diff --git a/splunk_eventgen/__main__.py b/splunk_eventgen/__main__.py
index 0437cc46..63c829ec 100644
--- a/splunk_eventgen/__main__.py
+++ b/splunk_eventgen/__main__.py
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ def parse_args():
                                     help="Use multiprocesing instead of threading")
     generate_subparser.add_argument("--profiler", action="store_true", help="Turn on cProfiler")
     generate_subparser.add_argument("--log-path", type=str, default="{0}/logs".format(FILE_LOCATION))
+    generate_subparser.add_argument(
+        "--generator-queue-size", type=int, default=500, help="the max queue size for the "
+        "generator queue, timer object puts all the generator tasks into this queue, default max size is 500")
     # Build subparser
     build_subparser = subparsers.add_parser('build', help="Will build different forms of sa-eventgen")
     build_subparser.add_argument("--mode", type=str, default="splunk-app",
diff --git a/splunk_eventgen/eventgen_core.py b/splunk_eventgen/eventgen_core.py
index 7b20bc46..7be8feec 100644
--- a/splunk_eventgen/eventgen_core.py
+++ b/splunk_eventgen/eventgen_core.py
@@ -75,9 +75,15 @@ def __init__(self, args=None):
         # attach to the logging queue
         self.logger.info("Logging Setup Complete.")
 
+        self._generator_queue_size = getattr(self.args, 'generator_queue_size', 500)
+        if self._generator_queue_size < 0:
+            self._generator_queue_size = 0
+        self.logger.info("set generator queue size to %d", self._generator_queue_size)
+
         if self.args and 'configfile' in self.args and self.args.configfile:
             self._load_config(self.args.configfile, args=args)
 
+
     def _load_config(self, configfile, **kwargs):
         '''
         This method will use a configfile and set self.confg as a processeded config object,
@@ -225,11 +231,11 @@ def _create_generator_pool(self, workercount=20):
                 self.logging_pool = Thread(target=self.logger_thread, args=(self.loggingQueue, ), name="LoggerThread")
                 self.logging_pool.start()
             # since we're now in multiprocess, we need to use better queues.
-            self.workerQueue = multiprocessing.JoinableQueue(maxsize=500)
+            self.workerQueue = multiprocessing.JoinableQueue(maxsize=self._generator_queue_size)
             self.genconfig = self.manager.dict()
             self.genconfig["stopping"] = False
         else:
-            self.workerQueue = Queue(maxsize=500)
+            self.workerQueue = Queue(maxsize=self._generator_queue_size)
             worker_threads = workercount
             if hasattr(self.config, 'outputCounter') and self.config.outputCounter:
                 self.output_counters = []
diff --git a/splunk_eventgen/lib/eventgentimer.py b/splunk_eventgen/lib/eventgentimer.py
index effcf4c1..095ff6fb 100644
--- a/splunk_eventgen/lib/eventgentimer.py
+++ b/splunk_eventgen/lib/eventgentimer.py
@@ -80,7 +80,12 @@ def predict_event_size(self):
         except TypeError:
             self.logger.error("Error loading sample file for sample '%s'" % self.sample.name)
             return
-        return len(self.sample.sampleDict[0]['_raw'])
+        total_len = sum([len(e['_raw']) for e in self.sample.sampleDict])
+        sample_count = len(self.sample.sampleDict)
+        if sample_count == 0:
+            return 0
+        else:
+            return total_len/sample_count
 
     def run(self):
         """
@@ -135,9 +140,9 @@ def real_run(self):
                         elif char != "-":
                             backfillletter += char
                     backfillearliest = timeParserTimeMath(plusminus=mathsymbol, num=backfillnumber, unit=backfillletter,
-                                                          ret=realtime)
+                                                        ret=realtime)
                     while backfillearliest < realtime:
-                        if self.executions == int(self.end):
+                        if self.end and self.executions == int(self.end):
                             self.logger.info("End executions %d reached, ending generation of sample '%s'" % (int(
                                 self.end), self.sample.name))
                             break
@@ -148,11 +153,13 @@ def real_run(self):
                         genPlugin.updateConfig(config=self.config, outqueue=self.outputQueue)
                         genPlugin.updateCounts(count=count, start_time=et, end_time=lt)
                         try:
-                            self.generatorQueue.put(genPlugin)
+                            self.generatorQueue.put(genPlugin, True, 3)
                             self.executions += 1
+                            backfillearliest = lt
                         except Full:
-                            self.logger.warning("Generator Queue Full. Skipping current generation.")
-                        backfillearliest = lt
+                            self.logger.warning("Generator Queue Full. Reput the backfill generator task later. %d backfill generators are dispatched.", self.executions)
+                            backfillearliest = et
+                        realtime = self.sample.now(realnow=True)
 
                     self.sample.backfilldone = True
                 else:
diff --git a/splunk_eventgen/lib/outputplugin.py b/splunk_eventgen/lib/outputplugin.py
index e3bb2fb3..50a0a163 100644
--- a/splunk_eventgen/lib/outputplugin.py
+++ b/splunk_eventgen/lib/outputplugin.py
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ def run(self):
         if self.output_counter is not None:
             self.output_counter.collect(len(self.events), sum([len(e['_raw']) for e in self.events]))
         self.events = None
+        self._output_end()
 
+    def _output_end(self):
+        pass
 
 def load():
     return OutputPlugin
diff --git a/splunk_eventgen/lib/plugins/output/counter.py b/splunk_eventgen/lib/plugins/output/counter.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..767bed9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/splunk_eventgen/lib/plugins/output/counter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import logging
+import datetime
+import pprint
+import sys
+
+from outputplugin import OutputPlugin
+
+
+class CounterOutputPlugin(OutputPlugin):
+    name = 'counter'
+    MAXQUEUELENGTH = 1000
+    useOutputQueue = True
+
+    dataSizeHistogram = {}
+    eventCountHistogram = {}
+    flushCount = 0
+    lastPrintAt = 0
+
+    def __init__(self, sample, output_counter=None):
+        OutputPlugin.__init__(self, sample, output_counter)
+
+    def flush(self, q):
+        CounterOutputPlugin.flushCount += 1
+        for e in q:
+            ts = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(int(e['_time']))
+            text = e['_raw']
+            day = ts.strftime('%Y-%m-%d')
+            CounterOutputPlugin.dataSizeHistogram[day] = CounterOutputPlugin.dataSizeHistogram.get(day, 0) + len(text)
+            CounterOutputPlugin.eventCountHistogram[day] = CounterOutputPlugin.eventCountHistogram.get(day, 0) + 1
+
+    def _output_end(self):
+        if CounterOutputPlugin.flushCount - CounterOutputPlugin.lastPrintAt > 0:
+            self._print_info('----- print the output histogram -----')
+            self._print_info('--- data size histogram ---')
+            self._print_info(pprint.pformat(CounterOutputPlugin.dataSizeHistogram))
+            self._print_info('--- event count histogram ---')
+            self._print_info(pprint.pformat(CounterOutputPlugin.eventCountHistogram))
+            CounterOutputPlugin.lastPrintAt = CounterOutputPlugin.flushCount
+
+    def _print_info(self, msg):
+        print >> sys.stderr, '{} {}'.format(datetime.datetime.now(), msg)
+
+    def _setup_logging(self):
+        self.logger = logging.getLogger('eventgen_counter_out')
+
+
+def load():
+    """Returns an instance of the plugin"""
+    return CounterOutputPlugin