diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index d499c283..047aa903 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ var app = require('express')();
 
 /** ----------------------- middleware ----------------------- **/
 
-app.use( require('./middleware/toobusy') ); // should be first
 app.use( require('./middleware/headers') );
 app.use( require('./middleware/cors') );
 app.use( require('./middleware/jsonp') );
diff --git a/middleware/toobusy.js b/middleware/toobusy.js
deleted file mode 100644
index bbe6784f..00000000
--- a/middleware/toobusy.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-
-// middleware which blocks requests when the eventloop is too busy
-var toobusy = require('toobusy');
-
-function middleware(req, res, next){
-  if( toobusy() ){
-    res.status(503); // Service Unavailable
-    return next('Server Overwhelmed');
-  }
-  return next();
-}
-
-// calling .shutdown allows your process to exit normally
-process.on('SIGINT', function() {
-  toobusy.shutdown();
-  process.exit();
-});
-
-module.exports = middleware;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 41bde4b6..7a541a0b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@
     "geopipes-elasticsearch-backend": "0.0.11",
     "pelias-suggester-pipeline": "2.0.2",
     "is-object": "^1.0.1",
-    "pelias-esclient": "0.0.25",
-    "toobusy": "^0.2.4"
+    "pelias-esclient": "0.0.25"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "ciao": "^0.3.4",