diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 85b0f151..eab08e45 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ notifications:
     skip_join: false
 
 env:
-  - KVSTORE_BACKEND=mysql
-  - KVSTORE_BACKEND=memory
+  - KVSTORE_BACKEND=mysql TOOBUSY_MAX_LAG=0
+  - KVSTORE_BACKEND=memory TOOBUSY_MAX_LAG=0
 
 before_script:
   - "mysql -e 'DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS test;'"
diff --git a/config/config.js b/config/config.js
index 1d73eade..6671f9ad 100644
--- a/config/config.js
+++ b/config/config.js
@@ -221,6 +221,13 @@ module.exports = function (fs, path, url, convict) {
         default: path.resolve(__dirname, '../templates/email')
       }
     },
+    toobusy: {
+      max_lag: {
+        doc: "Max event-loop lag before toobusy reports failure",
+        default: 70,
+        env: 'TOOBUSY_MAX_LAG'
+      }
+    },
     dev: {
       verified: {
         doc: 'new Accounts should start already verified',
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 06ccfa67..62800414 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -62,8 +62,12 @@ module.exports = function (path, url, Hapi, toobusy, error) {
 
     //TODO throttle extension
 
-    // twice the default max lag of 70ms
-    toobusy.maxLag(140)
+    // Enable toobusy, unless it has been preffed off in the config.
+    if (config.toobusy.max_lag > 0) {
+      toobusy.maxLag(config.toobusy.max_lag)
+    } else {
+      toobusy = function() { return false; }
+    }
 
     server.ext(
       'onRequest',