diff --git a/database/mysql.go b/database/mysql.go
index 3a668716..8ac479f3 100644
--- a/database/mysql.go
+++ b/database/mysql.go
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ package database
 
 import (
 	"database/sql"
+	"time"
 
 	_ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
 	"github.com/lithammer/shortuuid/v3"
 	"github.com/mritd/logger"
 )
 
-type MySQL struct {
-}
+type MySQL struct{}
 
 var mysqlDB *sql.DB
 
@@ -24,12 +24,16 @@ const (
 		") ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8mb4"
 )
 
-func NewMySQL(dsn string) Database {
+func NewMySQL(dsn string, maxConns int) Database {
 	db, err := sql.Open("mysql", dsn)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Fatalf("failed to open database connection (%s): %v", dsn, err)
 	}
 
+	db.SetMaxOpenConns(maxConns)
+	db.SetMaxIdleConns(maxConns)
+	db.SetConnMaxLifetime(time.Minute * 3)
+
 	_, err = db.Exec(dbSchema)
 	if err != nil {
 		logger.Fatalf("failed to init database schema(%s): %v", dbSchema, err)
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 5dde5ac2..4794d3ff 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -57,6 +57,12 @@ func main() {
 				EnvVars: []string{"BARK_SERVER_DSN"},
 				Value:   "",
 			},
+			&cli.IntFlag{
+				Name:    "mysql-max-open-conns",
+				Usage:   "mysql max open connections",
+				EnvVars: []string{"BARK_SERVER_MYSQL_MAX_OPEN_CONNS"},
+				Value:   20,
+			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:    "serverless",
 				Usage:   "serverless mode",
@@ -192,7 +198,7 @@ func main() {
 				// use system environment variable.
 				db = database.NewEnvBase()
 			} else if dsn := c.String("dsn"); dsn != "" {
-				db = database.NewMySQL(dsn)
+				db = database.NewMySQL(dsn, c.Int("mysql-max-open-conns"))
 			} else {
 				db = database.NewBboltdb(c.String("data"))
 			}