diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-protocol.h b/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-protocol.h
index dd54bcf6ee..c4972d144c 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-protocol.h
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/dhcp-protocol.h
@@ -43,9 +43,10 @@ typedef struct DHCPPacket DHCPPacket;
 
 #define DHCP_IP_SIZE            (int32_t)(sizeof(struct iphdr))
 #define DHCP_IP_UDP_SIZE        (int32_t)(sizeof(struct udphdr) + DHCP_IP_SIZE)
-#define DHCP_MESSAGE_SIZE       (int32_t)(sizeof(DHCPMessage))
-#define DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE   576 /* the minimum internet hosts must be able to receive */
-#define DHCP_MIN_OPTIONS_SIZE   (DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE - DHCP_IP_UDP_SIZE - DHCP_MESSAGE_SIZE)
+#define DHCP_HEADER_SIZE        (int32_t)(sizeof(DHCPMessage))
+#define DHCP_MIN_MESSAGE_SIZE   576 /* the minimum internet hosts must be able to receive, see RFC 2132 Section 9.10 */
+#define DHCP_MIN_OPTIONS_SIZE   (DHCP_MIN_MESSAGE_SIZE - DHCP_HEADER_SIZE)
+#define DHCP_MIN_PACKET_SIZE    (DHCP_MIN_MESSAGE_SIZE + DHCP_IP_UDP_SIZE)
 #define DHCP_MAGIC_COOKIE       (uint32_t)(0x63825363)
 
 enum {
diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-client.c b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-client.c
index 1a477c4018..f772b82e4c 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-client.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-client.c
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ int sd_dhcp_client_set_client_port(
 
 int sd_dhcp_client_set_mtu(sd_dhcp_client *client, uint32_t mtu) {
         assert_return(client, -EINVAL);
-        assert_return(mtu >= DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE, -ERANGE);
+        assert_return(mtu >= DHCP_MIN_PACKET_SIZE, -ERANGE);
 
         client->mtu = mtu;
 
@@ -729,7 +729,6 @@ static int client_message_init(
 
         _cleanup_free_ DHCPPacket *packet = NULL;
         size_t optlen, optoffset, size;
-        be16_t max_size;
         usec_t time_now;
         uint16_t secs;
         int r;
@@ -872,9 +871,9 @@ static int client_message_init(
          */
         /* RFC7844 section 3:
            SHOULD NOT contain any other option. */
-        if (!client->anonymize && type != DHCP_RELEASE) {
-                max_size = htobe16(size);
-                r = dhcp_option_append(&packet->dhcp, client->mtu, &optoffset, 0,
+        if (!client->anonymize && IN_SET(type, DHCP_DISCOVER, DHCP_REQUEST)) {
+                be16_t max_size = htobe16(MIN(client->mtu - DHCP_IP_UDP_SIZE, (uint32_t) UINT16_MAX));
+                r = dhcp_option_append(&packet->dhcp, optlen, &optoffset, 0,
                                        SD_DHCP_OPTION_MAXIMUM_MESSAGE_SIZE,
                                        2, &max_size);
                 if (r < 0)
@@ -2186,7 +2185,7 @@ int sd_dhcp_client_new(sd_dhcp_client **ret, int anonymize) {
                 .state = DHCP_STATE_INIT,
                 .ifindex = -1,
                 .fd = -1,
-                .mtu = DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE,
+                .mtu = DHCP_MIN_PACKET_SIZE,
                 .port = DHCP_PORT_CLIENT,
                 .anonymize = !!anonymize,
                 .max_attempts = UINT64_MAX,
diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-lease.c b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-lease.c
index 388c5cd2a4..734a4fa27d 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-lease.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-dhcp-lease.c
@@ -713,9 +713,9 @@ int dhcp_lease_parse_options(uint8_t code, uint8_t len, const void *option, void
                 r = lease_parse_u16(option, len, &lease->mtu, 68);
                 if (r < 0)
                         log_debug_errno(r, "Failed to parse MTU, ignoring: %m");
-                if (lease->mtu < DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE) {
-                        log_debug("MTU value of %" PRIu16 " too small. Using default MTU value of %d instead.", lease->mtu, DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE);
-                        lease->mtu = DHCP_DEFAULT_MIN_SIZE;
+                if (lease->mtu < DHCP_MIN_PACKET_SIZE) {
+                        log_debug("MTU value of %" PRIu16 " too small. Using default MTU value of %d instead.", lease->mtu, DHCP_MIN_PACKET_SIZE);
+                        lease->mtu = DHCP_MIN_PACKET_SIZE;
                 }
 
                 break;