diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index 12bd704..06cdb96 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ class TestAppWithTooManyConnections(OtherTestBase):
         url = self.get_url('/')
         response = yield self.async_post(url, self.body)
         data = json.loads(to_str(response.body))
-        self.assertEqual('Too many connections.', data['status'])
+        self.assertEqual('Too many live connections.', data['status'])
 
         clients['127.0.0.1'].clear()
         response = yield self.async_post(url, self.body)
diff --git a/webssh/handler.py b/webssh/handler.py
index bcfc04c..f341ec1 100644
--- a/webssh/handler.py
+++ b/webssh/handler.py
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ class IndexHandler(MixinHandler, tornado.web.RequestHandler):
 
         self.src_addr = self.get_client_addr()
         if len(clients.get(self.src_addr[0], {})) >= options.maxconn:
-            raise tornado.web.HTTPError(403, 'Too many connections.')
+            raise tornado.web.HTTPError(403, 'Too many live connections.')
 
         self.check_origin()
 
diff --git a/webssh/settings.py b/webssh/settings.py
index cfb4d24..812c5fd 100644
--- a/webssh/settings.py
+++ b/webssh/settings.py
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ define('origin', default='same', help='''Origin policy,
 separated by comma;
 '*': wildcard policy, matches any domain, allowed in debug mode only.''')
 define('wpintvl', type=int, default=0, help='Websocket ping interval')
-define('maxconn', type=int, default=20,  help='Maximum connections per client')
+define('maxconn', type=int, default=20,
+       help='Maximum live connections (ssh sessions) per client')
 define('version', type=bool, help='Show version information',
        callback=print_version)