diff --git a/debian/aptly-api.default b/debian/aptly-api.default
index a407ec52..5950dde4 100644
--- a/debian/aptly-api.default
+++ b/debian/aptly-api.default
@@ -1,2 +1,8 @@
-# Default settings for aptly-api
+# Default settings for aptly-api systemd service
+
+# bind to host:port
 LISTEN_ADDRESS='localhost:8080'
+
+# aptly options:
+#   -no-lock        allow aptly commands in parallel with api service (no global database lock, but lock per request)
+APTLY_OPTIONS="-no-lock"
diff --git a/debian/aptly-api.service b/debian/aptly-api.service
index 5e447ace..16d6383c 100644
--- a/debian/aptly-api.service
+++ b/debian/aptly-api.service
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ Group=aptly-api
 Environment=TERM=dumb
 WorkingDirectory=~
 EnvironmentFile=/etc/default/aptly-api
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/aptly api serve -config=/etc/aptly.conf -no-lock -listen=${LISTEN_ADDRESS}
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/aptly api serve -config=/etc/aptly.conf ${APTLY_OPTIONS} -listen=${LISTEN_ADDRESS}
+LimitNOFILE=32768
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target