diff --git a/doc/worker/config.rst b/doc/worker/config.rst
index 57e2a99e..4b927f4d 100644
--- a/doc/worker/config.rst
+++ b/doc/worker/config.rst
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ Command Line Options
       The number of seconds to sleep between statistics polling of the
       load balancer driver. Default is 300 seconds.
 
+   .. option:: --gearman-poll <SECONDS>
+
+      The number of seconds gearman will poll before re-shuffling its 
+      connections. Default is 60 seconds.
+      
    .. option:: --syslog
 
       Send log events to syslog.
diff --git a/etc/sample_libra.cfg b/etc/sample_libra.cfg
index 38c9077e..9b25fa46 100644
--- a/etc/sample_libra.cfg
+++ b/etc/sample_libra.cfg
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ group = libra
 driver = haproxy
 reconnect_sleep = 60
 stats_poll = 300
+gearman_poll = 60
 server = 10.0.0.1:8080 10.0.0.2:8080
 pid = /var/run/libra/libra_worker.pid
 logfile = /var/log/libra/libra_worker.log
diff --git a/libra/worker/main.py b/libra/worker/main.py
index dc9848e9..962f7353 100644
--- a/libra/worker/main.py
+++ b/libra/worker/main.py
@@ -101,6 +101,11 @@ def main():
         '--stats-poll', dest='stats_poll', type=int, metavar='TIME',
         default=300, help='statistics polling interval in seconds'
     )
+    options.parser.add_argument(
+        '--gearman-poll',
+        dest='gearman_poll', type=int, metavar='TIME',
+        default=60, help='Gearman worker polling timeout'
+    )
     args = options.run()
 
     if not args.server:
diff --git a/libra/worker/worker.py b/libra/worker/worker.py
index ccf8283d..c95b1481 100644
--- a/libra/worker/worker.py
+++ b/libra/worker/worker.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def config_thread(logger, driver, args):
 
     while (retry):
         try:
-            worker.work()
+            worker.work(args.gearman_poll)
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
             retry = False
         except gearman.errors.ServerUnavailable: