diff --git a/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff-app/prj.conf b/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff-app/prj.conf
index 175a0f72372..ba7e5194a7d 100644
--- a/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff-app/prj.conf
+++ b/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff-app/prj.conf
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ CONFIG_BT_MESH_LOW_POWER=n
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_FRIEND=n
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_FRIEND_QUEUE_SIZE=16
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_ADV_BUF_COUNT=20
+CONFIG_BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX=6
 
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_PB_GATT=y
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_PB_ADV=y
diff --git a/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff_level_lighting_vnd_app/prj.conf b/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff_level_lighting_vnd_app/prj.conf
index b7f27b6bf85..a4794f6efdb 100644
--- a/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff_level_lighting_vnd_app/prj.conf
+++ b/samples/boards/nrf52/mesh/onoff_level_lighting_vnd_app/prj.conf
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ CONFIG_BT_MESH_LOW_POWER=n
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_FRIEND=n
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_FRIEND_QUEUE_SIZE=16
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_ADV_BUF_COUNT=20
+CONFIG_BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX=6
 
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_PB_GATT=y
 CONFIG_BT_MESH_PB_ADV=y
diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/Kconfig b/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/Kconfig
index 7d8a81d8ab5..410a51b16d5 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/Kconfig
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/Kconfig
@@ -155,13 +155,12 @@ config BT_MESH_ADV_BUF_COUNT
 	default 6
 	range 6 256
 	help
-	  Number of advertising buffers available. The transport layer
-	  reserves ADV_BUF_COUNT - 3 buffers for outgoing segments. The
-	  maximum outgoing SDU size is 12 times this number (out of which
-	  4 or 8 bytes is used for the Transport Layer MIC). For
-	  example, 5 segments means the maximum SDU size is 60 bytes,
-	  which leaves 56 bytes for application layer data using a
-	  4-byte MIC and 52 bytes using an 8-byte MIC.
+	  Number of advertising buffers available. This should be chosen
+	  based on what kind of features the local node shoule have. E.g.
+	  a relay will perform better the more buffers it has. Another
+	  thing to consider is outgoing segmented messages. There must
+	  be at least three more advertising buffers than the maximum
+	  supported outgoing segment count (BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX).
 
 config BT_MESH_IVU_DIVIDER
 	int "Divider for IV Update state refresh timer"
@@ -214,6 +213,30 @@ config BT_MESH_RX_SDU_MAX
 	  to the default value, unless you really need to optimize memory
 	  usage.
 
+config BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX
+	int "Maximum number of segments in outgoing messages"
+	default 3
+	range 2 32
+	help
+	  Maximum number of segments supported for outgoing messages.
+	  This value should typically be fine-tuned based on what
+	  models the local node supports, i.e. what's the largest
+	  message payload that the node needs to be able to send.
+	  This value affects memory and call stack consumption, which
+	  is why the default is lower than the maximum that the
+	  specification would allow (32 segments).
+
+	  The maximum outgoing SDU size is 12 times this number (out of
+	  which 4 or 8 bytes is used for the Transport Layer MIC). For
+	  example, 5 segments means the maximum SDU size is 60 bytes,
+	  which leaves 56 bytes for application layer data using a
+	  4-byte MIC and 52 bytes using an 8-byte MIC.
+
+	  Be sure to specify a sufficient number of advertising buffers
+	  when setting this option to a higher value. There must be at
+	  least three more advertising buffers (BT_MESH_ADV_BUF_COUNT)
+	  as there are outgoing segments.
+
 config BT_MESH_RELAY
 	bool "Relay support"
 	help
diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.c b/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.c
index 88dcac782ce..8f83f424946 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.c
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.c
@@ -34,6 +34,13 @@
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "transport.h"
 
+/* The transport layer needs at least three buffers for itself to avoid
+ * deadlocks. Ensure that there are a sufficient number of advertising
+ * buffers available compared to the maximum supported outgoing segment
+ * count.
+ */
+BUILD_ASSERT(CONFIG_BT_MESH_ADV_BUF_COUNT >= (CONFIG_BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX + 3));
+
 #define AID_MASK                    ((u8_t)(BIT_MASK(6)))
 
 #define SEG(data)                   ((data)[0] >> 7)
@@ -64,7 +71,7 @@
 
 static struct seg_tx {
 	struct bt_mesh_subnet   *sub;
-	struct net_buf          *seg[BT_MESH_TX_SEG_COUNT];
+	struct net_buf          *seg[CONFIG_BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX];
 	u64_t                    seq_auth;
 	u16_t                    dst;
 	u8_t                     seg_n:5,       /* Last segment index */
diff --git a/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.h b/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.h
index c9234bf317b..26f4393b130 100644
--- a/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.h
+++ b/subsys/bluetooth/host/mesh/transport.h
@@ -6,10 +6,9 @@
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
 
-#define TRANS_SEQ_AUTH_NVAL 0xffffffffffffffff
+#define TRANS_SEQ_AUTH_NVAL            0xffffffffffffffff
 
-#define BT_MESH_TX_SEG_COUNT (CONFIG_BT_MESH_ADV_BUF_COUNT - 3)
-#define BT_MESH_TX_SDU_MAX (BT_MESH_TX_SEG_COUNT * 12)
+#define BT_MESH_TX_SDU_MAX             (CONFIG_BT_MESH_TX_SEG_MAX * 12)
 
 #define TRANS_CTL_OP_MASK              ((u8_t)BIT_MASK(7))
 #define TRANS_CTL_OP(data)             ((data)[0] & TRANS_CTL_OP_MASK)