diff --git a/api/src/api/v2.js b/api/src/api/v2.js
index c42ff67..ae6e54a 100644
--- a/api/src/api/v2.js
+++ b/api/src/api/v2.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 const express = require('express');
 const router  = express.Router();
 
+const config = require('../config');
 const runtime = require('../runtime');
 const {Job} = require("../job");
 const package = require('../package')
@@ -17,7 +18,7 @@ router.use(function(req, res, next){
 })
 
 router.post('/execute', async function(req, res){
-        const {language, version, files, stdin, args, run_timeout, compile_timeout} = req.body;
+        const {language, version, files, stdin, args, run_timeout, compile_timeout, compile_memory_limit, run_memory_limit} = req.body;
 
         if(!language || typeof language !== "string")
         {
@@ -56,6 +57,37 @@ router.post('/execute', async function(req, res){
             }
         }
 
+        if (compile_memory_limit) {
+            if (typeof compile_memory_limit !== "number") {
+                return res
+                    .status(400)
+                    .send({
+                        message: "if specified, compile_memory_limit must be a number"
+                    })
+            } else if (config.compile_memory_limit >= 0 && (compile_memory_limit > config.compile_memory_limit || compile_memory_limit < 0)) {
+                return res
+                    .status(400)
+                    .send({
+                        message: "compile_memory_limit cannot exceed the configured limit of " + config.compile_memory_limit
+                    })
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (run_memory_limit) {
+            if (typeof run_memory_limit !== "number") {
+                return res
+                    .status(400)
+                    .send({
+                        message: "if specified, run_memory_limit must be a number"
+                    })
+            } else if (config.run_memory_limit >= 0 && (run_memory_limit > config.run_memory_limit || run_memory_limit < 0)) {
+                return res
+                    .status(400)
+                    .send({
+                        message: "run_memory_limit cannot exceed the configured limit of " + config.run_memory_limit
+                    })
+            }
+        }
 
 
     
@@ -78,6 +110,10 @@ router.post('/execute', async function(req, res){
             timeouts: {
                 run: run_timeout || 3000,
                 compile: compile_timeout || 10000
+            },
+            memory_limits: {
+                run: run_memory_limit || config.run_memory_limit,
+                compile: compile_memory_limit || config.compile_memory_limit
             }
         });
 
diff --git a/api/src/config.js b/api/src/config.js
index c97b64c..3a5cd72 100644
--- a/api/src/config.js
+++ b/api/src/config.js
@@ -108,6 +108,18 @@ const options = [
         default: 1000000, //1MB
         validators: []
     },
+    {
+        key: 'compile_memory_limit',
+        desc: 'Max memory usage for compile stage in bytes (set to -1 for no limit)',
+        default: -1, // no limit
+        validators: []
+    },
+    {
+        key: 'run_memory_limit',
+        desc: 'Max memory usage for run stage in bytes (set to -1 for no limit)',
+        default: -1, // no limit
+        validators: []
+    },
     {
         key: 'repo_url',
         desc: 'URL of repo index',
diff --git a/api/src/job.js b/api/src/job.js
index ee9a6d8..fcbfb23 100644
--- a/api/src/job.js
+++ b/api/src/job.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ let gid = 0;
 
 class Job {
 
-    constructor({ runtime, files, args, stdin, timeouts }) {
+    constructor({ runtime, files, args, stdin, timeouts, memory_limits }) {
         this.uuid =  uuidv4();
         this.runtime = runtime;
         this.files = files.map((file,i) => ({
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class Job {
         this.args = args;
         this.stdin = stdin;
         this.timeouts = timeouts;
+        this.memory_limits = memory_limits;
 
         this.uid = config.runner_uid_min + uid;
         this.gid = config.runner_gid_min + gid;
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ class Job {
         logger.debug('Primed job');
     }
 
-    async safe_call(file, args, timeout) {
+    async safe_call(file, args, timeout, memory_limit) {
         return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
             const nonetwork = config.disable_networking ? ['nosocket'] : [];
 
@@ -78,6 +79,10 @@ class Job {
                 '--fsize=' + config.max_file_size
             ];
 
+            if (memory_limit >= 0) {
+                prlimit.push('--as=' + memory_limit);
+            }
+
             const proc_call = [
                 ...prlimit,
                 ...nonetwork,
@@ -161,7 +166,8 @@ class Job {
             compile = await this.safe_call(
                 path.join(this.runtime.pkgdir, 'compile'),
                 this.files.map(x => x.name),
-                this.timeouts.compile
+                this.timeouts.compile,
+                this.memory_limits.compile
             );
         }
 
@@ -170,7 +176,8 @@ class Job {
         const run = await this.safe_call(
             path.join(this.runtime.pkgdir, 'run'),
             [this.files[0].name, ...this.args],
-            this.timeouts.run
+            this.timeouts.run,
+            this.memory_limits.run
         );
 
         this.state = job_states.EXECUTED;
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index f1d0f2e..18efe14 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -210,6 +210,8 @@ This endpoint requests execution of some arbitrary code.
 - `args` (*optional*) The arguments to pass to the program. Must be an array or left out. Defaults to `[]`.
 - `compile_timeout` (*optional*) The maximum time allowed for the compile stage to finish before bailing out in milliseconds. Must be a number or left out. Defaults to `10000` (10 seconds).
 - `run_timeout` (*optional*) The maximum time allowed for the run stage to finish before bailing out in milliseconds. Must be a number or left out. Defaults to `3000` (3 seconds).
+- `compile_memory_limit` (*optional*) The maximum amount of memory the compile stage is allowed to use in bytes. Must be a number or left out. Defaults to `-1` (no limit)
+- `run_memory_limit` (*optional*) The maximum amount of memory the run stage is allowed to use in bytes. Must be a number or left out. Defaults to `-1` (no limit)
 
 ```json
 {
@@ -228,7 +230,9 @@ This endpoint requests execution of some arbitrary code.
         "3"
     ],
     "compile_timeout": 10000,
-    "run_timeout": 3000
+    "run_timeout": 3000,
+    "compile_memory_limit": -1,
+    "run_memory_limit": -1
 }
 ```
 A typical response upon successful execution will contain 1 or 2 keys `run` and `compile`.