Damage observed in moment resisting beam to column connections of steel structures during past earthquakes, mainly in the form of extensive yielding and local buckling of connection components, indicates that this region, as one of the most critical parts of steel moment frames, must provide adequate strength and ductility simultaneously. In addition, revisions to seismic design provisions and increased demand levels in existing structures have made effective strengthening strategies for these connections essential. This study investigates a novel strengthening scheme based on the attachment of curved profiles to the beam to column joint region in order to enhance seismic performance. Two four bolt flange connection specimens, namely a reference connection and a specimen strengthened with curved profiles, were tested under cyclic loading. The first specimen was designed with a capacity lower than the expected moment at the connection region, whereas in the second specimen this deficiency was compensated by adding the curved profiles. Finite element modeling and analysis were then performed in ABAQUS, considering material and geometric nonlinearities as well as contact interaction, and the validated models were used for parametric studies. Analytical results show that the curved profiles increase the ultimate strength of the connection by up to 50 percent and the energy absorption capacity by up to 51 percent. By shifting plastic hinge formation from the column face into the beam span, damage concentration in the critical region is reduced. The simple channel shaped geometry of the profile also allows implementation using conventional workshop facilities, making it a practical solution for the seismic rehabilitation of existing connections.