diff --git a/splash/qtrender_lua.py b/splash/qtrender_lua.py
index bfeeac415..7ea00e43d 100644
--- a/splash/qtrender_lua.py
+++ b/splash/qtrender_lua.py
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ def get_perf_stats(self):
         rusage = resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_SELF)
         # on Mac OS X ru_maxrss is in bytes, on Linux it is in KB
         rss_mul = 1 if sys.platform == 'darwin' else 1024
+        # TODO: add splash.utils.get_memory_usage here?
         return {'maxrss': rusage.ru_maxrss * rss_mul,
                 'cputime': rusage.ru_utime + rusage.ru_stime,
                 'walltime': time.time()}
diff --git a/splash/resources.py b/splash/resources.py
index 603748492..088a6f26e 100644
--- a/splash/resources.py
+++ b/splash/resources.py
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ def _logStats(self, request):
             "path": request.path,
             "args": request.args,
             "rendertime": time.time() - request.starttime,
+            # TODO: add splash.utils.get_memory_usage here?
             "maxrss": resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_SELF).ru_maxrss,
             "load": os.getloadavg(),
             "fds": get_num_fds(),
diff --git a/splash/server.py b/splash/server.py
index dc455891c..aebbd6cb2 100644
--- a/splash/server.py
+++ b/splash/server.py
@@ -1,16 +1,17 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-import os
-import sys
+import functools
 import optparse
+import os
 import resource
-import traceback
 import signal
-import functools
+import sys
+import traceback
 
 from splash import defaults, __version__
 from splash import xvfb
 from splash.qtutils import init_qt_app
 
+
 def install_qtreactor(verbose):
     init_qt_app(verbose)
     import qt4reactor
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ def parse_opts():
     op = optparse.OptionParser()
     op.add_option("-f", "--logfile", help="log file")
     op.add_option("-m", "--maxrss", type=float, default=0,
-        help="exit if max RSS reaches this value (in MB or ratio of physical mem) (default: %default)")
+        help="exit if RSS reaches this value (in MB or ratio of physical mem) (default: %default)")
     op.add_option("-p", "--port", type="int", default=defaults.SPLASH_PORT,
         help="port to listen to (default: %default)")
     op.add_option("-s", "--slots", type="int", default=defaults.SLOTS,
@@ -219,23 +220,23 @@ def splash_server(portnum, slots, network_manager, max_timeout,
         reactor.listenTCP(proxy_portnum, proxy_server_factory)
 
 
-def monitor_maxrss(maxrss):
+def monitor_memory(memory_limit):
     from twisted.internet import reactor, task
     from twisted.python import log
-    from splash.utils import get_ru_maxrss, get_total_phymem
+    from splash.utils import get_memory_usage, get_total_phymem
 
-    # Support maxrss as a ratio of total physical memory
-    if 0.0 < maxrss < 1.0:
-        maxrss = get_total_phymem() * maxrss / (1024 ** 2)
+    # Support memory limit as a ratio of total physical memory
+    if 0.0 < memory_limit < 1.0:
+        memory_limit = get_total_phymem() * memory_limit / (1024 ** 2)
 
-    def check_maxrss():
-        if get_ru_maxrss() > maxrss * (1024 ** 2):
-            log.msg("maxrss exceeded %d MB, shutting down..." % maxrss)
+    def check_memory():
+        if get_memory_usage() > memory_limit * (1024 ** 2):
+            log.msg("process allocated more then %d MB, shutting down..." % memory_limit)
             reactor.stop()
 
-    if maxrss:
-        log.msg("maxrss limit: %d MB" % maxrss)
-        t = task.LoopingCall(check_maxrss)
+    if memory_limit:
+        log.msg("memory limit: %d MB" % memory_limit)
+        t = task.LoopingCall(check_memory)
         t.start(60, now=False)
 
 
@@ -346,7 +347,7 @@ def main():
 
         install_qtreactor(opts.verbosity >= 5)
 
-        monitor_maxrss(opts.maxrss)
+        monitor_memory(opts.maxrss)
         if opts.manhole:
             manhole_server()
 
diff --git a/splash/utils.py b/splash/utils.py
index 593b4d0fa..0e54aae27 100644
--- a/splash/utils.py
+++ b/splash/utils.py
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
-
-import os
-import gc
-import sys
-import json
 import base64
+import gc
 import inspect
-import resource
+import json
+import os
 from collections import defaultdict
+
 import psutil
 
 
 _REQUIRED = object()
+PID = os.getpid()
+PSUTIL_PROCESS = psutil.Process()
 
 
 class BadRequest(Exception):
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ def default(self, o):
         return super(SplashJSONEncoder, self).default(o)
 
 
-PID = os.getpid()
 def get_num_fds():
     proc = psutil.Process(PID)
     try:
@@ -72,13 +71,8 @@ def get_leaks():
     return get_alive()
 
 
-def get_ru_maxrss():
-    """ Return max RSS usage (in bytes) """
-    size = resource.getrusage(resource.RUSAGE_SELF).ru_maxrss
-    if sys.platform != 'darwin':
-        # on Mac OS X ru_maxrss is in bytes, on Linux it is in KB
-        size *= 1024
-    return size
+def get_memory_usage():
+    return PSUTIL_PROCESS.memory_info().rss
 
 
 def get_total_phymem():