diff --git a/docs/doc_gen/node_helpers.ml b/docs/doc_gen/node_helpers.ml
index 136e3a2152a93a3adaa7fc168a0ce2bc0f9aa55f..c51ee26a54bc720f9d394401bc2cc461e5902ade 100644
--- a/docs/doc_gen/node_helpers.ml
+++ b/docs/doc_gen/node_helpers.ml
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ let with_node f =
           Distributed_db_version.Name.of_string "SANDBOXED_TEZOS_DOCGEN";
         user_activated_upgrades = [];
         user_activated_protocol_overrides = [];
-        operation_metadata_size_limit = None;
+        operation_metadata_size_limit = Unlimited;
         patch_context = None;
         data_dir = dir;
         store_root = dir / "store";
diff --git a/src/lib_node_config/node_config_file.mli b/src/lib_node_config/node_config_file.mli
index 85a61ddbf6fe194d1b5ca532526e211856204496..b998828ad0ca2be4deb85e5fd68492386d60f955 100644
--- a/src/lib_node_config/node_config_file.mli
+++ b/src/lib_node_config/node_config_file.mli
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ val update :
   ?allow_all_rpc:P2p_point.Id.addr_port_id list ->
   ?media_type:Media_type.Command_line.t ->
   ?metrics_addr:string list ->
-  ?operation_metadata_size_limit:int option ->
+  ?operation_metadata_size_limit:Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit ->
   ?private_mode:bool ->
   ?disable_mempool:bool ->
   ?disable_mempool_precheck:bool ->
diff --git a/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.ml b/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.ml
index b89711dd163d51fc0470f4c54453132450a67b66..508903606889462352017909fda1fc765822d1b1 100644
--- a/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.ml
+++ b/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.ml
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ type t = {
   allow_all_rpc : P2p_point.Id.addr_port_id list;
   media_type : Media_type.Command_line.t;
   metrics_addr : string list;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit :
+    Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit option;
 }
 
 type error +=
@@ -399,15 +400,16 @@ module Term = struct
   let operation_metadata_size_limit =
     let converter =
       let parse s =
-        if String.(equal (lowercase_ascii s) "unlimited") then `Ok None
+        if String.(equal (lowercase_ascii s) "unlimited") then
+          `Ok Shell_limits.Unlimited
         else
           match int_of_string_opt s with
           | None -> `Error s
-          | Some i -> `Ok (Some i)
+          | Some i -> `Ok (Limited i)
       in
       let pp fmt = function
-        | None -> Format.fprintf fmt "unlimited"
-        | Some i -> Format.pp_print_int fmt i
+        | Shell_limits.Unlimited -> Format.fprintf fmt "unlimited"
+        | Limited i -> Format.pp_print_int fmt i
       in
       ((fun arg -> parse arg), pp)
     in
@@ -417,8 +419,8 @@ module Term = struct
           Shell_limits.default_limits.block_validator_limits
             .operation_metadata_size_limit
         with
-        | None -> "$(i,unlimited)"
-        | Some i -> Format.sprintf "$(i,%d) bytes" i
+        | Shell_limits.Unlimited -> "$(i,unlimited)"
+        | Limited i -> Format.sprintf "$(i,%d) bytes" i
       in
       Format.sprintf
         "Size limit (in bytes) for operation's metadata to be stored on disk. \
diff --git a/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.mli b/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.mli
index 99ea3ef61397f96cbc8c1c98fcb9aef5bb26fe6e..b29c05e4b19b1900ee8580aae74ecd0cac60d4af 100644
--- a/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.mli
+++ b/src/lib_node_config/node_shared_arg.mli
@@ -75,7 +75,8 @@ type t = {
           access should be granted *)
   media_type : Media_type.Command_line.t;
   metrics_addr : string list;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit :
+    Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit option;
       (** maximum operation metadata size allowed to be stored on disk *)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.ml b/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.ml
index 190384bb613cce1434fe51e8b57d5228db0c56b8..130112b79aa7e367b007bc259e58be056d98ede3 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.ml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 type validator_environment = {
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
 }
 
 type validator_kind =
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ module Internal_validator_process = struct
     chain_store : Store.chain_store;
     user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
     user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-    operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+    operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
     (*
        The cache must be updated by the component that owns the
        context, i.e., the component that has the writing permissions
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ module External_validator_process = struct
     protocol_root : string;
     user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
     user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-    operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+    operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
     process_path : string;
     mutable validator_process : process_status;
     lock : Lwt_mutex.t;
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.mli b/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.mli
index be584d8e2631955d218e5db8512a391a9a28fb45..d2316afe52e2d69e5aa38338531a4ff3167f3025 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.mli
+++ b/src/lib_shell/block_validator_process.mli
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type validator_environment = {
       (** user activated upgrades *)
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
       (** user activated protocol overrides *)
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
       (** size limit for operation metadata that should be written on disk *)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/node.ml b/src/lib_shell/node.ml
index 464e5ff37ff3374aaeb95bbf81896a68e255b141..96601f6134ed606a24a1424b87f13a1278b2d537 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/node.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/node.ml
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ type t = {
   p2p : Distributed_db.p2p;
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
   (* For P2P RPCs *)
   shutdown : unit -> unit Lwt.t;
 }
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ type config = {
   sandboxed_chain_name : Distributed_db_version.Name.t;
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
   data_dir : string;
   store_root : string;
   context_root : string;
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/node.mli b/src/lib_shell/node.mli
index 22f48d7b1142b6ea95be3e8c661dbf3f8e7c804b..dce5627d2c6eab117909d955fda62fdbf4235d93 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/node.mli
+++ b/src/lib_shell/node.mli
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type config = {
   sandboxed_chain_name : Distributed_db_version.Name.t;
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
   data_dir : string;
   store_root : string;
   context_root : string;
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/test/test_node.ml b/src/lib_shell/test/test_node.ml
index 5c5d32025073d0a922f8f8fe0884a4e6a29af791..80eece8e3f46d1e610360b18c03378b4433955a9 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/test/test_node.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/test/test_node.ml
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ let init_config (* (f : 'a -> unit -> unit Lwt.t) *) f test_dir switch () :
       sandboxed_chain_name = Distributed_db_version.Name.zero;
       user_activated_upgrades = [];
       user_activated_protocol_overrides = [];
-      operation_metadata_size_limit = None;
+      operation_metadata_size_limit = Unlimited;
       data_dir = test_dir;
       store_root = test_dir // "store";
       context_root = test_dir // "context";
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/test/test_peer_validator.ml b/src/lib_shell/test/test_peer_validator.ml
index 1d96dc874dbd506f4e2460c00fe433eb5a63d7ca..c308bedaa1fd5e7055ffe75672af620c14f5e171 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/test/test_peer_validator.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/test/test_peer_validator.ml
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ let wrap
         {
           Block_validator_process.user_activated_upgrades = [];
           user_activated_protocol_overrides = [];
-          operation_metadata_size_limit = None;
+          operation_metadata_size_limit = Unlimited;
         }
       in
       let* block_validator_processs =
diff --git a/src/lib_shell/test/test_validator.ml b/src/lib_shell/test/test_validator.ml
index 291fdc1f6ec0f3170d4572f6b7fd42c8dc2c6fc8..8698a9b6a589fda84ee6ee05278023b9abe6885e 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell/test/test_validator.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell/test/test_validator.ml
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ let init_validator
       {
         Block_validator_process.user_activated_upgrades = [];
         user_activated_protocol_overrides = [];
-        operation_metadata_size_limit = None;
+        operation_metadata_size_limit = Unlimited;
       }
     in
     let* block_validator =
diff --git a/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.ml b/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.ml
index 04c561aa96fe5f86b871847df4a5ebadf4c2f49a..127063ab2bfedc3845c664e488ee0cf97716b0b9 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.ml
+++ b/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.ml
@@ -25,14 +25,43 @@
 
 let timeout_encoding = Time.System.Span.encoding
 
+type operation_metadata_size_limit = Unlimited | Limited of int
+
+let operation_metadata_size_limit_encoding =
+  let open Data_encoding in
+  def
+    "operation_metadata_size_limit"
+    ~title:"operation_metadata_size_limit"
+    ~description:"The operation metadata size limit"
+    (union
+       ~tag_size:`Uint8
+       [
+         case
+           ~title:"unlimited"
+           ~description:"The metadata size is unlimited."
+           (Tag 0)
+           (constant "unlimited")
+           (function Unlimited -> Some () | _ -> None)
+           (fun () -> Unlimited);
+         case
+           ~title:"limited"
+           ~description:
+             "The metadata size is limited to the given integer's value (in \
+              bytes)."
+           (Tag 1)
+           int31
+           (function Limited i -> Some i | _ -> None)
+           (fun i -> Limited i);
+       ])
+
 type block_validator_limits = {
   protocol_timeout : Time.System.Span.t;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : operation_metadata_size_limit;
 }
 
 (* [default_operation_metadata_size_limit] is used to filter and
    potentially discard a given metadata if its size exceed the cap. *)
-let default_operation_metadata_size_limit = Some 10_000_000
+let default_operation_metadata_size_limit = Limited 10_000_000
 
 let default_block_validator_limits =
   {
@@ -54,21 +83,7 @@ let block_validator_limits_encoding =
           default_block_validator_limits.protocol_timeout)
        (dft
           "operation_metadata_size_limit"
-          (union
-             [
-               case
-                 ~title:"unlimited"
-                 (Tag 0)
-                 (constant "unlimited")
-                 (function None -> Some () | _ -> None)
-                 (fun () -> None);
-               case
-                 ~title:"limited"
-                 (Tag 1)
-                 int31
-                 (function Some i -> Some i | None -> None)
-                 (fun i -> Some i);
-             ])
+          operation_metadata_size_limit_encoding
           default_block_validator_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit))
 
 type prevalidator_limits = {
diff --git a/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.mli b/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.mli
index 69e89a23d7468534974c8353e3f42684460909e5..8b8e600218b28947a950dd0bc88d60f826d160d9 100644
--- a/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.mli
+++ b/src/lib_shell_services/shell_limits.mli
@@ -26,16 +26,23 @@
 (** The configurable constants used by shell components as maximum,
     with their encodings and default values. *)
 
+(** States whether or not the operation metadata size must be caped
+    and potentially discard if the given size limit is exceeded. *)
+type operation_metadata_size_limit = Unlimited | Limited of int
+
+val operation_metadata_size_limit_encoding :
+  operation_metadata_size_limit Data_encoding.t
+
 type block_validator_limits = {
   protocol_timeout : Time.System.Span.t;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : operation_metadata_size_limit;
 }
 
 val default_block_validator_limits : block_validator_limits
 
 val block_validator_limits_encoding : block_validator_limits Data_encoding.t
 
-(** This record contains the differents limits and settings that can be updated
+(** This record contains the different limits and settings that can be updated
     from a node configuration for a prevalidator *)
 type prevalidator_limits = {
   max_refused_operations : int;
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/reconstruction.mli b/src/lib_store/unix/reconstruction.mli
index b393d3f4bcb15f496982fbfa4f239aaa6545e87b..05a3b296ca49d53aadbe946c0d675683b21c42c9 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/reconstruction.mli
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/reconstruction.mli
@@ -74,6 +74,6 @@ val reconstruct :
   Genesis.t ->
   user_activated_upgrades:User_activated.upgrades ->
   user_activated_protocol_overrides:User_activated.protocol_overrides ->
-  operation_metadata_size_limit:int option ->
+  operation_metadata_size_limit:Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit ->
   progress_display_mode:Animation.progress_display_mode ->
   unit tzresult Lwt.t
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml
index 31f09c2223b5c1ed1ba19c28d0f4046c447977d1..a5c6cb9a65d51622f458c72dd152662ffeede610 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.ml
@@ -3333,7 +3333,7 @@ module type Snapshot_importer = sig
     configured_history_mode:History_mode.t option ->
     user_activated_upgrades:User_activated.upgrades ->
     user_activated_protocol_overrides:User_activated.protocol_overrides ->
-    operation_metadata_size_limit:int option ->
+    operation_metadata_size_limit:Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit ->
     in_memory:bool ->
     progress_display_mode:Animation.progress_display_mode ->
     Genesis.t ->
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.mli b/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.mli
index 33f94bd962e1be6bd8e8b5adad527516509fef3a..ab0a00270ffe3679d494a9209a1fd0b0fc238ccd 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.mli
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/snapshots.mli
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ val import :
   configured_history_mode:History_mode.t option ->
   user_activated_upgrades:User_activated.upgrades ->
   user_activated_protocol_overrides:User_activated.protocol_overrides ->
-  operation_metadata_size_limit:int option ->
+  operation_metadata_size_limit:Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit ->
   in_memory:bool ->
   progress_display_mode:Animation.progress_display_mode ->
   Genesis.t ->
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_reconstruct.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_reconstruct.ml
index e00924756b73354160b5fef2fe6fdbd08f2d55ac..d94678861a722954cb00baebd6b8d3e17157536e 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_reconstruct.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_reconstruct.ml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ let test_from_bootstrapped ~descr (store_dir, context_dir) store
             genesis
             ~user_activated_upgrades:[]
             ~user_activated_protocol_overrides:[]
-            ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+            ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
             ~progress_display_mode:Animation.Auto
         in
         return_false)
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ let test_from_snapshot ~descr:_ (store_dir, context_dir) store
             ~configured_history_mode:None
             ~user_activated_upgrades:[]
             ~user_activated_protocol_overrides:[]
-            ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+            ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
             ~in_memory:true
             ~progress_display_mode:Animation.Auto
             genesis
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ let test_from_snapshot ~descr:_ (store_dir, context_dir) store
             genesis
             ~user_activated_upgrades:[]
             ~user_activated_protocol_overrides:[]
-            ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+            ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
             ~progress_display_mode:Animation.Auto
         in
         return_false)
diff --git a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml
index 93bdfc01571a1580fe3129e6b4d16b98e849bdde..0c78b00724c065aecac31bc16a2830d928565749 100644
--- a/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml
+++ b/src/lib_store/unix/test/test_snapshots.ml
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ let export_import ~test_descr ~previously_baked_blocks ?exported_block_hash
       ~configured_history_mode:None
       ~user_activated_upgrades:[]
       ~user_activated_protocol_overrides:[]
-      ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+      ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
       ~in_memory:false
       ~progress_display_mode:Animation.Auto
       genesis
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ let test_rolling () =
         ~configured_history_mode:None
         ~user_activated_upgrades:[]
         ~user_activated_protocol_overrides:[]
-        ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+        ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
         ~in_memory:false
         ~progress_display_mode:Animation.Auto
         genesis
@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ let test_drag_after_import () =
         ~configured_history_mode:None
         ~user_activated_upgrades:[]
         ~user_activated_protocol_overrides:[]
-        ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+        ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
         ~block:export_block_hash
         ~in_memory:false
         ~progress_display_mode:Animation.Auto
diff --git a/src/lib_validation/block_validation.ml b/src/lib_validation/block_validation.ml
index b3b0abf5f7790caf785e9a4a9ce5dba97ff71d48..76654d0fcfb6f3ab3aa0e21c66d032f869ccf631 100644
--- a/src/lib_validation/block_validation.ml
+++ b/src/lib_validation/block_validation.ml
@@ -461,8 +461,8 @@ module Make (Proto : Registered_protocol.T) = struct
                  in
                  let metadata =
                    match operation_metadata_size_limit with
-                   | None -> Metadata bytes
-                   | Some size_limit ->
+                   | Shell_limits.Unlimited -> Metadata bytes
+                   | Limited size_limit ->
                        if Bytes.length bytes < size_limit then Metadata bytes
                        else Too_large_metadata
                  in
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ module Make (Proto : Registered_protocol.T) = struct
         validation_result
     in
     compute_metadata
-      ~operation_metadata_size_limit:None
+      ~operation_metadata_size_limit:Unlimited
       new_protocol_env_version
       block_metadata
       ops_metadata
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ type apply_environment = {
   predecessor_ops_metadata_hash : Operation_metadata_list_list_hash.t option;
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
 }
 
 let recompute_metadata chain_id ~predecessor_block_header ~predecessor_context
diff --git a/src/lib_validation/block_validation.mli b/src/lib_validation/block_validation.mli
index b5ecdd53c071780c222633c84599206ad05b9e34..13681d7a4e433a5057c77bdb3cbf250d69e3d0fd 100644
--- a/src/lib_validation/block_validation.mli
+++ b/src/lib_validation/block_validation.mli
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ type apply_environment = {
       (** user activated upgrades *)
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
       (** user activated protocol overrides *)
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
       (** size limit for operation metadata that should be written on disk *)
 }
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ val preapply :
   chain_id:Chain_id.t ->
   user_activated_upgrades:Tezos_base.User_activated.upgrades ->
   user_activated_protocol_overrides:Tezos_base.User_activated.protocol_overrides ->
-  operation_metadata_size_limit:int option ->
+  operation_metadata_size_limit:Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit ->
   timestamp:Time.Protocol.t ->
   protocol_data:bytes ->
   live_blocks:Block_hash.Set.t ->
diff --git a/src/lib_validation/external_validation.ml b/src/lib_validation/external_validation.ml
index 73a970381984fc5d4d08d44a1674daf859553ab0..c988ea53c5cdaf60ee5612d24976723d34afbb3c 100644
--- a/src/lib_validation/external_validation.ml
+++ b/src/lib_validation/external_validation.ml
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type parameters = {
   sandbox_parameters : Data_encoding.json option;
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
 }
 
 type request =
@@ -167,7 +167,9 @@ let parameters_encoding =
        (req
           "user_activated_protocol_overrides"
           User_activated.protocol_overrides_encoding)
-       (opt "operation_metadata_size_limit" int31)
+       (req
+          "operation_metadata_size_limit"
+          Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit_encoding)
        (opt "sandbox_parameters" json))
 
 let case_validate tag =
diff --git a/src/lib_validation/external_validation.mli b/src/lib_validation/external_validation.mli
index 40ed62151a1ae9c6b4d42e22523146a97db6f2b1..7cd454befaa8c6bc523387f825b0e7964bbe4bf5 100644
--- a/src/lib_validation/external_validation.mli
+++ b/src/lib_validation/external_validation.mli
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ type parameters = {
   sandbox_parameters : Data_encoding.json option;
   user_activated_upgrades : User_activated.upgrades;
   user_activated_protocol_overrides : User_activated.protocol_overrides;
-  operation_metadata_size_limit : int option;
+  operation_metadata_size_limit : Shell_limits.operation_metadata_size_limit;
 }
 
 type request =