diff --git a/packages/backend/src/routes/levels.ts b/packages/backend/src/routes/levels.ts
index 0c55e9e32..e1c94b4d0 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/routes/levels.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/routes/levels.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import type { Express, Response } from 'express'
 import { requireAuth, type AuthenticatedRequest } from '../middleware/auth'
-import { validateBody, validateParams } from '../middleware/validate'
+import {
+    validateBody,
+    validateParams,
+    validateQuery,
+} from '../middleware/validate'
 import { writeLimiter } from '../middleware/rateLimit'
 import { asyncHandler } from '../middleware/asyncHandler'
 import { AppError } from '../errors/AppError'
@@ -15,6 +19,10 @@ function p(val: string | string[]): string {
     return typeof val === 'string' ? val : val[0]
 }
 
+const leaderboardQuery = z.object({
+    limit: z.coerce.number().int().min(1).max(50).optional(),
+})
+
 const rankParams = guildIdParam.merge(commonUserIdParam)
 const levelParam = guildIdParam.extend({
     level: z.coerce.number().int().min(1),
@@ -62,6 +70,7 @@ export function setupLevelsRoutes(app: Express): void {
         '/api/guilds/:guildId/levels/leaderboard',
         requireAuth,
         validateParams(guildIdParam),
+        validateQuery(leaderboardQuery),
         asyncHandler(async (req: AuthenticatedRequest, res: Response) => {
             const guildId = p(req.params.guildId)
             const limit = Number(req.query.limit) || 10
diff --git a/packages/backend/src/routes/starboard.ts b/packages/backend/src/routes/starboard.ts
index b4999927d..196b4f7ea 100644
--- a/packages/backend/src/routes/starboard.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/src/routes/starboard.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import type { Express, Response } from 'express'
 import { requireAuth, type AuthenticatedRequest } from '../middleware/auth'
-import { validateBody, validateParams } from '../middleware/validate'
+import {
+    validateBody,
+    validateParams,
+    validateQuery,
+} from '../middleware/validate'
 import { writeLimiter } from '../middleware/rateLimit'
 import { asyncHandler } from '../middleware/asyncHandler'
 import { AppError } from '../errors/AppError'
@@ -19,6 +23,10 @@ const upsertConfigBody = z.object({
     selfStar: z.boolean().optional(),
 })
 
+const entriesQuery = z.object({
+    limit: z.coerce.number().int().min(1).max(50).optional(),
+})
+
 export function setupStarboardRoutes(app: Express): void {
     app.get(
         '/api/guilds/:guildId/starboard/config',
@@ -77,6 +85,7 @@ export function setupStarboardRoutes(app: Express): void {
         '/api/guilds/:guildId/starboard/entries',
         requireAuth,
         validateParams(guildIdParam),
+        validateQuery(entriesQuery),
         asyncHandler(async (req: AuthenticatedRequest, res: Response) => {
             const guildId = p(req.params.guildId)
             const limit = Number(req.query.limit) || 10
diff --git a/packages/backend/tests/unit/routes/snowflakeValidation.test.ts b/packages/backend/tests/unit/routes/snowflakeValidation.test.ts
index 9e58aaf52..f44d871ed 100644
--- a/packages/backend/tests/unit/routes/snowflakeValidation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend/tests/unit/routes/snowflakeValidation.test.ts
@@ -357,6 +357,50 @@ describe('Guild ID Snowflake Validation', () => {
         )
     })
 
+    describe('Pagination limit bounds (#1183)', () => {
+        const validGuildId = '123456789012345678'
+
+        test.each([
+            ['9999', 400],
+            ['0', 400],
+            ['-5', 400],
+            ['abc', 400],
+            ['25', 200],
+        ])(
+            'GET levels/leaderboard with limit=%s returns %s-class',
+            async (limit, expected) => {
+                const app = createApp(setupLevelsRoutes)
+                const res = await request(app).get(
+                    `/api/guilds/${validGuildId}/levels/leaderboard?limit=${limit}`,
+                )
+                if (expected === 400) {
+                    expect(res.status).toBe(400)
+                } else {
+                    expect(res.status).not.toBe(400)
+                }
+            },
+        )
+
+        test.each([
+            ['9999', 400],
+            ['0', 400],
+            ['25', 200],
+        ])(
+            'GET starboard/entries with limit=%s returns %s-class',
+            async (limit, expected) => {
+                const app = createApp(setupStarboardRoutes)
+                const res = await request(app).get(
+                    `/api/guilds/${validGuildId}/starboard/entries?limit=${limit}`,
+                )
+                if (expected === 400) {
+                    expect(res.status).toBe(400)
+                } else {
+                    expect(res.status).not.toBe(400)
+                }
+            },
+        )
+    })
+
     describe('Music Routes (#1200)', () => {
         const validGuildId = '123456789012345678'
         const invalidGuildId = 'not-a-snowflake'