diff --git a/crates/oxide_kernel/src/kernel.rs b/crates/oxide_kernel/src/kernel.rs
index 58fe2379..2bc4f1e4 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_kernel/src/kernel.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_kernel/src/kernel.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pub struct KernelConfig {
     pub min_pool_size: usize,
     pub max_pool_size: Option<usize>,
     pub max_dead_strings: Option<usize>,
+    pub max_steps: Option<u64>,
     pub max_call_depth: usize,
     pub warmup_builtin_shapes: bool,
     pub warmup_builtin_code: bool,
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ impl KernelConfig {
             min_pool_size: 4,
             max_pool_size: Some(8),
             max_dead_strings: Some(10_000),
+            max_steps: None,
             max_call_depth: 1024,
             warmup_builtin_shapes: true,
             warmup_builtin_code: false,
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ impl KernelConfig {
             min_pool_size: 8,
             max_pool_size: Some(32),
             max_dead_strings: Some(10_000),
+            max_steps: None,
             max_call_depth: 1024,
             warmup_builtin_shapes: true,
             warmup_builtin_code: true,
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@ impl KernelConfig {
             min_pool_size: 16,
             max_pool_size: None,
             max_dead_strings: Some(5_000),
+            max_steps: None,
             max_call_depth: 1024,
             warmup_builtin_shapes: true,
             warmup_builtin_code: true,
@@ -187,6 +191,9 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_kernel_config_presets() {
         assert_eq!(KernelConfig::minimal().max_pool_size, Some(8));
         assert_eq!(KernelConfig::standard().max_pool_size, Some(32));
+        assert_eq!(KernelConfig::minimal().max_steps, None);
+        assert_eq!(KernelConfig::standard().max_steps, None);
+        assert_eq!(KernelConfig::full().max_steps, None);
         assert!(!KernelConfig::minimal().warmup_builtin_ic);
         assert!(KernelConfig::full().warmup_builtin_ic);
         assert_eq!(KernelConfig::full().max_pool_size, None);
diff --git a/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs b/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
index a3af3289..88fd5856 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_vm/src/vm.rs
@@ -556,11 +556,12 @@ impl Vm {
 
     fn dispatch(&mut self) -> Result<JsValue, String> {
         let mut steps: u64 = 0;
-        const MAX_STEPS: u64 = 100_000_000;
         loop {
             steps += 1;
-            if steps > MAX_STEPS {
-                return Err(format!("VM step limit exceeded at pc={}", self.pc));
+            if let Some(max_steps) = self.kernel.config.max_steps {
+                if steps > max_steps {
+                    return Err(format!("VM step limit exceeded at pc={}", self.pc));
+                }
             }
             if self.pc >= self.bytecode.len() {
                 return Err("program counter out of bounds".into());
diff --git a/crates/oxide_vm/tests/regression_tests.rs b/crates/oxide_vm/tests/regression_tests.rs
index 1997b5e7..8375024f 100644
--- a/crates/oxide_vm/tests/regression_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/oxide_vm/tests/regression_tests.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
 use oxide_compiler::compiler::Compiler;
+use oxide_kernel::kernel::{KernelConfig, OxideKernel};
 use oxide_parser::Allocator;
 use oxide_vm::vm::Vm;
 
@@ -19,6 +22,23 @@ fn eval(source: &str) -> String {
     }
 }
 
+fn eval_with_kernel(source: &str, kernel: Arc<OxideKernel>) -> String {
+    let allocator = Allocator::default();
+    let program = match oxide_parser::parse(&allocator, source) {
+        Ok(p) => p,
+        Err(e) => return format!("parse error: {}", e[0].message),
+    };
+    let module = match Compiler::new().compile(&program) {
+        Ok(m) => m,
+        Err(e) => return format!("compile error: {e}"),
+    };
+    let mut vm = Vm::with_kernel(kernel);
+    match vm.run(&module) {
+        Ok(result) => format!("{result}"),
+        Err(e) => format!("vm error: {e}"),
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn regression_to_boolean_empty_string() {
     assert_eq!(eval("!''"), "true", "NOT empty string should be true");
@@ -74,3 +94,15 @@ fn regression_for_in_prototype_chain() {
         "for-in should include inherited constructor from prototype"
     );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn regression_vm_step_limit_is_configurable() {
+    let mut config = KernelConfig::minimal();
+    config.max_steps = Some(5);
+    let kernel = Arc::new(OxideKernel::new(config));
+    let result = eval_with_kernel("while (true) {}", kernel);
+    assert!(
+        result.contains("VM step limit exceeded"),
+        "expected configurable step limit error, got: {result}"
+    );
+}