diff --git a/electrum/channel_db.py b/electrum/channel_db.py
index 4331a56e5..e7b6e5f9e 100644
--- a/electrum/channel_db.py
+++ b/electrum/channel_db.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ class ChannelInfo(NamedTuple):
     @staticmethod
     def from_msg(payload: dict) -> 'ChannelInfo':
         features = int.from_bytes(payload['features'], 'big')
-        validate_features(features)
+        features = validate_features(features)
         channel_id = payload['short_channel_id']
         node_id_1 = payload['node_id_1']
         node_id_2 = payload['node_id_2']
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class NodeInfo(NamedTuple):
     def from_msg(payload) -> Tuple['NodeInfo', Sequence['LNPeerAddr']]:
         node_id = payload['node_id']
         features = int.from_bytes(payload['features'], "big")
-        validate_features(features)
+        features = validate_features(features)
         addresses = NodeInfo.parse_addresses_field(payload['addresses'])
         peer_addrs = []
         for host, port in addresses:
diff --git a/electrum/lnpeer.py b/electrum/lnpeer.py
index 2dd1092cb..d143476da 100644
--- a/electrum/lnpeer.py
+++ b/electrum/lnpeer.py
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ from .lnutil import (Outpoint, LocalConfig, RECEIVED, UpdateAddHtlc, ChannelConf
                      LightningPeerConnectionClosed, HandshakeFailed,
                      RemoteMisbehaving, ShortChannelID,
                      IncompatibleLightningFeatures, derive_payment_secret_from_payment_preimage,
-                     ChannelType, LNProtocolWarning)
+                     ChannelType, LNProtocolWarning, validate_features, IncompatibleOrInsaneFeatures)
 from .lnutil import FeeUpdate, channel_id_from_funding_tx
 from .lntransport import LNTransport, LNTransportBase
 from .lnmsg import encode_msg, decode_msg, UnknownOptionalMsgType, FailedToParseMsg
@@ -352,12 +352,12 @@ class Peer(Logger):
         if self._received_init:
             self.logger.info("ALREADY INITIALIZED BUT RECEIVED INIT")
             return
-        self.their_features = LnFeatures(int.from_bytes(payload['features'], byteorder="big"))
-        their_globalfeatures = int.from_bytes(payload['globalfeatures'], byteorder="big")
-        self.their_features |= their_globalfeatures
-        # check transitive dependencies for received features
-        if not self.their_features.validate_transitive_dependencies():
-            raise GracefulDisconnect("remote did not set all dependencies for the features they sent")
+        _their_features = int.from_bytes(payload['features'], byteorder="big")
+        _their_features |= int.from_bytes(payload['globalfeatures'], byteorder="big")
+        try:
+            self.their_features = validate_features(_their_features)
+        except IncompatibleOrInsaneFeatures as e:
+            raise GracefulDisconnect(f"remote sent insane features: {repr(e)}")
         # check if features are compatible, and set self.features to what we negotiated
         try:
             self.features = ln_compare_features(self.features, self.their_features)
diff --git a/electrum/lnutil.py b/electrum/lnutil.py
index e348659af..4ab8e3949 100644
--- a/electrum/lnutil.py
+++ b/electrum/lnutil.py
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import json
 from collections import namedtuple, defaultdict
 from typing import NamedTuple, List, Tuple, Mapping, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING, Union, Dict, Set, Sequence
 import re
+import sys
+
 import attr
 from aiorpcx import NetAddress
 
@@ -1211,6 +1213,18 @@ class LnFeatures(IntFlag):
             r.append(feature_name or f"bit_{flag}")
         return r
 
+    if hasattr(IntFlag, "_numeric_repr_"):  # python 3.11+
+        # performance improvement (avoid base2<->base10), see #8403
+        _numeric_repr_ = hex
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        # performance improvement (avoid base2<->base10), see #8403
+        return f"<{self._name_}: {hex(self._value_)}>"
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        # performance improvement (avoid base2<->base10), see #8403
+        return hex(self._value_)
+
 
 class ChannelType(IntFlag):
     OPTION_LEGACY_CHANNEL = 0
@@ -1332,11 +1346,22 @@ def ln_compare_features(our_features: 'LnFeatures', their_features: int) -> 'LnF
     return our_features
 
 
-def validate_features(features: int) -> None:
+if hasattr(sys, "get_int_max_str_digits"):
+    # check that the user or other library has not lowered the limit (from default)
+    assert sys.get_int_max_str_digits() >= 4300, f"sys.get_int_max_str_digits() too low: {sys.get_int_max_str_digits()}"
+
+
+def validate_features(features: int) -> LnFeatures:
     """Raises IncompatibleOrInsaneFeatures if
     - a mandatory feature is listed that we don't recognize, or
     - the features are inconsistent
+    For convenience, returns the parsed features.
     """
+    if features.bit_length() > 10_000:
+        # This is an implementation-specific limit for how high feature bits we allow.
+        # Needed as LnFeatures subclasses IntFlag, and uses ints internally.
+        # See https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#integer-string-conversion-length-limitation
+        raise IncompatibleOrInsaneFeatures(f"features bitvector too large: {features.bit_length()=} > 10_000")
     features = LnFeatures(features)
     enabled_features = list_enabled_bits(features)
     for fbit in enabled_features:
@@ -1345,6 +1370,7 @@ def validate_features(features: int) -> None:
     if not features.validate_transitive_dependencies():
         raise IncompatibleOrInsaneFeatures(f"not all transitive dependencies are set. "
                                            f"features={features}")
+    return features
 
 
 def derive_payment_secret_from_payment_preimage(payment_preimage: bytes) -> bytes: