diff --git a/lib/delayed/backend/base.rb b/lib/delayed/backend/base.rb
index c50465cc3..4a330d623 100644
--- a/lib/delayed/backend/base.rb
+++ b/lib/delayed/backend/base.rb
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def enqueue(*args)
         def reserve(worker, max_run_time = Worker.max_run_time)
           # We get up to 5 jobs from the db. In case we cannot get exclusive access to a job we try the next.
           # this leads to a more even distribution of jobs across the worker processes
-          find_available(worker.name, 5, max_run_time).detect do |job|
+          find_available(worker.name, worker.read_ahead, max_run_time).detect do |job|
             job.lock_exclusively!(max_run_time, worker.name)
           end
         end
diff --git a/lib/delayed/backend/shared_spec.rb b/lib/delayed/backend/shared_spec.rb
index c83b34cff..250e72adc 100644
--- a/lib/delayed/backend/shared_spec.rb
+++ b/lib/delayed/backend/shared_spec.rb
@@ -279,6 +279,27 @@ def create_job(opts = {})
     end
   end
 
+  context "worker read-ahead" do
+    before do
+      @read_ahead = Delayed::Worker.read_ahead
+    end
+
+    after do
+      Delayed::Worker.read_ahead = @read_ahead
+    end
+
+    it "should read five jobs" do
+      described_class.should_receive(:find_available).with(anything, 5, anything).and_return([])
+      described_class.reserve(worker)
+    end
+
+    it "should read a configurable number of jobs" do
+      Delayed::Worker.read_ahead = 15
+      described_class.should_receive(:find_available).with(anything, Delayed::Worker.read_ahead, anything).and_return([])
+      described_class.reserve(worker)
+    end
+  end
+
   context "clear_locks!" do
     before do
       @job = create_job(:locked_by => 'worker1', :locked_at => described_class.db_time_now)
diff --git a/lib/delayed/worker.rb b/lib/delayed/worker.rb
index 8f7d397cf..f65cd0a44 100644
--- a/lib/delayed/worker.rb
+++ b/lib/delayed/worker.rb
@@ -7,13 +7,14 @@
 
 module Delayed
   class Worker
-    cattr_accessor :min_priority, :max_priority, :max_attempts, :max_run_time, :default_priority, :sleep_delay, :logger, :delay_jobs, :queues
+    cattr_accessor :min_priority, :max_priority, :max_attempts, :max_run_time, :default_priority, :sleep_delay, :logger, :delay_jobs, :queues, :read_ahead
     self.sleep_delay = 5
     self.max_attempts = 25
     self.max_run_time = 4.hours
     self.default_priority = 0
     self.delay_jobs = true
     self.queues = []
+    self.read_ahead = 5
 
     # Add or remove plugins in this list before the worker is instantiated
     cattr_accessor :plugins
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ def initialize(options={})
       self.class.min_priority = options[:min_priority] if options.has_key?(:min_priority)
       self.class.max_priority = options[:max_priority] if options.has_key?(:max_priority)
       self.class.sleep_delay = options[:sleep_delay] if options.has_key?(:sleep_delay)
+      self.class.read_ahead = options[:read_ahead] if options.has_key?(:read_ahead)
       self.class.queues = options[:queues] if options.has_key?(:queues)
 
       self.plugins.each { |klass| klass.new }