Additive manufacturing's large design freedom enables the realization of complex structural components tailored to specific properties. However, as a result, components tend to be designed closer to their structural limits, necessitating the precise design of previously over-dimensioned structural regions. Joints between components are often identified as critical points of failure. For components with multiple joints, the load can be redistributed among the joints to relieve an overloaded joint. Designing a structure to ensure each joint remains below its critical load might be unintuitive. The combination of topology optimization and additive manufacturing allows for generating structures that consider limits on joint loads, thus relieving the critical failure points. Several studies investigate the integration of connection elements into topology optimization, optimization of joint layouts considering load limits, and a combination of topology and layout optimization accounting for potential joint failures. However, the explicit integration of limits on joint loads as constraints into topology optimization has not yet been addressed. This study investigates the integration of constraints on the joint loads into topology optimization. A MATLAB-based optimization algorithm is developed, allowing for simultaneous consideration of axial and shear loads on the joints. Sensitivities of joint loads are derived using the adjoint method, enabling efficient gradient-based optimization. The proposed methodology is demonstrated through a practical example, which highlights the strengths of the approach and its advantages for additive manufacturing applications.