diff --git a/src/chainparams.cpp b/src/chainparams.cpp
index d01b9af1a..5c9efb276 100644
--- a/src/chainparams.cpp
+++ b/src/chainparams.cpp
@@ -225,11 +225,32 @@ void CChainParams::SetCheckpointData(CChainParams::CCheckpointData checkpointDat
     CChainParams::checkpointData = checkpointData;
 }
 
-int32_t MAX_BLOCK_SIZE(int32_t height) // make sure to change MAX_PROTOCOL_MESSAGE_LENGTH also!!!!
+/*
+ To change the max block size, all that needs to be updated is the #define _MAX_BLOCK_SIZE in utils.h
+ 
+ However, doing that without any other changes will allow forking non-updated nodes by creating a larger block. So, make sure to height activate the new blocksize properly.
+ 
+ Assuming it is 8MB, then:
+ #define _OLD_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE (4096 * 1024)
+ #define _MAX_BLOCK_SIZE (2 * 4096 * 1024)
+ 
+ change the body of if:
+ {
+    if ( height < saplinght+1000000 ) // activates 8MB blocks 1 million blocks after saplinght
+        return(_OLD_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE);
+    else return(_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE);
+ }
+
+*/
+
+int32_t MAX_BLOCK_SIZE(int32_t height)
 {
+    int32_t saplinght = mainParams.consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight;
     //fprintf(stderr,"MAX_BLOCK_SIZE %d vs. %d\n",height,mainParams.consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight);
-    if ( height <= 0 || (mainParams.consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight > 0 && height >= mainParams.consensus.vUpgrades[Consensus::UPGRADE_SAPLING].nActivationHeight) )
+    if ( height <= 0 || (saplinght > 0 && height >= saplinght) )
+    {
         return(_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE);
+    }
     else return(2000000);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index ff47737d8..3e06e9831 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ static const unsigned int MAX_INV_SZ = 50000;
 /** The maximum number of new addresses to accumulate before announcing. */
 static const unsigned int MAX_ADDR_TO_SEND = 1000;
 /** Maximum length of incoming protocol messages (no message over 2 MiB is currently acceptable). */
-static const unsigned int MAX_PROTOCOL_MESSAGE_LENGTH = _MAX_BLOCK_SIZE;
+static const unsigned int MAX_PROTOCOL_MESSAGE_LENGTH = (_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE + 24); // 24 is msgheader size
 /** Maximum length of strSubVer in `version` message */
 static const unsigned int MAX_SUBVERSION_LENGTH = 256;
 /** -listen default */