diff --git a/app.coffee b/app.coffee
index 10bceee..f81021e 100644
--- a/app.coffee
+++ b/app.coffee
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ app.param 'build_id', (req, res, next, build_id) ->
 		next new Error("invalid build id #{build_id}")
 
 
-app.post   "/project/:project_id/compile", bodyParser.json(limit: "5mb"), CompileController.compile
+app.post   "/project/:project_id/compile", bodyParser.json(limit: Settings.compileSizeLimit), CompileController.compile
 app.post   "/project/:project_id/compile/stop", CompileController.stopCompile
 app.delete "/project/:project_id", CompileController.clearCache
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ app.get  "/project/:project_id/wordcount", CompileController.wordcount
 app.get  "/project/:project_id/status", CompileController.status
 
 # Per-user containers
-app.post   "/project/:project_id/user/:user_id/compile", bodyParser.json(limit: "5mb"), CompileController.compile
+app.post   "/project/:project_id/user/:user_id/compile", bodyParser.json(limit: Settings.compileSizeLimit), CompileController.compile
 app.post   "/project/:project_id/user/:user_id/compile/stop", CompileController.stopCompile
 app.delete "/project/:project_id/user/:user_id", CompileController.clearCache
 
diff --git a/config/settings.defaults.coffee b/config/settings.defaults.coffee
index 88f4532..ad3f04d 100644
--- a/config/settings.defaults.coffee
+++ b/config/settings.defaults.coffee
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ module.exports =
 			retry:
 				max: 10
 
+	compileSizeLimit:  process.env["COMPILE_SIZE_LIMIT"] or "7mb"
+	
 	path:
 		compilesDir:  Path.resolve(__dirname + "/../compiles")
 		clsiCacheDir: Path.resolve(__dirname + "/../cache")
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ module.exports =
 	apis:
 		clsi:
 			url: "http://#{process.env['CLSI_HOST'] or 'localhost'}:3013"
+
 			
 	smokeTest: process.env["SMOKE_TEST"] or false
 	project_cache_length_ms: 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24