diff --git a/commands/command_utils.py b/commands/command_utils.py
index 4f6f99eb09..2810a542cb 100644
--- a/commands/command_utils.py
+++ b/commands/command_utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import json
 import os
 import re
+import resource
 
 from leapp.exceptions import CommandError
 from leapp.utils import path
@@ -140,3 +141,40 @@ def vet_upgrade_path(args):
                     flavor=flavor,
                     choices=','.join(supported_target_versions)))
     return (target_release, flavor)
+
+
+def set_resource_limits():
+    """
+    Set resource limits for the maximum number of open file descriptors and the maximum writable file size.
+
+    :raises: `CommandError` if the resource limits cannot be set
+    """
+
+    def set_resource_limit(resource_type, soft, hard):
+        rtype_string = (
+            'open file descriptors' if resource_type == resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE
+            else 'writable file size' if resource_type == resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE
+            else 'unknown resource'
+        )
+        try:
+            resource.setrlimit(resource_type, (soft, hard))
+        except ValueError as err:
+            raise CommandError(
+                'Failure occurred while attempting to set soft limit higher than the hard limit. '
+                'Resource type: {}, error: {}'.format(rtype_string, err)
+            )
+        except OSError as err:
+            raise CommandError(
+                'Failed to set resource limit. Resource type: {}, error: {}'.format(rtype_string, err)
+            )
+
+    soft_nofile, _ = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE)
+    soft_fsize, _ = resource.getrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE)
+    nofile_limit = 1024*16
+    fsize_limit = resource.RLIM_INFINITY
+
+    if soft_nofile < nofile_limit:
+        set_resource_limit(resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE, nofile_limit, nofile_limit)
+
+    if soft_fsize != fsize_limit:
+        set_resource_limit(resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE, fsize_limit, fsize_limit)
diff --git a/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py b/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py
index 5a89069f6a..a9fa40e077 100644
--- a/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py
+++ b/commands/preupgrade/__init__.py
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ def preupgrade(args, breadcrumbs):
     except LeappError as exc:
         raise CommandError(exc.message)
 
+    command_utils.set_resource_limits()
+
     workflow = repositories.lookup_workflow('IPUWorkflow')()
     util.warn_if_unsupported(configuration)
     util.process_whitelist_experimental(repositories, workflow, configuration, logger)
diff --git a/commands/tests/test_upgrade_paths.py b/commands/tests/test_upgrade_paths.py
index 53f081a56c..f1312f6685 100644
--- a/commands/tests/test_upgrade_paths.py
+++ b/commands/tests/test_upgrade_paths.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import resource
+
 import mock
 import pytest
 
@@ -50,3 +52,61 @@ def test_vet_upgrade_path(mock_open, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv('LEAPP_DEVEL_TARGET_RELEASE', '9.0')
     args = mock.Mock(target='1.2')
     assert command_utils.vet_upgrade_path(args) == ('9.0', 'default')
+
+
+def _mock_getrlimit_factory(nofile_limits=(1024, 4096), fsize_limits=(1024, 4096)):
+    """
+    Factory function to create a mock `getrlimit` function with configurable return values.
+    The default param values are lower than the expected values.
+
+    :param nofile_limits: Tuple representing (soft, hard) limits for `RLIMIT_NOFILE`
+    :param fsize_limits: Tuple representing (soft, hard) limits for `RLIMIT_FSIZE`
+    :return: A mock `getrlimit` function
+    """
+    def mock_getrlimit(resource_type):
+        if resource_type == resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE:
+            return nofile_limits
+        if resource_type == resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE:
+            return fsize_limits
+        return (0, 0)
+
+    return mock_getrlimit
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("nofile_limits, fsize_limits, expected_calls", [
+    # Case where both limits need to be increased
+    ((1024, 4096), (1024, 4096), [
+        (resource.RLIMIT_NOFILE, (1024*16, 1024*16)),
+        (resource.RLIMIT_FSIZE, (resource.RLIM_INFINITY, resource.RLIM_INFINITY))
+    ]),
+    # Case where neither limit needs to be changed
+    ((1024*16, 1024*16), (resource.RLIM_INFINITY, resource.RLIM_INFINITY), [])
+])
+def test_set_resource_limits_increase(monkeypatch, nofile_limits, fsize_limits, expected_calls):
+    setrlimit_called = []
+
+    def mock_setrlimit(resource_type, limits):
+        setrlimit_called.append((resource_type, limits))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(resource, "getrlimit", _mock_getrlimit_factory(nofile_limits, fsize_limits))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(resource, "setrlimit", mock_setrlimit)
+
+    command_utils.set_resource_limits()
+
+    assert setrlimit_called == expected_calls
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("errortype, expected_message", [
+    (OSError, "Failed to set resource limit"),
+    (ValueError, "Failure occurred while attempting to set soft limit higher than the hard limit")
+])
+def test_set_resource_limits_exceptions(monkeypatch, errortype, expected_message):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(resource, "getrlimit", _mock_getrlimit_factory())
+
+    def mock_setrlimit(*args, **kwargs):
+        raise errortype("mocked error")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(resource, "setrlimit", mock_setrlimit)
+
+    with pytest.raises(CommandError, match=expected_message):
+        command_utils.set_resource_limits()
diff --git a/commands/upgrade/__init__.py b/commands/upgrade/__init__.py
index 1e15b59c45..c7487fded8 100644
--- a/commands/upgrade/__init__.py
+++ b/commands/upgrade/__init__.py
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ def upgrade(args, breadcrumbs):
         repositories = util.load_repositories()
     except LeappError as exc:
         raise CommandError(exc.message)
+
+    command_utils.set_resource_limits()
+
     workflow = repositories.lookup_workflow('IPUWorkflow')(auto_reboot=args.reboot)
     util.process_whitelist_experimental(repositories, workflow, configuration, logger)
     util.warn_if_unsupported(configuration)