diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 097fc0c..81e4821 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -149,6 +149,28 @@ ENV NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES auto
 COPY ./app /app
 ```
 
+## Custom Nginx maximum connections per worker
+
+By default, Nginx will start with a maximum limit of 1024 connections per worker.
+
+If you want to set a different number you can use the environment variable `NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS`, e.g:
+
+```Dockerfile
+ENV NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS 2048
+```
+
+It cannot exceed the current limit on the maximum number of open files. See how to configure it in the next section.
+
+## Custom Nginx maximum open files
+
+The number connections per Nginx worker cannot exceed the limit on the maximum number of open files.
+
+You can change the limit of open files with the environment variable `NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES`, e.g.:
+
+```Dockerfile
+ENV NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES 2048
+```
+
 ## What's new
 
 <!-- 
diff --git a/python2.7-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh b/python2.7-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh
index 3d464a7..ac45505 100644
--- a/python2.7-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/python2.7-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@ USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES=${NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES:-1}
 # Modify the number of worker processes in Nginx config
 sed -i "/worker_processes\s/c\worker_processes ${USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
 
+# Set the max number of connections per worker for Nginx, if requested
+# Cannot exceed worker_rlimit_nofile, see NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES below
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS ]] ; then
+    sed -i "/worker_connections\s/c\    worker_connections ${NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
+# Set the max number of open file descriptors for Nginx workers, if requested
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES ]] ; then
+    echo "worker_rlimit_nofile ${NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES};" >> /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
 # Get the listen port for Nginx, default to 80
 USE_LISTEN_PORT=${LISTEN_PORT:-80}
 # Modify Nginx config for listen port
diff --git a/python2.7/entrypoint.sh b/python2.7/entrypoint.sh
index 9a6085f..a8cf7d3 100644
--- a/python2.7/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/python2.7/entrypoint.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES=${NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES:-1}
 # Modify the number of worker processes in Nginx config
 sed -i "/worker_processes\s/c\worker_processes ${USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
 
+# Set the max number of connections per worker for Nginx, if requested
+# Cannot exceed worker_rlimit_nofile, see NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES below
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS ]] ; then
+    sed -i "/worker_connections\s/c\    worker_connections ${NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
+# Set the max number of open file descriptors for Nginx workers, if requested
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES ]] ; then
+    echo "worker_rlimit_nofile ${NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES};" >> /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
 # Get the listen port for Nginx, default to 80
 USE_LISTEN_PORT=${LISTEN_PORT:-80}
 # Modify Nignx config for listen port
diff --git a/python3.5/entrypoint.sh b/python3.5/entrypoint.sh
index 9a6085f..a8cf7d3 100644
--- a/python3.5/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/python3.5/entrypoint.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES=${NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES:-1}
 # Modify the number of worker processes in Nginx config
 sed -i "/worker_processes\s/c\worker_processes ${USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
 
+# Set the max number of connections per worker for Nginx, if requested
+# Cannot exceed worker_rlimit_nofile, see NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES below
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS ]] ; then
+    sed -i "/worker_connections\s/c\    worker_connections ${NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
+# Set the max number of open file descriptors for Nginx workers, if requested
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES ]] ; then
+    echo "worker_rlimit_nofile ${NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES};" >> /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
 # Get the listen port for Nginx, default to 80
 USE_LISTEN_PORT=${LISTEN_PORT:-80}
 # Modify Nignx config for listen port
diff --git a/python3.6-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh b/python3.6-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh
index e72456a..890e4d0 100644
--- a/python3.6-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/python3.6-alpine3.7/entrypoint.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@ USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES=${NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES:-1}
 # Modify the number of worker processes in Nginx config
 sed -i "/worker_processes\s/c\worker_processes ${USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
 
+# Set the max number of connections per worker for Nginx, if requested
+# Cannot exceed worker_rlimit_nofile, see NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES below
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS ]] ; then
+    sed -i "/worker_connections\s/c\    worker_connections ${NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
+# Set the max number of open file descriptors for Nginx workers, if requested
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES ]] ; then
+    echo "worker_rlimit_nofile ${NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES};" >> /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
 # Get the listen port for Nginx, default to 80
 USE_LISTEN_PORT=${LISTEN_PORT:-80}
 # Modify Nignx config for listen port
diff --git a/python3.6/entrypoint.sh b/python3.6/entrypoint.sh
index 9a6085f..fc1ddaf 100644
--- a/python3.6/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/python3.6/entrypoint.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,17 @@ USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES=${NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES:-1}
 # Modify the number of worker processes in Nginx config
 sed -i "/worker_processes\s/c\worker_processes ${USE_NGINX_WORKER_PROCESSES};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
 
+# Set the max number of connections per worker for Nginx, if requested 
+# Cannot exceed worker_rlimit_nofile, see NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES below
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS ]] ; then
+    sed -i "/worker_connections\s/c\    worker_connections ${NGINX_WORKER_CONNECTIONS};" /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
+# Set the max number of open file descriptors for Nginx workers, if requested
+if [[ -v NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES ]] ; then
+    echo "worker_rlimit_nofile ${NGINX_WORKER_OPEN_FILES};" >> /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
+fi
+
 # Get the listen port for Nginx, default to 80
 USE_LISTEN_PORT=${LISTEN_PORT:-80}
 # Modify Nignx config for listen port