# overflowPolicy

Topics and queues can specify the `overflowPolicy` property to change the effect of exceeding the message capacity established by either `maxbytes` or `maxmsgs`.

Set the `overflowPolicy` using the form:

       overflowPolicy=default|discardOld|rejectIncoming

If `overflowPolicy` is not set, then the policy is default.

The effect of `overflowPolicy` on the `maxbytes` and `maxmsgs` behaviors differs depending on whether you set it on a topic or a queue, so the impact of each `overflowPolicy` value is described separately for topics and queues.

If wildcards are used in the .conf file the inheritance of the `overflowPolicy` policy from multiple parents works as follows:

- If a child destination has a non-default `overflowPolicy` policy set, then that policy is used and it does not inherit any conflicting policy from a parent.
- If a parent has `OVERFLOW_REJECT_INCOMING` set, then it is inherited by the child destination over any other policy.
- If no parent has `OVERFLOW_REJECT_INCOMING` set and a parent has `OVERFLOW_DISCARD_OLD` policy set, then that policy is inherited by the child destination.
- If no parent has the `OVERFLOW_REJECT_INCOMING` or `OVERFLOW_DISCARD_OLD` set, then the default policy is used by the child destination.

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