diff --git a/tests/test_watchdog.py b/tests/test_watchdog.py
index 7b22de1600..e3f67df1c6 100644
--- a/tests/test_watchdog.py
+++ b/tests/test_watchdog.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import subprocess
 import os
 import sys
-from random import random
+from random import random, randrange
 import urllib as url
 import time
 sys.path.append(os.getcwd())
@@ -59,12 +59,26 @@ def test_watchdog(self):
         duration = int(time.time() - start)
         self.assertEquals(duration, 4)
 
+        # Too much memory used, killed by Watchdog
+        start = time.time()
+        p = subprocess.Popen(["python", "tests/test_watchdog.py", "memory"])
+        p.wait()
+        duration = int(time.time() - start)
+        # process should be killed well before the restart interval of 30.
+        assert duration < 20
+
 class MockTxManager(object):
     def flush(self):
         "Pretend to flush for a long time"
         time.sleep(5)
         sys.exit(0)
 
+class MemoryHogTxManager(object):
+    def flush(self):
+        rand_data = []
+        while True:
+          rand_data.append('%030x' % randrange(256**15))
+
 class PseudoAgent(object):
     """Same logic as the agent, simplified"""
     def busy_run(self):
@@ -100,6 +114,12 @@ def fast_tornado(self):
         a._tr_manager = MockTxManager()
         a.run()
 
+    def use_lots_of_memory(self):
+        a = Application(12345, {})
+        a._watchdog = Watchdog(30, 50)
+        a._tr_manager = MemoryHogTxManager()
+        a.run()
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     if sys.argv[1] == "busy":
         a = PseudoAgent()
@@ -119,3 +139,6 @@ def fast_tornado(self):
     elif sys.argv[1] == "test":
         t = TestWatchdog()
         t.runTest()
+    elif sys.argv[1] == "memory":
+        a = PseudoAgent()
+        a.use_lots_of_memory()
diff --git a/util.py b/util.py
index 0ca8061d06..1708cc7cc6 100644
--- a/util.py
+++ b/util.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import platform
+import resource
 import signal
 import socket
 import subprocess
@@ -186,16 +187,21 @@ def _get_hostname_unix():
 
 class Watchdog(object):
     """Simple signal-based watchdog that will scuttle the current process
-    if it has not been reset every N seconds.
+    if it has not been reset every N seconds, or if the processes exceeds
+    a specified memory threshold.
     Can only be invoked once per process, so don't use with multiple threads.
     If you instantiate more than one, you're also asking for trouble.
     """
-    def __init__(self, duration):
+    def __init__(self, duration, max_mem_mb = 2000):
         """Set the duration
         """
         self._duration = int(duration)
         signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, Watchdog.self_destruct)
 
+        # cap memory usage
+        self._max_mem_kb = 1024 * max_mem_mb
+        max_mem_bytes = 1024 * self._max_mem_kb
+        resource.setrlimit(resource.RLIMIT_AS, (max_mem_bytes, max_mem_bytes))
 
     @staticmethod
     def self_destruct(signum, frame):
@@ -208,6 +214,11 @@ def self_destruct(signum, frame):
 
 
     def reset(self):
+        # self destruct if using too much memory, as tornado will swallow MemoryErrors
+        mem_usage_kb = int(os.popen('ps -p %d -o %s | tail -1' % (os.getpid(), 'rss')).read())
+        if mem_usage_kb > (0.95 * self._max_mem_kb):
+            Watchdog.self_destruct(signal.SIGKILL, sys._getframe(0))
+
         log.debug("Resetting watchdog for %d" % self._duration)
         signal.alarm(self._duration)