diff --git a/cmd-car-split.go b/cmd-car-split.go
index 30c16cf8..665886ab 100644
--- a/cmd-car-split.go
+++ b/cmd-car-split.go
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ import (
 
 var CBOR_SHA256_DUMMY_CID = cid.MustParse("bafyreics5uul5lbtxslcigtoa5fkba7qgwu7cyb7ih7z6fzsh4lgfgraau")
 
+const maxLinks = 432000 / 18 // 18 subsets
+
 type subsetInfo struct {
 	fileName   string
 	firstSlot  int
@@ -236,7 +238,7 @@ func newCmd_SplitCar() *cli.Command {
 						dagSize += owm.RawSectionSize()
 					}
 
-					if currentFile == nil || currentFileSize+int64(dagSize) > maxFileSize {
+					if currentFile == nil || currentFileSize+int64(dagSize) > maxFileSize || len(currentSubsetInfo.blockLinks) > maxLinks {
 						err := createNewFile()
 						if err != nil {
 							return fmt.Errorf("failed to create a new file: %w", err)