diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@
     virtual void SetMinFeePerKB(CFeeRate amt) = 0;
     virtual CFeeRate GetMinFeePerKB() const = 0;
 
+    /**
+     * Absolute maximum transaction fee per kb (in satoshis) used by wallet and
+     * mempool
+     * (rejects high fee in sendrawtransaction)
+     */
+    virtual bool SetMaxFee(Amount amt) = 0;
+    virtual Amount GetMaxFee() const = 0;
+
     virtual void SetRPCUserAndPassword(std::string userAndPassword) = 0;
     virtual std::string GetRPCUserAndPassword() const = 0;
     virtual void SetRPCCORSDomain(std::string corsDomain) = 0;
@@ -56,6 +64,9 @@
     void SetMinFeePerKB(CFeeRate amt) override;
     CFeeRate GetMinFeePerKB() const override;
 
+    bool SetMaxFee(Amount amt) override;
+    Amount GetMaxFee() const override;
+
     void SetRPCUserAndPassword(std::string userAndPassword) override;
     std::string GetRPCUserAndPassword() const override;
     void SetRPCCORSDomain(std::string corsDomain) override;
@@ -77,6 +88,9 @@
     /** The largest block size this node will accept. */
     uint64_t nMaxBlockSize;
     uint64_t nBlockPriorityPercentage;
+
+    CFeeRate minFeePerKB;
+    Amount maxFee;
 };
 
 // Dummy for subclassing in unittests
@@ -105,6 +119,9 @@
         return CFeeRate(Amount::zero());
     }
 
+    bool SetMaxFee(Amount amt) override;
+    Amount GetMaxFee() const override;
+
     void SetRPCUserAndPassword(std::string userAndPassword) override{};
     std::string GetRPCUserAndPassword() const override { return ""; };
     void SetRPCCORSDomain(std::string corsDomain) override{};
diff --git a/src/config.cpp b/src/config.cpp
--- a/src/config.cpp
+++ b/src/config.cpp
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@
 #include "consensus/consensus.h" // DEFAULT_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE
 #include "globals.h"
 #include "policy/policy.h" // DEFAULT_BLOCK_PRIORITY_PERCENTAGE
+#include "validation.h"    // DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_MAXFEE
 
 GlobalConfig::GlobalConfig()
     : useCashAddr(false), nMaxBlockSize(DEFAULT_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE),
-      nBlockPriorityPercentage(DEFAULT_BLOCK_PRIORITY_PERCENTAGE) {}
+      nBlockPriorityPercentage(DEFAULT_BLOCK_PRIORITY_PERCENTAGE),
+      maxFee(DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_MAXFEE) {}
 
 bool GlobalConfig::SetMaxBlockSize(uint64_t maxBlockSize) {
     // Do not allow maxBlockSize to be set below historic 1MB limit
@@ -76,11 +78,23 @@
 }
 
 void GlobalConfig::SetMinFeePerKB(CFeeRate fee) {
-    feePerKB = fee;
+    minFeePerKB = fee;
 }
 
 CFeeRate GlobalConfig::GetMinFeePerKB() const {
-    return feePerKB;
+    return minFeePerKB;
+}
+
+bool GlobalConfig::SetMaxFee(Amount fee) {
+    if (minFeePerKB.GetFeePerK() >= fee) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    maxFee = fee;
+    return true;
+}
+
+Amount GlobalConfig::GetMaxFee() const {
+    return maxFee;
 }
 
 void GlobalConfig::SetRPCUserAndPassword(std::string userAndPassword) {
@@ -98,3 +112,11 @@
 std::string GlobalConfig::GetRPCCORSDomain() const {
     return rpcCORSDomain;
 }
+
+bool DummyConfig::SetMaxFee(Amount amt) {
+    return false;
+};
+
+Amount DummyConfig::GetMaxFee() const {
+    return DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_MAXFEE;
+}
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -1652,7 +1652,7 @@
     nBytesPerSigOp = gArgs.GetArg("-bytespersigop", nBytesPerSigOp);
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_WALLET
-    if (!WalletParameterInteraction()) {
+    if (!WalletParameterInteraction(config)) {
         return false;
     }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp b/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp
--- a/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #include "bitcoinunits.h"
 #include "clientmodel.h"
 #include "coincontroldialog.h"
+#include "config.h"
 #include "guiutil.h"
 #include "optionsmodel.h"
 #include "platformstyle.h"
@@ -604,7 +605,8 @@
             msgParams.first =
                 tr("A fee higher than %1 is considered an absurdly high fee.")
                     .arg(BitcoinUnits::formatWithUnit(
-                        model->getOptionsModel()->getDisplayUnit(), maxTxFee));
+                        model->getOptionsModel()->getDisplayUnit(),
+                        GetConfig().GetMaxFee()));
             break;
         case WalletModel::PaymentRequestExpired:
             msgParams.first = tr("Payment request expired.");
diff --git a/src/qt/walletmodel.cpp b/src/qt/walletmodel.cpp
--- a/src/qt/walletmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/walletmodel.cpp
@@ -288,13 +288,6 @@
                            CClientUIInterface::MSG_ERROR);
             return TransactionCreationFailed;
         }
-
-        // reject absurdly high fee. (This can never happen because the wallet
-        // caps the fee at maxTxFee. This merely serves as a belt-and-suspenders
-        // check)
-        if (nFeeRequired > Amount(maxTxFee)) {
-            return AbsurdFee;
-        }
     }
 
     return SendCoinsReturn(OK);
diff --git a/src/rpc/rawtransaction.cpp b/src/rpc/rawtransaction.cpp
--- a/src/rpc/rawtransaction.cpp
+++ b/src/rpc/rawtransaction.cpp
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@
     const uint256 &txid = tx->GetId();
 
     bool fLimitFree = false;
-    Amount nMaxRawTxFee = maxTxFee;
+    Amount nMaxRawTxFee = config.GetMaxFee();
     if (request.params.size() > 1 && request.params[1].get_bool()) {
         nMaxRawTxFee = Amount::zero();
     }
diff --git a/src/validation.h b/src/validation.h
--- a/src/validation.h
+++ b/src/validation.h
@@ -215,11 +215,6 @@
 extern bool fCheckpointsEnabled;
 extern size_t nCoinCacheUsage;
 
-/**
- * Absolute maximum transaction fee (in satoshis) used by wallet and mempool
- * (rejects high fee in sendrawtransaction)
- */
-extern Amount maxTxFee;
 /**
  * If the tip is older than this (in seconds), the node is considered to be in
  * initial block download.
diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@
 uint256 hashAssumeValid;
 arith_uint256 nMinimumChainWork;
 
-Amount maxTxFee = DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_MAXFEE;
-
 CTxMemPool mempool;
 
 static void CheckBlockIndex(const Consensus::Params &consensusParams);
diff --git a/src/wallet/fees.cpp b/src/wallet/fees.cpp
--- a/src/wallet/fees.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/fees.cpp
@@ -33,8 +33,9 @@
         std::max(nFeeNeeded, GetConfig().GetMinFeePerKB().GetFee(nTxBytes));
 
     // But always obey the maximum.
-    if (nFeeNeeded > maxTxFee) {
-        nFeeNeeded = maxTxFee;
+    Amount maxFee = GetConfig().GetMaxFee();
+    if (nFeeNeeded > maxFee) {
+        nFeeNeeded = maxFee;
     }
 
     return nFeeNeeded;
diff --git a/src/wallet/init.h b/src/wallet/init.h
--- a/src/wallet/init.h
+++ b/src/wallet/init.h
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 /**
  * Wallets parameter interaction
  */
-bool WalletParameterInteraction();
+bool WalletParameterInteraction(Config &config);
 
 /**
  * Responsible for reading and validating the -wallet arguments and verifying
diff --git a/src/wallet/init.cpp b/src/wallet/init.cpp
--- a/src/wallet/init.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/init.cpp
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@
     return strUsage;
 }
 
-bool WalletParameterInteraction() {
-    CFeeRate minRelayTxFee = GetConfig().GetMinFeePerKB();
+bool WalletParameterInteraction(Config &config) {
+    CFeeRate minRelayTxFee = config.GetMinFeePerKB();
 
     gArgs.SoftSetArg("-wallet", DEFAULT_WALLET_DAT);
     const bool is_multiwallet = gArgs.GetArgs("-wallet").size() > 1;
@@ -231,8 +231,7 @@
                           "be paid on a single transaction."));
         }
 
-        maxTxFee = nMaxFee;
-        if (CFeeRate(maxTxFee, 1000) < minRelayTxFee) {
+        if (!config.SetMaxFee(nMaxFee)) {
             return InitError(strprintf(
                 _("Invalid amount for -maxtxfee=<amount>: '%s' (must "
                   "be at least the minrelay fee of %s to prevent "
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.h b/src/wallet/wallet.h
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.h
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.h
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@
      * Pass this transaction to the mempool. Fails if absolute fee exceeds
      * absurd fee.
      */
-    bool AcceptToMemoryPool(const Amount nAbsurdFee, CValidationState &state);
+    bool AcceptToMemoryPool(CValidationState &state);
     bool hashUnset() const {
         return (hashBlock.IsNull() || hashBlock == ABANDON_HASH);
     }
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -1763,7 +1763,7 @@
 
         LOCK(mempool.cs);
         CValidationState state;
-        wtx.AcceptToMemoryPool(maxTxFee, state);
+        wtx.AcceptToMemoryPool(state);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1775,7 +1775,7 @@
 
     CValidationState state;
     // GetDepthInMainChain already catches known conflicts.
-    if (InMempool() || AcceptToMemoryPool(maxTxFee, state)) {
+    if (InMempool() || AcceptToMemoryPool(state)) {
         LogPrintf("Relaying wtx %s\n", GetId().ToString());
         if (connman) {
             CInv inv(MSG_TX, GetId());
@@ -3096,7 +3096,7 @@
 
     if (fBroadcastTransactions) {
         // Broadcast
-        if (!wtxNew.AcceptToMemoryPool(maxTxFee, state)) {
+        if (!wtxNew.AcceptToMemoryPool(state)) {
             LogPrintf("CommitTransaction(): Transaction cannot be "
                       "broadcast immediately, %s\n",
                       state.GetRejectReason());
@@ -4264,8 +4264,8 @@
     return GetBlocksToMaturity() > 0;
 }
 
-bool CMerkleTx::AcceptToMemoryPool(const Amount nAbsurdFee,
-                                   CValidationState &state) {
-    return ::AcceptToMemoryPool(GetConfig(), mempool, state, tx, true, nullptr,
-                                false, nAbsurdFee);
+bool CMerkleTx::AcceptToMemoryPool(CValidationState &state) {
+    const Config &config = GetConfig();
+    return ::AcceptToMemoryPool(config, mempool, state, tx, true, nullptr,
+                                false, config.GetMaxFee());
 }