diff --git a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ElasticsearchRestTests.java b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ElasticsearchRestTests.java
index 6698201c4a7..cb627a50829 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ElasticsearchRestTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/ElasticsearchRestTests.java
@@ -189,6 +189,16 @@ public class ElasticsearchRestTests extends ElasticsearchIntegrationTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Override
+    protected int maximumNumberOfShards() {
+        return 3; // never go crazy in the REST tests
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected int maximumNumberOfReplicas() {
+        return 1; // never go crazy in the REST tests
+    }
+
     /**
      * Used to obtain settings for the REST client that is used to send REST requests.
      */