diff --git a/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.106prb.rfsim.yaml b/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.106prb.rfsim.yaml
index 6240b62104..918bdc9802 100644
--- a/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.106prb.rfsim.yaml
+++ b/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.106prb.rfsim.yaml
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ MACRLCs:
     tr_n_preference: local_RRC
     pusch_TargetSNRx10: 200
     pucch_TargetSNRx10: 200
+    stats_max_ue: 17
 
 L1s:
   - num_cc: 1
diff --git a/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.51prb.aw2s.ddsuu.conf b/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.51prb.aw2s.ddsuu.conf
index e9f3089019..95e86caefe 100644
--- a/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.51prb.aw2s.ddsuu.conf
+++ b/ci-scripts/conf_files/gnb.sa.band78.51prb.aw2s.ddsuu.conf
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ MACRLCs = (
     tr_n_preference  = "local_RRC";
     pusch_TargetSNRx10 = 200;
     pucch_TargetSNRx10 = 200;
+    stats_max_ue = 17;
   }
 );
 
diff --git a/doc/MAC/mac-usage.md b/doc/MAC/mac-usage.md
index f4583b7a23..09ef02c560 100644
--- a/doc/MAC/mac-usage.md
+++ b/doc/MAC/mac-usage.md
@@ -236,6 +236,9 @@ In the `MACRLCs` section of the gNB/DU configuration file:
    case RSSI reaches the threshold and prevents ADC railing. Unit depends on
    RSSI reporting config.
 * `pucch_RSSI_Threshold`: Same as above but for PUCCH
+* `stats_max_ue` (default 8): maximum number of UEs to show in periodical
+  stats; beyond this number, periodical statistics will be disabled (it can
+  still be seen in `nrMAC_stats.log`. Use `0` to disable periodical stats.
 
 In the `gNBs` section of the gNB/DU configuration file: some of the parameters
 affect RRC configuration (CellGroupConfig) of a UE, and are therefore listed
diff --git a/openair2/GNB_APP/MACRLC_nr_paramdef.h b/openair2/GNB_APP/MACRLC_nr_paramdef.h
index a6299b10cc..6bd02cf74a 100644
--- a/openair2/GNB_APP/MACRLC_nr_paramdef.h
+++ b/openair2/GNB_APP/MACRLC_nr_paramdef.h
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
 #define CONFIG_STRING_MACRLC_BEAM_WEIGHTS_LIST             "beam_weights"
 #define CONFIG_STRING_MACRLC_PUSCH_RSSI_THRESHOLD          "pusch_RSSI_Threshold"
 #define CONFIG_STRING_MACRLC_PUCCH_RSSI_THRESHOLD          "pucch_RSSI_Threshold"
+#define CONFIG_STRING_MACRLC_STATS_MAX_UE                  "stats_max_ue"
 
 #define HLP_MACRLC_UL_PRBBLACK "SNR threshold to decide whether a PRB will be blacklisted or not"
 #define HLP_MACRLC_DL_BLER_UP "Upper threshold of BLER to decrease DL MCS"
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@
 #define HLP_MACRLC_BEAMS_PERIOD "set of beams that can be simultaneously allocated in a period"
 #define HLP_MACRLC_PUSCH_RSSI_THRESHOLD "Limits PUSCH TPC commands based on RSSI to prevent ADC railing. Value range [-1280, 0], unit 0.1 dBm/dBFS"
 #define HLP_MACRLC_PUCCH_RSSI_THRESHOLD "Limits PUCCH TPC commands based on RSSI to prevent ADC railing. Value range [-1280, 0], unit 0.1 dBm/dBFS"
+#define HLP_MACRLC_STATS_MAX_UE "Maximum number of UEs before disabling periodical output (0 to disable)"
 
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /*                                            MacRLC  configuration parameters                                                                           */
@@ -149,6 +151,7 @@
                                                                                0, .iptr=NULL,   .defintval=0,               TYPE_INT,     0}, \
   {CONFIG_STRING_MACRLC_PUCCH_RSSI_THRESHOLD,        HLP_MACRLC_PUCCH_RSSI_THRESHOLD, \
                                                                                0, .iptr=NULL,   .defintval=0,               TYPE_INT,     0}, \
+  {CONFIG_STRING_MACRLC_STATS_MAX_UE,                HLP_MACRLC_STATS_MAX_UE,  0, .iptr=NULL,   .defintval=8,               TYPE_INT,     0}, \
 }
 // clang-format off
 
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@
 #define MACRLC_BEAMWEIGHTS_IDX                                 39
 #define MACRLC_PUSCH_RSSI_THRES_IDX                            40
 #define MACRLC_PUCCH_RSSI_THRES_IDX                            41
+#define MACRLC_STATS_MAX_UE_IDX                                42
 
 #define MACRLCPARAMS_CHECK { \
   { .s5 = { NULL } }, \
@@ -238,6 +242,7 @@
   { .s5 = { NULL } }, \
   { .s2 =  { config_check_intrange, {-1280, 0}} }, /* PUSCH RSSI threshold range */ \
   { .s2 =  { config_check_intrange, {-1280, 0}} }, /* PUCCH RSSI threshold range */ \
+  { .s5 = { NULL } }, \
 }
 
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
diff --git a/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c b/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c
index 45532572cd..bd49df26be 100644
--- a/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c
+++ b/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c
@@ -1580,6 +1580,8 @@ void RCconfig_nr_macrlc(configmodule_interface_t *cfg)
         AssertFatal(1 == 0, "MACRLC %d: %s unknown southbound midhaul\n", j, *(MacRLC_ParamList.paramarray[j][MACRLC_TRANSPORT_S_PREFERENCE_IDX].strptr));
       }
       RC.nrmac[j]->ulsch_max_frame_inactivity = *(MacRLC_ParamList.paramarray[j][MACRLC_ULSCH_MAX_FRAME_INACTIVITY].uptr);
+      RC.nrmac[j]->stats_max_ue = *MacRLC_ParamList.paramarray[j][MACRLC_STATS_MAX_UE_IDX].iptr;
+      RC.nrmac[j]->print_ue_stats = RC.nrmac[j]->stats_max_ue > 0;
       NR_bler_options_t *dl_bler_options = &RC.nrmac[j]->dl_bler;
       dl_bler_options->upper = *(MacRLC_ParamList.paramarray[j][MACRLC_DL_BLER_TARGET_UPPER_IDX].dblptr);
       dl_bler_options->lower = *(MacRLC_ParamList.paramarray[j][MACRLC_DL_BLER_TARGET_LOWER_IDX].dblptr);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler.c
index 46ad8069da..a102411721 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler.c
@@ -195,10 +195,23 @@ void gNB_dlsch_ulsch_scheduler(module_id_t module_idP, frame_t frame, slot_t slo
   }
 
   bool wait_prach_completed = gNB->num_scheduled_prach_rx >= NUM_PRACH_RX_FOR_NOISE_ESTIMATE;
-  if ((wait_prach_completed || get_softmodem_params()->phy_test) && (slot == 0) && (frame & 127) == 0) {
+  if (gNB->print_ue_stats && (wait_prach_completed || get_softmodem_params()->phy_test) && (slot == 0) && (frame & 127) == 0) {
     char stats_output[32656] = {0};
     dump_mac_stats(gNB, stats_output, sizeof(stats_output), true);
     LOG_I(NR_MAC, "Frame.Slot %d.%d\n%s\n", frame, slot, stats_output);
+
+    // TODO: this should be replaced with a size() operation on connected_ue_list
+    int num_ue = 0;
+    UE_iterator(gNB->UE_info.connected_ue_list, it) {
+      (void) it; // not used
+      num_ue++;
+    }
+    if (gNB->print_ue_stats && num_ue > gNB->stats_max_ue) {
+      gNB->print_ue_stats = false;
+      LOG_W(NR_MAC,
+            "periodical UE stats deactivated after reaching %d UEs, please check nrMAC_stats.log, or increase MACRLCs.[0].stats_max_ue\n",
+            gNB->stats_max_ue);
+    }
   }
 
   nr_measgap_scheduling(gNB, frame, slot);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/main.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/main.c
index 705bca639a..f3f070b0e7 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/main.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/main.c
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ void mac_top_init_gNB(ngran_node_t node_type,
       RC.nrmac[i]->cset0_bwp_start = 0;
       RC.nrmac[i]->cset0_bwp_size = 0;
 
+      RC.nrmac[i]->print_ue_stats = true;
+
       pthread_mutex_init(&RC.nrmac[i]->sched_lock, NULL);
 
       uid_linear_allocator_init(&RC.nrmac[i]->UE_info.uid_allocator);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/nr_mac_gNB.h b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/nr_mac_gNB.h
index a5b21d2bc0..5bd786df90 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/nr_mac_gNB.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/nr_mac_gNB.h
@@ -974,6 +974,11 @@ typedef struct gNB_MAC_INST_s {
   f1_config_t f1_config;
   int16_t frame;
 
+  /// number of UEs to exceed to disable stats
+  int stats_max_ue;
+  /// if stats are currently enabled
+  bool print_ue_stats;
+
   pthread_mutex_t sched_lock;
 
   mac_stats_t mac_stats;