diff --git a/ci/unit/test_nlt_node.sh b/ci/unit/test_nlt_node.sh
index 9975e290beb..f5b9c8b03e9 100755
--- a/ci/unit/test_nlt_node.sh
+++ b/ci/unit/test_nlt_node.sh
@@ -37,5 +37,9 @@ pip install --requirement requirements-utest.txt
 
 pip install /opt/daos/lib/daos/python/
 
+# set high open file limit in the shell to avoid extra warning
+sudo prlimit --nofile=1024:262144 --pid $$
+prlimit -n
+
 ./utils/node_local_test.py --max-log-size 1700MiB --dfuse-dir /localhome/jenkins/ \
     --log-usage-save nltir.xml --log-usage-export nltr.json all
diff --git a/src/cart/crt_init.c b/src/cart/crt_init.c
index 48d2090a5b3..c326d5a0b5f 100644
--- a/src/cart/crt_init.c
+++ b/src/cart/crt_init.c
@@ -518,6 +518,61 @@ check_grpid(crt_group_id_t grpid)
 	return rc;
 }
 
+#define CRT_MIN_TCP_FD 131072
+
+/** For some providers, we require a file descriptor for every connection
+ * and some platforms set the soft limit too low meaning and we run out. We can
+ * set the limit up to the configured max by default to avoid this and warn
+ * when that isn't possible.
+ */
+static void
+file_limit_bump(void)
+{
+	int           rc;
+	struct rlimit rlim;
+
+	/* Bump file descriptor limit if low and if possible */
+	rc = getrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rlim);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		DS_ERROR(errno, "getrlimit() failed. Unable to check file descriptor limit");
+		/** Per the man page, this can only fail if rlim is invalid */
+		D_ASSERT(0);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if (rlim.rlim_cur >= CRT_MIN_TCP_FD)
+		return;
+
+	if (rlim.rlim_max < CRT_MIN_TCP_FD) {
+		if (getuid() != 0) {
+			D_WARN("File descriptor hard limit should be at least %d, limit is %lu\n",
+			       CRT_MIN_TCP_FD, rlim.rlim_max);
+		} else {
+			/** root should be able to change it */
+			D_INFO("Super user attempting to update hard file descriptor limit to %d,"
+			       " limit was %lu\n",
+			       CRT_MIN_TCP_FD, rlim.rlim_max);
+			rlim.rlim_max = CRT_MIN_TCP_FD;
+		}
+
+		if (rlim.rlim_cur >= rlim.rlim_max)
+			return;
+
+		/* May as well bump it as much as we can */
+	}
+
+	rlim.rlim_cur = rlim.rlim_max;
+	rc            = setrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, &rlim);
+	if (rc != 0) {
+		DS_ERROR(errno,
+			 "setrlimit() failed. Unable to bump file descriptor"
+			 " limit to value >= %d, limit is %lu",
+			 CRT_MIN_TCP_FD, rlim.rlim_max);
+		return;
+	}
+	D_INFO("Updated soft file descriptor limit to %lu\n", rlim.rlim_max);
+}
+
 static void
 prov_settings_apply(bool primary, crt_provider_t prov, crt_init_options_t *opt)
 {
@@ -545,6 +600,9 @@ prov_settings_apply(bool primary, crt_provider_t prov, crt_init_options_t *opt)
 			d_setenv("FI_OFI_RXM_DEF_TCP_WAIT_OBJ", "pollfd", 0);
 	}
 
+	if (prov == CRT_PROV_OFI_TCP || prov == CRT_PROV_OFI_TCP_RXM)
+		file_limit_bump();
+
 	if (prov == CRT_PROV_OFI_CXI)
 		mrc_enable = 1;
 
diff --git a/utils/ansible/ftest/templates/daos-launch_nlt.sh.j2 b/utils/ansible/ftest/templates/daos-launch_nlt.sh.j2
index 82687901ed2..18f3ed0d847 100644
--- a/utils/ansible/ftest/templates/daos-launch_nlt.sh.j2
+++ b/utils/ansible/ftest/templates/daos-launch_nlt.sh.j2
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@ fi
 info "Fixing daos_server_helper"
 run sudo -E "$DAOS_SOURCE_DIR/utils/setup_daos_server_helper.sh"
 run chmod -x "$DAOS_INSTALL_DIR/bin/daos_server_helper"
+run sudo prlimit --nofile=1024:262144 --pid $$
 
 info "Starting NLT tests"
 pushd "$DAOS_SOURCE_DIR" > /dev/null
diff --git a/utils/node_local_test.py b/utils/node_local_test.py
index 6ace1015df3..e5bd17ba938 100755
--- a/utils/node_local_test.py
+++ b/utils/node_local_test.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import pwd
 import random
 import re
+import resource
 import shutil
 import signal
 import stat
@@ -6501,6 +6502,12 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument('mode', nargs='*')
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    # valgrind reduces the hard limit unless we bump the soft limit first
+    if args.memcheck != "no":
+        (soft, hard) = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE)
+        if soft < hard:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE, (hard, hard))
+
     if args.server_fi:
         server_fi(args)
         return