diff --git a/cmd/joj3/conf/conf.go b/cmd/joj3/conf/conf.go
index 98477ac..c561d5c 100644
--- a/cmd/joj3/conf/conf.go
+++ b/cmd/joj3/conf/conf.go
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ type Conf struct {
 	Name                string `default:"unknown"`
 	LogPath             string `default:""`
 	ExpireUnixTimestamp int64  `default:"-1"`
+	MaxTotalScore       int    `default:"-1"`
 	Stage               struct {
 		SandboxExecServer string `default:"localhost:5051"`
 		SandboxToken      string `default:""`
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ type Conf struct {
 		SkipScoreboard        bool   `default:"false"`
 		SkipFailedTable       bool   `default:"false"`
 		SubmitterInIssueTitle bool   `default:"true"`
-		MaxTotalScore         int    `default:"-1"`
+		MaxTotalScore         int    `default:"-1"` // TODO: remove me
 	}
 	// TODO: remove the following backward compatibility fields
 	SandboxExecServer string `default:"localhost:5051"`
@@ -172,6 +173,9 @@ func ParseConfFile(path string) (conf *Conf, err error) {
 	}
 	env.Attr.ConfName = conf.Name
 	// TODO: remove the following backward compatibility codes
+	if conf.MaxTotalScore < 0 && conf.Teapot.MaxTotalScore >= 0 {
+		conf.MaxTotalScore = conf.Teapot.MaxTotalScore
+	}
 	if len(conf.Stage.Stages) == 0 {
 		conf.Stage.SandboxExecServer = conf.SandboxExecServer
 		conf.Stage.SandboxToken = conf.SandboxToken
diff --git a/cmd/joj3/main.go b/cmd/joj3/main.go
index d317a86..ced4517 100644
--- a/cmd/joj3/main.go
+++ b/cmd/joj3/main.go
@@ -44,9 +44,14 @@ func mainImpl() (err error) {
 				totalScore += result.Score
 			}
 		}
+		cappedTotalScore := totalScore
+		if confObj.MaxTotalScore >= 0 {
+			cappedTotalScore = min(totalScore, confObj.MaxTotalScore)
+		}
 		slog.Info(
 			"joj3 summary",
 			"totalScore", totalScore,
+			"cappedTotalScore", cappedTotalScore,
 			"forceQuit", forceQuitStageName != "",
 			"forceQuitStageName", forceQuitStageName,
 			"issue", teapotResult.Issue,
diff --git a/cmd/joj3/teapot/run.go b/cmd/joj3/teapot/run.go
index 477f7ec..3170dd0 100644
--- a/cmd/joj3/teapot/run.go
+++ b/cmd/joj3/teapot/run.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func Run(conf *conf.Conf) (teapotResult TeapotResult, err error) {
 		env.Attr.RunNumber, conf.Teapot.ScoreboardPath,
 		conf.Teapot.FailedTablePath,
 		conf.Name, env.Attr.Sha, env.Attr.RunID,
-		"--max-total-score", strconv.Itoa(conf.Teapot.MaxTotalScore),
+		"--max-total-score", strconv.Itoa(conf.MaxTotalScore),
 		skipIssueArg, skipScoreboardArg,
 		skipFailedTableArg, submitterInIssueTitleArg,
 	) // #nosec G204