diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index eec3d12..d9ac1ff 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -162,14 +162,16 @@ ipv6_only = false
 use_tls = false
 tls_pkcs12_path = ''
 tls_pkcs12_password = ''
-max_scrape_torrents = 255
-max_offers = 10
-peer_announce_interval = 120
 poll_event_capacity = 4096
 poll_timeout_milliseconds = 50
 websocket_max_message_size = 65536
 websocket_max_frame_size = 16384
 
+[protocol]
+max_scrape_torrents = 255
+max_offers = 10
+peer_announce_interval = 120
+
 [handlers]
 max_requests_per_iter = 10000
 channel_recv_timeout_microseconds = 200
diff --git a/aquatic_ws/src/lib/config.rs b/aquatic_ws/src/lib/config.rs
index 5defc63..505de45 100644
--- a/aquatic_ws/src/lib/config.rs
+++ b/aquatic_ws/src/lib/config.rs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub socket_workers: usize,
     pub log_level: LogLevel,
     pub network: NetworkConfig,
+    pub protocol: ProtocolConfig,
     pub handlers: HandlerConfig,
     pub cleaning: CleaningConfig,
     pub privileges: PrivilegeConfig,
@@ -46,12 +47,6 @@ pub struct NetworkConfig {
     pub use_tls: bool,
     pub tls_pkcs12_path: String,
     pub tls_pkcs12_password: String,
-    /// Maximum number of torrents to accept in scrape request
-    pub max_scrape_torrents: usize, // FIXME: should this really be in NetworkConfig?
-    /// Maximum number of offers to accept in announce request
-    pub max_offers: usize, // FIXME: should this really be in NetworkConfig?
-    /// Ask peers to announce this often (seconds)
-    pub peer_announce_interval: usize, // FIXME: should this really be in NetworkConfig?
     pub poll_event_capacity: usize,
     pub poll_timeout_milliseconds: u64,
     pub websocket_max_message_size: usize,
@@ -69,6 +64,18 @@ pub struct HandlerConfig {
 }
 
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(default)]
+pub struct ProtocolConfig {
+    /// Maximum number of torrents to accept in scrape request
+    pub max_scrape_torrents: usize,
+    /// Maximum number of offers to accept in announce request
+    pub max_offers: usize,
+    /// Ask peers to announce this often (seconds)
+    pub peer_announce_interval: usize,
+}
+
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[serde(default)]
 pub struct CleaningConfig {
@@ -99,6 +106,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             socket_workers: 1,
             log_level: LogLevel::default(),
             network: NetworkConfig::default(),
+            protocol: ProtocolConfig::default(),
             handlers: HandlerConfig::default(),
             cleaning: CleaningConfig::default(),
             privileges: PrivilegeConfig::default(),
@@ -115,9 +123,6 @@ impl Default for NetworkConfig {
             use_tls: false,
             tls_pkcs12_path: "".into(),
             tls_pkcs12_password: "".into(),
-            max_scrape_torrents: 255, // FIXME: what value is reasonable?
-            max_offers: 10,
-            peer_announce_interval: 120,
             poll_event_capacity: 4096,
             poll_timeout_milliseconds: 50,
             websocket_max_message_size: 64 * 1024,
@@ -127,6 +132,17 @@ impl Default for NetworkConfig {
 }
 
 
+impl Default for ProtocolConfig {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            max_scrape_torrents: 255, // FIXME: what value is reasonable?
+            max_offers: 10,
+            peer_announce_interval: 120,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+
 impl Default for HandlerConfig {
     fn default() -> Self {
         Self {
diff --git a/aquatic_ws/src/lib/handler.rs b/aquatic_ws/src/lib/handler.rs
index 71413c9..d0bf910 100644
--- a/aquatic_ws/src/lib/handler.rs
+++ b/aquatic_ws/src/lib/handler.rs
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ pub fn handle_announce_requests(
         if let Some(offers) = request.offers {
             // FIXME: config: also maybe check this when parsing request
             let max_num_peers_to_take = offers.len()
-                .min(config.network.max_offers);
+                .min(config.protocol.max_offers);
 
             #[inline]
             fn f(peer: &Peer) -> Peer {
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ pub fn handle_announce_requests(
             info_hash,
             complete: torrent_data.num_seeders,
             incomplete: torrent_data.num_leechers,
-            announce_interval: config.network.peer_announce_interval,
+            announce_interval: config.protocol.peer_announce_interval,
         });
 
         messages_out.push((sender_meta, response));
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ pub fn handle_scrape_requests(
 ){
     messages_out.extend(requests.map(|(meta, request)| {
         let num_to_take = request.info_hashes.len().min(
-            config.network.max_scrape_torrents
+            config.protocol.max_scrape_torrents
         );
 
         let mut response = ScrapeResponse {