diff --git a/service/files/defaults.yaml b/service/files/defaults.yaml
index 74261c6..fc66527 100644
--- a/service/files/defaults.yaml
+++ b/service/files/defaults.yaml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ configs:
     # How many seconds we give a node before making liveness checks
     # completely strict
     node_startup_timeout: 180
+    high_watermark_ratio: 0.75
 
 url:
   rabbitmq:
diff --git a/service/files/rabbitmq.config.j2 b/service/files/rabbitmq.config.j2
index 5e7302a..936e0ec 100644
--- a/service/files/rabbitmq.config.j2
+++ b/service/files/rabbitmq.config.j2
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
                     {verify,verify_peer},
                     {fail_if_no_peer_cert,false}]}
      {% endif %}
+     ,{vm_memory_high_watermark, {absolute, {{ (memory_limit|int * rabbitmq.high_watermark_ratio)|int }}}}
    ]}
   ,{autocluster, [
       {dummy_param_without_comma, true}