diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index d4007651fb..dadcc140ae 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -650,6 +650,12 @@ HELP_AND_FAQ_URL=https://librechat.ai
 # Google tag manager id
 #ANALYTICS_GTM_ID=user provided google tag manager id
 
+# limit conversation file imports to a certain number of bytes in size to avoid the container
+# maxing out memory limitations by unremarking this line and supplying a file size in bytes
+# such as the below example of 250 mib
+# CONVERSATION_IMPORT_MAX_FILE_SIZE_BYTES=262144000
+
+
 #===============#
 # REDIS Options #
 #===============#
diff --git a/api/server/routes/config.js b/api/server/routes/config.js
index 8674769643..bae5f764b0 100644
--- a/api/server/routes/config.js
+++ b/api/server/routes/config.js
@@ -115,6 +115,9 @@ router.get('/', async function (req, res) {
       sharePointPickerGraphScope: process.env.SHAREPOINT_PICKER_GRAPH_SCOPE,
       sharePointPickerSharePointScope: process.env.SHAREPOINT_PICKER_SHAREPOINT_SCOPE,
       openidReuseTokens,
+      conversationImportMaxFileSize: process.env.CONVERSATION_IMPORT_MAX_FILE_SIZE_BYTES
+        ? parseInt(process.env.CONVERSATION_IMPORT_MAX_FILE_SIZE_BYTES, 10)
+        : 0,
     };
 
     const minPasswordLength = parseInt(process.env.MIN_PASSWORD_LENGTH, 10);
diff --git a/api/server/utils/import/importConversations.js b/api/server/utils/import/importConversations.js
index 4d2bc4c333..d9e4d4332d 100644
--- a/api/server/utils/import/importConversations.js
+++ b/api/server/utils/import/importConversations.js
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@ const importConversations = async (job) => {
   const { filepath, requestUserId } = job;
   try {
     logger.debug(`user: ${requestUserId} | Importing conversation(s) from file...`);
+
+    /* error if file is too large */
+    const fileInfo = await fs.stat(filepath);
+    if (fileInfo.size > process.env.CONVERSATION_IMPORT_MAX_FILE_SIZE_BYTES) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `File size is ${fileInfo.size} bytes.  It exceeds the maximum limit of ${process.env.CONVERSATION_IMPORT_MAX_FILE_SIZE_BYTES} bytes.`,
+      );
+    }
+
     const fileData = await fs.readFile(filepath, 'utf8');
     const jsonData = JSON.parse(fileData);
     const importer = getImporter(jsonData);
@@ -17,6 +26,7 @@ const importConversations = async (job) => {
     logger.debug(`user: ${requestUserId} | Finished importing conversations`);
   } catch (error) {
     logger.error(`user: ${requestUserId} | Failed to import conversation: `, error);
+    throw error; // throw error all the way up so request does not return success
   } finally {
     try {
       await fs.unlink(filepath);
diff --git a/client/src/components/Nav/SettingsTabs/Data/ImportConversations.tsx b/client/src/components/Nav/SettingsTabs/Data/ImportConversations.tsx
index f3c6f4e8cb..2d06b74392 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Nav/SettingsTabs/Data/ImportConversations.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Nav/SettingsTabs/Data/ImportConversations.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { useState, useRef, useCallback } from 'react';
 import { Import } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
+import { QueryKeys, TStartupConfig } from 'librechat-data-provider';
 import { Spinner, useToastContext, Label, Button } from '@librechat/client';
 import { useUploadConversationsMutation } from '~/data-provider';
 import { NotificationSeverity } from '~/common';
@@ -7,6 +9,8 @@ import { useLocalize } from '~/hooks';
 import { cn, logger } from '~/utils';
 
 function ImportConversations() {
+  const queryClient = useQueryClient();
+  const startupConfig = queryClient.getQueryData<TStartupConfig>([QueryKeys.startupConfig]);
   const localize = useLocalize();
   const fileInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const { showToast } = useToastContext();
@@ -49,6 +53,17 @@ function ImportConversations() {
   const handleFileUpload = useCallback(
     async (file: File) => {
       try {
+        const maxFileSize = (startupConfig as any)?.conversationImportMaxFileSize;
+        if (maxFileSize && file.size > maxFileSize) {
+          const size = (maxFileSize / (1024 * 1024)).toFixed(2);
+          showToast({
+            message: localize('com_error_files_upload_too_large', { 0: size }),
+            status: NotificationSeverity.ERROR,
+          });
+          setIsUploading(false);
+          return;
+        }
+
         const formData = new FormData();
         formData.append('file', file, encodeURIComponent(file.name || 'File'));
         uploadFile.mutate(formData);
@@ -61,13 +76,14 @@ function ImportConversations() {
         });
       }
     },
-    [uploadFile, showToast, localize],
+    [uploadFile, showToast, localize, startupConfig],
   );
 
   const handleFileChange = useCallback(
     (event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
       const file = event.target.files?.[0];
       if (file) {
+        setIsUploading(true);
         handleFileUpload(file);
       }
       event.target.value = '';
diff --git a/client/src/locales/en/translation.json b/client/src/locales/en/translation.json
index 2fc5623f4d..f3d575e1de 100644
--- a/client/src/locales/en/translation.json
+++ b/client/src/locales/en/translation.json
@@ -365,6 +365,7 @@
   "com_error_files_process": "An error occurred while processing the file.",
   "com_error_files_upload": "An error occurred while uploading the file.",
   "com_error_files_upload_canceled": "The file upload request was canceled. Note: the file upload may still be processing and will need to be manually deleted.",
+  "com_error_files_upload_too_large": "The file is too large.  Please upload a file smaller than {{0}} MB",
   "com_error_files_validation": "An error occurred while validating the file.",
   "com_error_google_tool_conflict": "Usage of built-in Google tools are not supported with external tools. Please disable either the built-in tools or the external tools.",
   "com_error_heic_conversion": "Failed to convert HEIC image to JPEG. Please try converting the image manually or use a different format.",
diff --git a/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts b/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts
index d212f559fe..2b78453be4 100644
--- a/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts
+++ b/packages/data-provider/src/config.ts
@@ -669,6 +669,7 @@ export type TStartupConfig = {
     }
   >;
   mcpPlaceholder?: string;
+  conversationImportMaxFileSize?: number;
 };
 
 export enum OCRStrategy {