diff --git a/src/apps/voice/consumers.py b/src/apps/voice/consumers.py
index e781d16..5f36919 100644
--- a/src/apps/voice/consumers.py
+++ b/src/apps/voice/consumers.py
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ import uuid as uuidlib
 from channels.db import database_sync_to_async
 from channels.generic.websocket import AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer
 
+# Max live connections per room — the owner (seat 1C) + up to 5 visitors
+# (2C–6C), mirroring `gameboard.models.MY_SEA_MAX_VISITORS`. The deposit gate
+# already caps *presence* at 5 visitors, so this is defense-in-depth: it also
+# refuses extra connections from multi-tab / stale-presence edge cases.
+VOICE_MAX_MEMBERS = 6
+_SLOT_TTL = 26 * 3600   # > the 24h voice window, so a leaked slot self-clears
+
 
 class RoomVoiceConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
     async def connect(self):
@@ -30,12 +37,18 @@ class RoomVoiceConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
         self.room_group = None
         self.peer_group = None
         self.peer_id = None
+        self._claimed = False
         if not (self.user and getattr(self.user, "is_authenticated", False)):
             await self.close()
             return
         if not await self._can_join(self.user, self.room_id):
             await self.close()
             return
+        # Member cap — claim a slot or refuse (the room is full).
+        if not await self._claim_slot():
+            await self.close()
+            return
+        self._claimed = True
         self.peer_id = uuidlib.uuid4().hex
         self.room_group = f"voice.{self.room_id}"
         self.peer_group = f"peer.{self.peer_id}"
@@ -53,6 +66,9 @@ class RoomVoiceConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
             await self.channel_layer.group_discard(self.room_group, self.channel_name)
         if self.peer_group:
             await self.channel_layer.group_discard(self.peer_group, self.channel_name)
+        if self._claimed:
+            await self._release_slot()
+            self._claimed = False
 
     async def receive_json(self, content):
         mtype = content.get("type")
@@ -110,6 +126,39 @@ class RoomVoiceConsumer(AsyncJsonWebsocketConsumer):
             "payload": event["payload"],
         })
 
+    # ── member-cap slot counter (atomic, cache-backed) ──────────────────
+    def _slot_key(self):
+        return f"voice_slot:{self.room_id}"
+
+    @database_sync_to_async
+    def _claim_slot(self):
+        """Atomically take a connection slot; False if the room is already
+        full (VOICE_MAX_MEMBERS). `cache.incr` is atomic on Redis + LocMem, so
+        concurrent connects can't oversubscribe past the cap."""
+        from django.core.cache import cache
+        key = self._slot_key()
+        cache.add(key, 0, _SLOT_TTL)
+        try:
+            n = cache.incr(key)
+        except ValueError:                 # key expired between add + incr
+            cache.set(key, 1, _SLOT_TTL)
+            n = 1
+        if n > VOICE_MAX_MEMBERS:
+            try:
+                cache.decr(key)
+            except ValueError:
+                pass
+            return False
+        return True
+
+    @database_sync_to_async
+    def _release_slot(self):
+        from django.core.cache import cache
+        try:
+            cache.decr(self._slot_key())
+        except ValueError:                 # already 0 / expired
+            pass
+
     # ── membership gate ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
     @database_sync_to_async
     def _can_join(self, user, room_id):
diff --git a/src/apps/voice/tests/integrated/test_consumers.py b/src/apps/voice/tests/integrated/test_consumers.py
index f562f73..c91218a 100644
--- a/src/apps/voice/tests/integrated/test_consumers.py
+++ b/src/apps/voice/tests/integrated/test_consumers.py
@@ -81,6 +81,40 @@ class RoomVoiceConsumerGateTest(TransactionTestCase):
         self.assertFalse(connected)
 
 
+@tag("channels")
+@override_settings(CHANNEL_LAYERS=TEST_CHANNEL_LAYERS)
+class RoomVoiceConsumerCapacityTest(TransactionTestCase):
+    """Defense-in-depth member cap (2026-05-29): at most VOICE_MAX_MEMBERS live
+    connections per room, even from multi-tab. The slot is freed on disconnect
+    so the room reopens. The owner can hold many connections here (the counter
+    is per-connection), which keeps the test independent of the deposit gate."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="owner@test.io", username="discoman")
+        self.room = f"mysea-{self.owner.id}"   # fresh UUID → fresh slot counter
+
+    async def test_refuses_a_connection_past_the_member_cap(self):
+        from apps.voice.consumers import VOICE_MAX_MEMBERS
+        comms = []
+        for i in range(VOICE_MAX_MEMBERS):
+            c = _comm(self.owner, self.room)
+            connected, _ = await c.connect()
+            self.assertTrue(connected, f"member {i} should fit")
+            comms.append(c)
+        # One past the cap is refused.
+        over = _comm(self.owner, self.room)
+        connected, _ = await over.connect()
+        self.assertFalse(connected)
+        # A disconnect frees a slot → the room reopens.
+        await comms.pop().disconnect()
+        reopened = _comm(self.owner, self.room)
+        connected, _ = await reopened.connect()
+        self.assertTrue(connected)
+        comms.append(reopened)
+        for c in comms:
+            await c.disconnect()
+
+
 @tag("channels")
 @override_settings(CHANNEL_LAYERS=TEST_CHANNEL_LAYERS)
 class RoomVoiceConsumerSignalingTest(TransactionTestCase):