diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index cd29078..a8b5279 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -180,6 +180,26 @@ returns. It can optionally implement a `#reset!` method, which will be invoked
 when the HUP signal is received, allowing the loader to flush its cache, or
 perform any other re-initialization.
 
+You can reduce the frequency that your configuration loader is called by
+wrapping it with `Resque::Pool::ConfigLoaders::Throttled` and specifying a time
+(in seconds) to cache the previous value:
+
+```ruby
+task "resque:pool:setup" do
+  redis_loader = lambda do |env|
+    worker_count = Redis.current.get("pool_workers_#{env}").to_i
+    { "queueA,queueB" => worker_count }
+  end
+
+  # calls through to redis_loader at most once per 10 seconds
+  Resque::Pool.config_loader = Resque::Pool::ConfigLoaders::Throttled.new(
+    redis_loader, period: 10
+  )
+end
+```
+
+See [the spec](spec/config_loaders/throttled_spec.rb) for more details.
+
 Zero-downtime code deploys
 --------------------------
 
diff --git a/lib/resque/pool.rb b/lib/resque/pool.rb
index 5c99b47..9a76509 100644
--- a/lib/resque/pool.rb
+++ b/lib/resque/pool.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 require 'resque/pool/version'
 require 'resque/pool/logging'
 require 'resque/pool/pooled_worker'
-require 'resque/pool/file_or_hash_loader'
+require 'resque/pool/config_loaders/file_or_hash_loader'
 require 'erb'
 require 'fcntl'
 require 'yaml'
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def self.create_configured
     def init_config(loader)
       case loader
       when String, Hash, nil
-        @config_loader = FileOrHashLoader.new(loader)
+        @config_loader = ConfigLoaders::FileOrHashLoader.new(loader)
       else
         @config_loader = loader
       end
diff --git a/lib/resque/pool/config_loaders/file_or_hash_loader.rb b/lib/resque/pool/config_loaders/file_or_hash_loader.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5d6b108
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/resque/pool/config_loaders/file_or_hash_loader.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+module Resque
+  class Pool
+    module ConfigLoaders
+
+      class FileOrHashLoader
+        def initialize(filename_or_hash=nil)
+          case filename_or_hash
+          when String, nil
+            @filename = filename_or_hash
+          when Hash
+            @static_config = filename_or_hash.dup
+          else
+            raise "#{self.class} cannot be initialized with #{filename_or_hash.inspect}"
+          end
+        end
+
+        def call(environment)
+          @config ||= load_config_from_file(environment)
+        end
+
+        def reset!
+          @config = nil
+        end
+
+        private
+
+        def load_config_from_file(environment)
+          if @static_config
+            new_config = @static_config
+          else
+            filename = config_filename
+            new_config = load_config filename
+          end
+          apply_environment new_config, environment
+        end
+
+        def apply_environment(config, environment)
+          environment and config[environment] and config.merge!(config[environment])
+          config.delete_if {|key, value| value.is_a? Hash }
+        end
+
+        def config_filename
+          @filename || choose_config_file
+        end
+
+        def load_config(filename)
+          return {} unless filename
+          YAML.load(ERB.new(IO.read(filename)).result)
+        end
+
+        CONFIG_FILES = ["resque-pool.yml", "config/resque-pool.yml"]
+        def choose_config_file
+          if ENV["RESQUE_POOL_CONFIG"]
+            ENV["RESQUE_POOL_CONFIG"]
+          else
+            CONFIG_FILES.detect { |f| File.exist?(f) }
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/resque/pool/config_loaders/throttled.rb b/lib/resque/pool/config_loaders/throttled.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4e535e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/resque/pool/config_loaders/throttled.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+require "delegate"
+
+module Resque
+  class Pool
+
+    module ConfigLoaders
+
+      # Throttle the frequency of loading pool configuration
+      # Defaults to call only once per 10 seconds.
+      class Throttled < SimpleDelegator
+
+        def initialize(config_loader, period: 10, time_source: Time)
+          super(config_loader)
+          @period = period
+          @resettable = config_loader.respond_to?(:reset!)
+          @last_check = 0
+          @time_source = time_source
+        end
+
+        def call(env)
+          # We do not need to cache per `env`, since the value of `env` will not
+          # change during the life of the process.
+          if (now > @last_check + @period)
+            @cache = super
+            @last_check = now
+          end
+          @cache
+        end
+
+        def reset!
+          @last_check = 0
+          super if @resettable
+        end
+
+        private
+
+        def now
+          @time_source.now.to_f
+        end
+      end
+
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/resque/pool/file_or_hash_loader.rb b/lib/resque/pool/file_or_hash_loader.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index f6c55b6..0000000
--- a/lib/resque/pool/file_or_hash_loader.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,59 +0,0 @@
-module Resque
-  class Pool
-    class FileOrHashLoader
-      def initialize(filename_or_hash=nil)
-        case filename_or_hash
-        when String, nil
-          @filename = filename_or_hash
-        when Hash
-          @static_config = filename_or_hash.dup
-        else
-          raise "#{self.class} cannot be initialized with #{filename_or_hash.inspect}"
-        end
-      end
-
-      def call(environment)
-        @config ||= load_config_from_file(environment)
-      end
-
-      def reset!
-        @config = nil
-      end
-
-      private
-
-      def load_config_from_file(environment)
-        if @static_config
-          new_config = @static_config
-        else
-          filename = config_filename
-          new_config = load_config filename
-        end
-        apply_environment new_config, environment
-      end
-
-      def apply_environment(config, environment)
-        environment and config[environment] and config.merge!(config[environment])
-        config.delete_if {|key, value| value.is_a? Hash }
-      end
-
-      def config_filename
-        @filename || choose_config_file
-      end
-
-      def load_config(filename)
-        return {} unless filename
-        YAML.load(ERB.new(IO.read(filename)).result)
-      end
-
-      CONFIG_FILES = ["resque-pool.yml", "config/resque-pool.yml"]
-      def choose_config_file
-        if ENV["RESQUE_POOL_CONFIG"]
-          ENV["RESQUE_POOL_CONFIG"]
-        else
-          CONFIG_FILES.detect { |f| File.exist?(f) }
-        end
-      end
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/spec/config_loaders/throttled_spec.rb b/spec/config_loaders/throttled_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f2bf12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/config_loaders/throttled_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'resque/pool/config_loaders/throttled'
+
+module Resque::Pool::ConfigLoaders
+
+  describe Throttled do
+    let(:fake_time) { FakeTime.new 1445898807 }
+
+    it "returns the config returned by the wrapped config loader for given env" do
+      wrapped_config = {
+        "dev" => {"qA,qB" => 1},
+        "prd" => {"qA,qB" => 4}
+      }
+      wrapped_loader = lambda {|env| wrapped_config[env] }
+      throttle = Throttled.new(wrapped_loader)
+
+      throttle.call("prd").should eq({"qA,qB" => 4})
+    end
+
+    it "does not call wrapped loader again until the default period of time has elapsed" do
+      wrapped_loader = TestConfigLoader.new
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = {"qA,qB" => 1}
+
+      throttle = Throttled.new(wrapped_loader, time_source: fake_time)
+      first_call = throttle.call("prd")
+
+      new_config = {"qA,qB" => 22}
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = new_config
+      fake_time.advance_time 6
+      # config changed, but not enough time elapsed
+
+      second_call = throttle.call("prd")
+
+      second_call.should eq(first_call)
+      wrapped_loader.times_called.should == 1
+
+      fake_time.advance_time 6
+      # now, enough time has elapsed to retrieve latest config
+
+      third_call = throttle.call("prd")
+
+      third_call.should_not eq(first_call)
+      third_call.should eq(new_config)
+      wrapped_loader.times_called.should == 2
+
+      # further calls continue to use cached value
+      throttle.call("prd")
+      throttle.call("prd")
+      throttle.call("prd")
+      wrapped_loader.times_called.should == 2
+    end
+
+    it "can specify an alternate cache period" do
+      config0 = {foo: 2, bar: 1}
+      config1 = {bar: 3, baz: 9}
+      config2 = {foo: 4, quux: 1}
+      wrapped_loader = TestConfigLoader.new
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = config0
+      throttle = Throttled.new(
+        wrapped_loader, period: 60, time_source: fake_time
+      )
+      throttle.call("prd").should eq(config0)
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = config1
+      fake_time.advance_time 59
+      throttle.call("prd").should eq(config0)
+      fake_time.advance_time 5
+      throttle.call("prd").should eq(config1)
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = config2
+      fake_time.advance_time 59
+      throttle.call("prd").should eq(config1)
+      fake_time.advance_time 2
+      throttle.call("prd").should eq(config2)
+    end
+
+    it "forces a call to the wrapperd loader after reset! called, even if required time hasn't elapsed" do
+      wrapped_loader = TestConfigLoader.new
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = {"qA,qB" => 1}
+
+      throttle = Throttled.new(wrapped_loader, time_source: fake_time)
+      throttle.call("prd")
+
+      new_config = {"qA,qB" => 22}
+      wrapped_loader.configuration = new_config
+      fake_time.advance_time 6
+      # the 10 second period has *not* elapsed
+
+      throttle.reset!
+
+      second_call = throttle.call("prd")
+
+      second_call.should eq(new_config)
+      wrapped_loader.times_called.should == 2
+    end
+
+    it "delegates reset! to the wrapped_loader, when supported" do
+      wrapped_loader = TestConfigLoader.new
+      throttle = Throttled.new(wrapped_loader)
+
+      wrapped_loader.times_reset.should == 0
+      throttle.reset!
+      wrapped_loader.times_reset.should == 1
+    end
+
+    it "does not delegate reset! to the wrapped_loader when it is not supported" do
+      wrapped_loader = lambda {|env| Hash.new }
+      throttle = Throttled.new(wrapped_loader)
+
+      expect {
+        throttle.reset!
+      }.to_not raise_error
+    end
+
+    class TestConfigLoader
+      attr_accessor :configuration
+      attr_reader :times_called
+      attr_reader :times_reset
+
+      def initialize
+        @times_called = 0
+        @times_reset = 0
+      end
+
+      def call(env)
+        @times_called += 1
+        configuration
+      end
+
+      def reset!
+        @times_reset += 1
+      end
+    end
+
+    class FakeTime
+      attr_reader :now
+
+      def initialize(start_time)
+        @now = start_time
+      end
+
+      def advance_time(seconds)
+        @now += seconds
+      end
+    end
+
+  end
+
+end
diff --git a/spec/resque_pool_spec.rb b/spec/resque_pool_spec.rb
index 405c345..1c1bd56 100644
--- a/spec/resque_pool_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/resque_pool_spec.rb
@@ -248,7 +248,9 @@ module Rails; end
     subject { Resque::Pool.create_configured }
 
     it "created pools use config file and hash loading logic" do
-      subject.config_loader.should be_instance_of Resque::Pool::FileOrHashLoader
+      subject.config_loader.should be_instance_of(
+        Resque::Pool::ConfigLoaders::FileOrHashLoader
+      )
     end
   end