	const uint8 max_level = GetSkillCapMaxLevel(class_id, skill_id);
+	if (level > max_level) {
+		level = max_level;
+	}
 
-	auto pos = m_skill_caps.find(key);
+	const uint64_t key = (class_id * 1000000) + (level * 1000) + static_cast<uint32>(skill_id);
+	auto           pos = m_skill_caps.find(key);
 	if (pos != m_skill_caps.end()) {
 		return pos->second;
 	}
@@ -30,19 +54,12 @@ uint8 SkillCaps::GetSkillTrainLevel(uint8 class_id, EQ::skills::SkillType skill_
 		!IsPlayerClass(class_id) ||
 		class_id > Class::PLAYER_CLASS_COUNT ||
 		static_cast<uint32>(skill_id) > (EQ::skills::HIGHEST_SKILL + 1)
-	) {
+		) {
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	const uint8 skill_cap_max_level = (
-		RuleI(Character, SkillCapMaxLevel) > 0 ?
-		RuleI(Character, SkillCapMaxLevel) :
-		RuleI(Character, MaxLevel)
-	);
-
 	const uint8    max_level = level > skill_cap_max_level ? level : skill_cap_max_level;
 	const uint64_t key       = (class_id * 1000000) + (level * 1000) + static_cast<uint32>(skill_id);
-
 	for (uint8 current_level = 1; current_level <= max_level; current_level++) {
 		auto pos = m_skill_caps.find(key);
 		if (pos != m_skill_caps.end()) {
@@ -55,21 +72,38 @@ uint8 SkillCaps::GetSkillTrainLevel(uint8 class_id, EQ::skills::SkillType skill_
 
 void SkillCaps::LoadSkillCaps()
 {
-	const auto& l = SkillCapsRepository::All(*m_content_database);
+	const auto &l = SkillCapsRepository::All(*m_content_database);
 
 	m_skill_caps.clear();
 
-	for (const auto& e: l) {
+	for (const auto &e: l) {
 		if (
 			e.level < 1 ||
 			!IsPlayerClass(e.class_id) ||
 			static_cast<EQ::skills::SkillType>(e.skill_id) >= EQ::skills::SkillCount
-		) {
+			) {
 			continue;
 		}
 
 		const uint64_t key = (e.class_id * 1000000) + (e.level * 1000) + e.skill_id;
 		m_skill_caps[key] = e;
+
+		const int max_level_key = (e.class_id * 1000000) + e.skill_id;
+		auto      it            = skill_max_level.find(max_level_key);
+		if (it != skill_max_level.end()) {
+			// Key found, update the value if the new level is higher
+			if (e.level > it->second) {
+				it->second = e.level;
+			}
+			// we never want to exceed the defined rule skill cap max level
+			if (it->second > skill_cap_max_level) {
+				it->second = skill_cap_max_level;
+			}
+		}
+		else {
+			// Key not found, insert the new key-value pair
+			skill_max_level[max_level_key] = e.level;
+		}
 	}
 
 	LogInfo(
diff --git a/common/skill_caps.h b/common/skill_caps.h
index 24b278c23..9630ed7d7 100644
--- a/common/skill_caps.h
+++ b/common/skill_caps.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ public:
 	uint8 GetSkillTrainLevel(uint8 class_id, EQ::skills::SkillType skill_id, uint8 level);
 	void LoadSkillCaps();
 	void ReloadSkillCaps();
+	static int32_t GetSkillCapMaxLevel(uint8 class_id, EQ::skills::SkillType skill_id);
 
 	SkillCaps *SetContentDatabase(Database *db);
 private: