diff --git a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/StartupBean.java b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/StartupBean.java
index eb38212e..f8f4066f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/StartupBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/StartupBean.java
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ import com.commafeed.backend.model.FeedCategory;
 import com.commafeed.backend.model.FeedSubscription;
 import com.commafeed.backend.model.User;
 import com.commafeed.backend.model.UserRole.Role;
-import com.commafeed.backend.services.PasswordEncryptionService;
 import com.commafeed.backend.services.UserService;
 
 @Startup
@@ -48,9 +47,6 @@ public class StartupBean {
 	@Inject
 	UserService userService;
 
-	@Inject
-	PasswordEncryptionService encryptionService;
-
 	@Inject
 	ApplicationSettingsDAO applicationSettingsDAO;
 
@@ -66,8 +62,8 @@ public class StartupBean {
 			initialData();
 		}
 
-		// 3 threads
-		for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
+		ApplicationSettings settings = applicationSettingsDAO.get();
+		for (int i = 0; i < settings.getBackgroundThreads(); i++) {
 			worker.start();
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/model/ApplicationSettings.java b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/model/ApplicationSettings.java
index 69ba5ddc..8c7af53b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/model/ApplicationSettings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/commafeed/backend/model/ApplicationSettings.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ public class ApplicationSettings extends AbstractModel {
 	private boolean allowRegistrations = false;
 	private String googleClientId;
 	private String googleClientSecret;
+	private int backgroundThreads = 3;
 
 	public String getPublicUrl() {
 		return publicUrl;
@@ -45,4 +46,12 @@ public class ApplicationSettings extends AbstractModel {
 		this.googleClientSecret = googleClientSecret;
 	}
 
+	public int getBackgroundThreads() {
+		return backgroundThreads;
+	}
+
+	public void setBackgroundThreads(int backgroundThreads) {
+		this.backgroundThreads = backgroundThreads;
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/src/main/webapp/templates/admin.settings.html b/src/main/webapp/templates/admin.settings.html
index 35c0e85b..8f4410b0 100644
--- a/src/main/webapp/templates/admin.settings.html
+++ b/src/main/webapp/templates/admin.settings.html
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 	<div>
 		<form name="settingsForm" class="form-horizontal" ng-submit="save()">
+			<!-- not needed atm 
 			<div class="control-group">
 				<label class="control-label" for="publicUrl">Public URL</label>
 				<div class="controls">
@@ -17,6 +18,7 @@
 						ng-model="settings.publicUrl" />
 				</div>
 			</div>
+			 -->
 			<div class="control-group">
 				<label class="control-label" for="allowRegistrations">Allow
 					registrations</label>
@@ -41,6 +43,16 @@
 						ng-model="settings.googleClientSecret" />
 				</div>
 			</div>
+			<div class="control-group">
+				<label class="control-label" for="googleClientSecret">Background
+					threads</label>
+				<div class="controls">
+					<input type="number" name="backgroundThreads"
+						ng-model="settings.backgroundThreads" />
+					<span class="help-inline">Requires restart</span>
+				</div>
+
+			</div>
 			<div class="control-group">
 				<div class="controls">
 					<button type="button" class="btn" ng-click="cancel()">Cancel</button>