diff --git a/UPGRADING b/UPGRADING
index 1b6c3cc33bf..fce04afa491 100755
--- a/UPGRADING
+++ b/UPGRADING
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ UPGRADE NOTES - PHP 5.3
   xsl.security_prefs. This option will be marked as deprecated in 5.4 again. 
   Use the method XsltProcess::setSecurityPrefs($options) there.
 
+- the following new directives were added
+
+  - max_input_vars - specifies how many GET/POST/COOKIE input variables may be
+    accepted. default value 1000. 
+
 =============
 5. Deprecated
 =============
diff --git a/php.ini-development b/php.ini-development
index b8aef6a374c..48cc89fa05e 100644
--- a/php.ini-development
+++ b/php.ini-development
@@ -457,6 +457,9 @@ max_input_time = 60
 ; http://php.net/max-input-nesting-level
 ;max_input_nesting_level = 64
 
+; How many GET/POST/COOKIE input variables may be accepted
+; max_input_vars = 1000
+
 ; Maximum amount of memory a script may consume (128MB)
 ; http://php.net/memory-limit
 memory_limit = 128M
diff --git a/php.ini-production b/php.ini-production
index be3b9708f16..97dbb485803 100644
--- a/php.ini-production
+++ b/php.ini-production
@@ -457,6 +457,9 @@ max_input_time = 60
 ; http://php.net/max-input-nesting-level
 ;max_input_nesting_level = 64
 
+; How many GET/POST/COOKIE input variables may be accepted
+; max_input_vars = 1000
+
 ; Maximum amount of memory a script may consume (128MB)
 ; http://php.net/memory-limit
 memory_limit = 128M