diff --git a/apps/chproxy/buffer.go b/apps/chproxy/buffer.go
index 4a5a125b05..00dedaef8e 100644
--- a/apps/chproxy/buffer.go
+++ b/apps/chproxy/buffer.go
@@ -45,12 +45,14 @@ func startBufferProcessor(
 					span.RecordError(err)
 					span.SetStatus(codes.Error, err.Error())
 
-					config.Logger.Error("error persisting batch",
+					config.Logger.Error("error persisting batch, data dropped",
 						"error", err.Error(),
 						"table", batch.Table,
+						"rows_dropped", len(batch.Rows),
 						"query", batch.Params.Get("query"),
 					)
 				}
+				// Note: Memory will be freed when batchesByParams is reset below
 			}
 
 			duration := time.Since(startTime).Seconds()
@@ -86,9 +88,36 @@ func startBufferProcessor(
 					config.Logger.Debug("new batch type received",
 						"query", b.Params.Get("query"))
 				} else {
-					batch.Rows = append(batch.Rows, b.Rows...)
+					// Check if adding these rows would exceed the per-batch limit
+					if len(batch.Rows)+len(b.Rows) > maxBatchRows {
+						// Flush the current batch to make room
+						config.Logger.Info("flushing batch due to individual batch size limit",
+							"current_rows", len(batch.Rows),
+							"incoming_rows", len(b.Rows),
+							"table", batch.Table)
+
+						err := persist(ctx, batch, config)
+
+						// Always free the memory by resetting batch, regardless of persist success
+						// Update buffered count: subtract old rows, will add new rows below
+						buffered -= len(batch.Rows)
+
+						if err != nil {
+							config.Logger.Error("error persisting batch during size limit flush, data dropped",
+								"error", err.Error(),
+								"table", batch.Table,
+								"rows_dropped", len(batch.Rows),
+								"query", batch.Params.Get("query"))
+						}
+
+						// Reset this batch and start fresh with the new rows
+						batch.Rows = b.Rows
+					} else {
+						batch.Rows = append(batch.Rows, b.Rows...)
+					}
 				}
 
+				// Always add the new incoming rows to the buffer count
 				buffered += len(b.Rows)
 				SetBufferSize(int64(buffered))
 
diff --git a/apps/chproxy/main.go b/apps/chproxy/main.go
index a011201377..b25375cba7 100644
--- a/apps/chproxy/main.go
+++ b/apps/chproxy/main.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 const (
 	maxBufferSize int = 50000
 	maxBatchSize  int = 10000
+	maxBatchRows  int = 5000 // Max rows per individual batch
 )
 
 var (
@@ -154,13 +155,28 @@ func main() {
 			"row_count", len(rows),
 			"table", strings.Split(query, " ")[2])
 
-		buffer <- &Batch{
+		batch := &Batch{
 			Params: params,
 			Rows:   rows,
 			Table:  strings.Split(query, " ")[2],
 		}
 
-		w.Write([]byte("ok"))
+		select {
+		case buffer <- batch:
+			// Successfully sent to buffer
+			w.Write([]byte("ok"))
+		default:
+			// Buffer is full, drop the message
+			telemetry.Metrics.ErrorCounter.Add(ctx, 1)
+			config.Logger.Warn("buffer full, dropping message",
+				"row_count", len(rows),
+				"table", batch.Table,
+				"remote_addr", r.RemoteAddr)
+
+			span.SetStatus(codes.Error, "buffer full")
+			http.Error(w, "service overloaded", 529)
+			return
+		}
 		span.SetStatus(codes.Ok, "")
 		span.SetAttributes(
 			attribute.Int("row_count", len(rows)),