diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp
index f62cb0632d..79e179d8b6 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/Application.cpp
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ DatabaseCon::~DatabaseCon()
 Application::Application() :
 	mIOWork(mIOService), mAuxWork(mAuxService), mUNL(mIOService), mNetOps(mIOService, &mLedgerMaster),
 	mTempNodeCache("NodeCache", 16384, 90), mHashedObjectStore(16384, 300), mSLECache("LedgerEntryCache", 4096, 120),
-	mSNTPClient(mAuxService), mFeeTrack(),
+	mSNTPClient(mAuxService), mJobQueue(mIOService), mFeeTrack(),
 	mRpcDB(NULL), mTxnDB(NULL), mLedgerDB(NULL), mWalletDB(NULL), mHashNodeDB(NULL), mNetNodeDB(NULL),
 	mConnectionPool(mIOService), mPeerDoor(NULL), mRPCDoor(NULL), mWSPublicDoor(NULL), mWSPrivateDoor(NULL),
 	mSweepTimer(mAuxService), mShutdown(false)
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.cpp
index 303035fe44..d169a9ddad 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.cpp
@@ -6,10 +6,12 @@
 
 #include "Log.h"
 #include "Config.h"
+#include "Application.h"
 
 SETUP_LOG();
 
-JobQueue::JobQueue() : mLastJob(0), mThreadCount(0), mShuttingDown(false)
+JobQueue::JobQueue(boost::asio::io_service& svc)
+	: mLastJob(0), mThreadCount(0), mShuttingDown(false), mIOThreadCount(0), mMaxIOThreadCount(1), mIOService(svc)
 {
 	mJobLoads[jtPUBOLDLEDGER].setTargetLatency(10000, 15000);
 	mJobLoads[jtVALIDATION_ut].setTargetLatency(2000, 5000);
@@ -240,6 +242,8 @@ void JobQueue::setThreadCount(int c)
 
 	boost::mutex::scoped_lock sl(mJobLock);
 
+	mMaxIOThreadCount = 1 + (c / 3);
+
 	while (mJobCounts[jtDEATH].first != 0)
 		mJobCond.wait(sl);
 
@@ -261,6 +265,26 @@ void JobQueue::setThreadCount(int c)
 	mJobCond.notify_one(); // in case we sucked up someone else's signal
 }
 
+void JobQueue::IOThread(boost::mutex::scoped_lock& sl)
+{ // call with a lock
+	++mIOThreadCount;
+	sl.unlock();
+	NameThread("IO+");
+	try
+	{
+		do
+			NameThread("IO+");
+		while ((mIOService.poll_one() == 1) && !theApp->isShutdown());
+	}
+	catch (...)
+	{
+		cLog(lsWARNING) << "Exception in IOThread";
+	}
+	NameThread("waiting");
+	sl.lock();
+	--mIOThreadCount;
+}
+
 void JobQueue::threadEntry()
 { // do jobs until asked to stop
 	boost::mutex::scoped_lock sl(mJobLock);
@@ -268,7 +292,12 @@ void JobQueue::threadEntry()
 	{
 		NameThread("waiting");
 		while (mJobSet.empty() && !mShuttingDown)
-			mJobCond.wait(sl);
+		{
+			if ((mIOThreadCount < mMaxIOThreadCount) && !theApp->isShutdown())
+				IOThread(sl);
+			else
+				mJobCond.wait(sl);
+		}
 
 		if (mShuttingDown)
 			break;
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.h b/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.h
index 705744db66..62e058c009 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/JobQueue.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <boost/thread/mutex.hpp>
 #include <boost/thread/condition_variable.hpp>
 #include <boost/make_shared.hpp>
+#include <boost/asio.hpp>
 #include <boost/ref.hpp>
 
 #include "../json/value.h"
@@ -93,14 +94,19 @@ protected:
 	int								mThreadCount;
 	bool							mShuttingDown;
 
+	int								mIOThreadCount;
+	int								mMaxIOThreadCount;
+	boost::asio::io_service&		mIOService;
+
 	std::map<JobType, std::pair<int, int > >	mJobCounts;
 
 
-	void threadEntry(void);
+	void threadEntry();
+	void IOThread(boost::mutex::scoped_lock&);
 
 public:
 
-	JobQueue();
+	JobQueue(boost::asio::io_service&);
 
 	void addJob(JobType type, const std::string& name, const FUNCTION_TYPE<void(Job&)>& job);