diff --git a/extmod/modlwip.c b/extmod/modlwip.c
index 8811742d6e..e62d4e7e4d 100644
--- a/extmod/modlwip.c
+++ b/extmod/modlwip.c
@@ -911,9 +911,14 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t lwip_socket_bind(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t addr_in) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(lwip_socket_bind_obj, lwip_socket_bind);
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t lwip_socket_listen(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t backlog_in) {
-    lwip_socket_obj_t *socket = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
-    mp_int_t backlog = mp_obj_get_int(backlog_in);
+STATIC mp_obj_t lwip_socket_listen(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    lwip_socket_obj_t *socket = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(args[0]);
+
+    mp_int_t backlog = 2;
+    if (n_args > 1) {
+        backlog = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
+        backlog = (backlog < 0) ? 0 : backlog;
+    }
 
     if (socket->pcb.tcp == NULL) {
         mp_raise_OSError(MP_EBADF);
@@ -946,7 +951,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t lwip_socket_listen(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t backlog_in) {
 
     return mp_const_none;
 }
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(lwip_socket_listen_obj, lwip_socket_listen);
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(lwip_socket_listen_obj, 1, 2, lwip_socket_listen);
 
 STATIC mp_obj_t lwip_socket_accept(mp_obj_t self_in) {
     lwip_socket_obj_t *socket = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
diff --git a/extmod/modusocket.c b/extmod/modusocket.c
index b6bab72e7a..955ff4fc07 100644
--- a/extmod/modusocket.c
+++ b/extmod/modusocket.c
@@ -116,9 +116,9 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_bind(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t addr_in) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_bind_obj, socket_bind);
 
-// method socket.listen(backlog)
-STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t backlog) {
-    mod_network_socket_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
+// method socket.listen([backlog])
+STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    mod_network_socket_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(args[0]);
 
     if (self->nic == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
         // not connected
@@ -126,14 +126,20 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t backlog) {
         mp_raise_OSError(MP_ENOTCONN);
     }
 
+    mp_int_t backlog = 2;
+    if (n_args > 1) {
+        backlog = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
+        backlog = (backlog < 0) ? 0 : backlog;
+    }
+
     int _errno;
-    if (self->nic_type->listen(self, mp_obj_get_int(backlog), &_errno) != 0) {
+    if (self->nic_type->listen(self, backlog, &_errno) != 0) {
         mp_raise_OSError(_errno);
     }
 
     return mp_const_none;
 }
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_listen_obj, socket_listen);
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(socket_listen_obj, 1, 2, socket_listen);
 
 // method socket.accept()
 STATIC mp_obj_t socket_accept(mp_obj_t self_in) {
diff --git a/ports/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c b/ports/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
index 51815a31f9..91b5e312e6 100644
--- a/ports/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
+++ b/ports/cc3200/mods/modusocket.c
@@ -489,7 +489,7 @@ STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_bind_obj, socket_bind);
 STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
     mod_network_socket_obj_t *self = args[0];
 
-    int32_t backlog = 0;
+    int32_t backlog = 2;
     if (n_args > 1) {
         backlog = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
         backlog = (backlog < 0) ? 0 : backlog;
diff --git a/ports/esp32/modsocket.c b/ports/esp32/modsocket.c
index be950ac1f6..d1abe3fbc2 100644
--- a/ports/esp32/modsocket.c
+++ b/ports/esp32/modsocket.c
@@ -295,9 +295,16 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_bind(const mp_obj_t arg0, const mp_obj_t arg1) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_bind_obj, socket_bind);
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(const mp_obj_t arg0, const mp_obj_t arg1) {
-    socket_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(arg0);
-    int backlog = mp_obj_get_int(arg1);
+// method socket.listen([backlog])
+STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    socket_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(args[0]);
+
+    int backlog = 2;
+    if (n_args > 1) {
+        backlog = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
+        backlog = (backlog < 0) ? 0 : backlog;
+    }
+
     self->state = SOCKET_STATE_CONNECTED;
     int r = lwip_listen(self->fd, backlog);
     if (r < 0) {
@@ -305,7 +312,7 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(const mp_obj_t arg0, const mp_obj_t arg1) {
     }
     return mp_const_none;
 }
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_listen_obj, socket_listen);
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(socket_listen_obj, 1, 2, socket_listen);
 
 STATIC mp_obj_t socket_accept(const mp_obj_t arg0) {
     socket_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(arg0);
diff --git a/ports/unix/modusocket.c b/ports/unix/modusocket.c
index efa182e393..65b8fd4fa1 100644
--- a/ports/unix/modusocket.c
+++ b/ports/unix/modusocket.c
@@ -223,15 +223,23 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_bind(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t addr_in) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_bind_obj, socket_bind);
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t backlog_in) {
-    mp_obj_socket_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
+// method socket.listen([backlog])
+STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    mp_obj_socket_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(args[0]);
+
+    int backlog = SOMAXCONN < 128 ? SOMAXCONN : 128;
+    if (n_args > 1) {
+        backlog = (int)mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
+        backlog = (backlog < 0) ? 0 : backlog;
+    }
+
     MP_THREAD_GIL_EXIT();
-    int r = listen(self->fd, MP_OBJ_SMALL_INT_VALUE(backlog_in));
+    int r = listen(self->fd, backlog);
     MP_THREAD_GIL_ENTER();
     RAISE_ERRNO(r, errno);
     return mp_const_none;
 }
-STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_listen_obj, socket_listen);
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(socket_listen_obj, 1, 2, socket_listen);
 
 STATIC mp_obj_t socket_accept(mp_obj_t self_in) {
     mp_obj_socket_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
diff --git a/ports/zephyr/modusocket.c b/ports/zephyr/modusocket.c
index f9fc96a2b1..19a62f6dc1 100644
--- a/ports/zephyr/modusocket.c
+++ b/ports/zephyr/modusocket.c
@@ -185,11 +185,17 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t socket_connect(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t addr_in) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(socket_connect_obj, socket_connect);
 
-STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t backlog_in) {
-    socket_obj_t *socket = self_in;
+// method socket.listen([backlog])
+STATIC mp_obj_t socket_listen(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
+    socket_obj_t *socket = args[0];
     socket_check_closed(socket);
 
-    mp_int_t backlog = mp_obj_get_int(backlog_in);
+    mp_int_t backlog = 2;
+    if (n_args > 1) {
+        backlog = mp_obj_get_int(args[1]);
+        backlog = (backlog < 0) ? 0 : backlog;
+    }
+
     int res = zsock_listen(socket->ctx, backlog);
     RAISE_SOCK_ERRNO(res);
 
diff --git a/tests/multi_net/tcp_data.py b/tests/multi_net/tcp_data.py
index bba2d198c4..b73dac636a 100644
--- a/tests/multi_net/tcp_data.py
+++ b/tests/multi_net/tcp_data.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def instance0():
     s = socket.socket()
     s.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
     s.bind(socket.getaddrinfo("0.0.0.0", PORT)[0][-1])
-    s.listen(1)
+    s.listen()
     multitest.next()
     s2, _ = s.accept()
     print(s2.recv(16))