diff --git a/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py b/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py
index a9196d3a6..23be0a00a 100644
--- a/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py
+++ b/sphinx/ext/apidoc.py
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ def create_package_file(root: str, master_package: str, subroot: str, py_files:
         'separatemodules': opts.separatemodules,
         'automodule_options': options,
         'show_headings': not opts.noheadings,
+        'maxdepth': opts.maxdepth,
     }
     text = ReSTRenderer([user_template_dir, template_dir]).render('package.rst_t', context)
     write_file(pkgname, text, opts)
diff --git a/sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst_t b/sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst_t
index ed9f669ea..8630a87b7 100644
--- a/sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst_t
+++ b/sphinx/templates/apidoc/package.rst_t
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 {%- macro toctree(docnames) -%}
 .. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: {{ maxdepth }}
 {% for docname in docnames %}
    {{ docname }}
 {%- endfor %}
diff --git a/tests/test_ext_apidoc.py b/tests/test_ext_apidoc.py
index a37527a02..e8d923b71 100644
--- a/tests/test_ext_apidoc.py
+++ b/tests/test_ext_apidoc.py
@@ -121,15 +121,16 @@ def test_pep_0420_enabled_separate(make_app, apidoc):
 
     with open(outdir / 'a.b.c.rst') as f:
         rst = f.read()
-        assert ".. toctree::\n\n   a.b.c.d\n" in rst
+
+        assert ".. toctree::\n   :maxdepth: 4\n\n   a.b.c.d\n" in rst
 
     with open(outdir / 'a.b.e.rst') as f:
         rst = f.read()
-        assert ".. toctree::\n\n   a.b.e.f\n" in rst
+        assert ".. toctree::\n   :maxdepth: 4\n\n   a.b.e.f\n" in rst
 
     with open(outdir / 'a.b.x.rst') as f:
         rst = f.read()
-        assert ".. toctree::\n\n   a.b.x.y\n" in rst
+        assert ".. toctree::\n   :maxdepth: 4\n\n   a.b.x.y\n" in rst
 
     app = make_app('text', srcdir=outdir)
     app.build()
@@ -485,6 +486,7 @@ def test_package_file(tempdir):
                        "-----------\n"
                        "\n"
                        ".. toctree::\n"
+                       "   :maxdepth: 4\n"
                        "\n"
                        "   testpkg.subpkg\n"
                        "\n"
@@ -546,6 +548,7 @@ def test_package_file_separate(tempdir):
                        "----------\n"
                        "\n"
                        ".. toctree::\n"
+                       "   :maxdepth: 4\n"
                        "\n"
                        "   testpkg.example\n"
                        "\n"