diff --git a/src/dspy_cli/server/routes.py b/src/dspy_cli/server/routes.py
index 4e0732a..83c08a5 100644
--- a/src/dspy_cli/server/routes.py
+++ b/src/dspy_cli/server/routes.py
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 """Dynamic route generation for DSPy programs."""
 
+import asyncio
 import logging
 from typing import Any, Dict
 
 import dspy
 from fastapi import FastAPI, HTTPException
+from fastapi.responses import JSONResponse
 from pydantic import create_model
 
 from dspy_cli.discovery import DiscoveredModule
@@ -12,6 +14,9 @@
 from dspy_cli.gateway import APIGateway, IdentityGateway
 from dspy_cli.server.execution import _convert_dspy_types, execute_pipeline
 
+DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENT = 20
+_program_semaphores: Dict[str, asyncio.Semaphore] = {}
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -77,8 +82,21 @@ def create_program_routes(
     else:
         route_path = f"/{program_name}/{gateway.__class__.__name__}"
 
+    max_concurrent = config.get("server", {}).get("max_concurrent_per_program", DEFAULT_MAX_CONCURRENT)
+    if program_name not in _program_semaphores:
+        _program_semaphores[program_name] = asyncio.Semaphore(max_concurrent)
+    sem = _program_semaphores[program_name]
+
     async def run_program(request: request_model):
         """Execute the DSPy program with given inputs."""
+        try:
+            await asyncio.wait_for(sem.acquire(), timeout=30.0)
+        except asyncio.TimeoutError:
+            return JSONResponse(
+                status_code=429,
+                content={"detail": f"Too many concurrent requests for '{program_name}'. Try again later."},
+            )
+
         try:
             pipeline_inputs = gateway.to_pipeline_inputs(request)
 
@@ -100,6 +118,8 @@ async def run_program(request: request_model):
 
         except Exception as e:
             raise HTTPException(status_code=500, detail=str(e))
+        finally:
+            sem.release()
 
     # Initialize gateway lifecycle
     gateway.setup()