diff --git a/doc/source/reference/drivers/gitlab.rst b/doc/source/reference/drivers/gitlab.rst
index 5e1c156685..c747bbbd3f 100644
--- a/doc/source/reference/drivers/gitlab.rst
+++ b/doc/source/reference/drivers/gitlab.rst
@@ -114,6 +114,13 @@ The supported options in ``zuul.conf`` connections are:
 
       TCP connection keepalive timeout; ``0`` disables.
 
+   .. attr:: disable_connection_pool
+      :default: false
+
+      Connection pooling improves performance and resource usage under
+      normal circumstances, but in adverse network conditions it can
+      be problematic.  Set this to ``true`` to disable.
+
 
 
 Trigger Configuration
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/gitlab-disable-connection-pool-0ad02ef8028d4994.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/gitlab-disable-connection-pool-0ad02ef8028d4994.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4aadd4ee30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/gitlab-disable-connection-pool-0ad02ef8028d4994.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    It is now possible to disable connection pooling in the Gitlab
+    driver with :attr:`<gitlab connection>.disable_connection_pool`.
+    This option may be useful under adverse network conditions.
diff --git a/tests/fixtures/zuul-gitlab-driver-no-pool.conf b/tests/fixtures/zuul-gitlab-driver-no-pool.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7cf788e1ac
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/fixtures/zuul-gitlab-driver-no-pool.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+[gearman]
+server=127.0.0.1
+
+[web]
+status_url=http://zuul.example.com/status/#{change.number},{change.patchset}
+
+[merger]
+git_dir=/tmp/zuul-test/git
+git_user_email=zuul@example.com
+git_user_name=zuul
+
+[executor]
+git_dir=/tmp/zuul-test/executor-git
+
+[connection gitlab]
+driver=gitlab
+server=gitlab
+api_token=0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
+disable_connection_pool=true
+
+[database]
+dburi=$MYSQL_FIXTURE_DBURI$
+
+[connection gitlab2]
+driver=gitlab
+server=gitlabtwo
+api_token=2222
+cloneurl=http://myusername:2222@gitlab
+
+[connection gitlab3]
+driver=gitlab
+server=gitlabthree
+api_token_name=tokenname3
+api_token=3333
+cloneurl=http://myusername:2222@gitlabthree
+
+[connection gitlab4]
+driver=gitlab
+server=gitlabfour
+api_token_name=tokenname4
+api_token=444
+
+[connection gitlab5]
+driver=gitlab
+server=gitlabfive
+api_token_name=tokenname5
+api_token=555
+cloneurl=http://gitlabfivvve
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_gitlab_driver.py b/tests/unit/test_gitlab_driver.py
index d395216a84..1444f9a9be 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_gitlab_driver.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_gitlab_driver.py
@@ -1089,3 +1089,44 @@ class TestGitlabUnprotectedBranches(ZuulTestCase):
                                           old_sha=new_sha,
                                           new_sha='0' * 40,
                                           removed_files=['zuul.yaml'])
+
+
+class TestGitlabDriverNoPool(ZuulTestCase):
+    config_file = 'zuul-gitlab-driver-no-pool.conf'
+
+    @simple_layout('layouts/basic-gitlab.yaml', driver='gitlab')
+    def test_merge_request_opened(self):
+
+        description = "This is the\nMR description."
+        A = self.fake_gitlab.openFakeMergeRequest(
+            'org/project', 'master', 'A', description=description)
+        self.fake_gitlab.emitEvent(
+            A.getMergeRequestOpenedEvent(), project='org/project')
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        self.assertEqual('SUCCESS',
+                         self.getJobFromHistory('project-test1').result)
+
+        self.assertEqual('SUCCESS',
+                         self.getJobFromHistory('project-test2').result)
+
+        job = self.getJobFromHistory('project-test2')
+        zuulvars = job.parameters['zuul']
+        self.assertEqual(str(A.number), zuulvars['change'])
+        self.assertEqual(str(A.sha), zuulvars['patchset'])
+        self.assertEqual('master', zuulvars['branch'])
+        self.assertEquals(f'{self.fake_gitlab._test_baseurl}/'
+                          'org/project/merge_requests/1',
+                          zuulvars['items'][0]['change_url'])
+        self.assertEqual(zuulvars["message"], strings.b64encode(description))
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(self.history))
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(A.notes))
+        self.assertEqual(
+            A.notes[0]['body'], "Starting check jobs.")
+        self.assertThat(
+            A.notes[1]['body'],
+            MatchesRegex(r'.*project-test1.*SUCCESS.*', re.DOTALL))
+        self.assertThat(
+            A.notes[1]['body'],
+            MatchesRegex(r'.*project-test2.*SUCCESS.*', re.DOTALL))
+        self.assertTrue(A.approved)
diff --git a/zuul/driver/gitlab/gitlabconnection.py b/zuul/driver/gitlab/gitlabconnection.py
index 7589474c8c..d409815622 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/gitlab/gitlabconnection.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/gitlab/gitlabconnection.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ from zuul.connection import CachedBranchConnection, ZKChangeCacheMixin
 from zuul.web.handler import BaseWebController
 from zuul.lib.http import ZuulHTTPAdapter
 from zuul.lib.logutil import get_annotated_logger
+from zuul.lib.config import any_to_bool
 from zuul.exceptions import MergeFailure
 from zuul.model import Branch, Project, Ref, Tag
 from zuul.driver.gitlab.gitlabmodel import GitlabTriggerEvent, MergeRequest
@@ -255,18 +256,34 @@ class GitlabAPIClientException(Exception):
 class GitlabAPIClient():
     log = logging.getLogger("zuul.GitlabAPIClient")
 
-    def __init__(self, baseurl, api_token, keepalive):
-        self.session = requests.Session()
-        retry = urllib3.util.Retry(total=8,
-                                   backoff_factor=0.1)
-        adapter = ZuulHTTPAdapter(keepalive=keepalive,
-                                  max_retries=retry)
-        self.session.mount(baseurl, adapter)
+    def __init__(self, baseurl, api_token, keepalive, disable_pool):
+        self._session = None
+        self._orig_baseurl = baseurl
         self.baseurl = '%s/api/v4' % baseurl
         self.api_token = api_token
+        self.keepalive = keepalive
+        self.disable_pool = disable_pool
         self.headers = {'Authorization': 'Bearer %s' % (
             self.api_token)}
 
+        if not self.disable_pool:
+            self._session = self._makeSession()
+
+    def _makeSession(self):
+        session = requests.Session()
+        retry = urllib3.util.Retry(total=8,
+                                   backoff_factor=0.1)
+        adapter = ZuulHTTPAdapter(keepalive=self.keepalive,
+                                  max_retries=retry)
+        session.mount(self._orig_baseurl, adapter)
+        return session
+
+    @property
+    def session(self):
+        if self.disable_pool:
+            return self._makeSession()
+        return self._session
+
     def _manage_error(self, data, code, url, verb, zuul_event_id=None):
         if code < 400:
             return
@@ -442,9 +459,11 @@ class GitlabConnection(ZKChangeCacheMixin, CachedBranchConnection):
         self.api_token = self.connection_config.get(
             'api_token', '')
         self.keepalive = self.connection_config.get('keepalive', 60)
+        self.disable_pool = any_to_bool(self.connection_config.get(
+            'disable_connection_pool', False))
 
         self.gl_client = GitlabAPIClient(self.baseurl, self.api_token,
-                                         self.keepalive)
+                                         self.keepalive, self.disable_pool)
         self.sched = None
         self.source = driver.getSource(self)
 
diff --git a/zuul/lib/config.py b/zuul/lib/config.py
index 867e8a789e..a8bf2ead2d 100644
--- a/zuul/lib/config.py
+++ b/zuul/lib/config.py
@@ -28,3 +28,10 @@ def get_default(config, section, option, default=None, expand_user=False):
     if expand_user and value:
         return os.path.expanduser(value)
     return value
+
+
+def any_to_bool(val):
+    val = str(val)
+    if val.lower() in ('1', 'on', 'yes', 'true'):
+        return True
+    return False