diff --git a/config.template b/config.template
index 1f32c44..c5d89fa 100644
--- a/config.template
+++ b/config.template
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ LogMessagesToFile = False
 SyslogToFile = False
 
 [games]
+# if hop limit for the user exceeds this value, the message will be dropped
+game_hop_limit = 5
 # enable or disable the games module(s)
 dopeWars = True
 lemonade = True
@@ -133,5 +135,4 @@ responseDelay = 0.7
 splitDelay = 0.0
 # message chunk size for sending at high success rate
 MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE = 160
-# if hop limit for the user exceeds this value, the message will be dropped
-game_hop_limit = 5
+
diff --git a/modules/settings.py b/modules/settings.py
index 930c728..4b967f0 100644
--- a/modules/settings.py
+++ b/modules/settings.py
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ try:
     signalCooldown = config['radioMon'].getint('signalCooldown', 5) # default 1 second
     signalCycleLimit = config['radioMon'].getint('signalCycleLimit', 5) # default 5 cycles, used with SIGNAL_COOLDOWN
     
-    # games
+    # 
+    game_hop_limit = config['messagingSettings'].getint('game_hop_limit', 5) # default 3 hops
     dopewars_enabled = config['games'].getboolean('dopeWars', True)
     lemonade_enabled = config['games'].getboolean('lemonade', True)
     blackjack_enabled = config['games'].getboolean('blackjack', True)
@@ -164,7 +165,6 @@ try:
     responseDelay = config['messagingSettings'].getfloat('responseDelay', 0.7) # default 0.7
     splitDelay = config['messagingSettings'].getfloat('splitDelay', 0) # default 0
     MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE = config['messagingSettings'].getint('MESSAGE_CHUNK_SIZE', 160) # default 160
-    game_hop_limit = config['messagingSettings'].getint('game_hop_limit', 5) # default 3 hops
 
 except KeyError as e:
     print(f"System: Error reading config file: {e}")