diff --git a/spec/replication_spec.cr b/spec/replication_spec.cr
index e3851c52d0..13ca66f07b 100644
--- a/spec/replication_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/replication_spec.cr
@@ -65,3 +65,133 @@ describe LavinMQ::Replication::Client do
     end
   end
 end
+
+describe LavinMQ::Replication::Server do
+  data_dir = "/tmp/lavinmq-follower"
+
+  before_each do
+    FileUtils.rm_rf data_dir
+    Dir.mkdir_p data_dir
+    File.write File.join(data_dir, ".replication_secret"), Server.@replicator.@password, 0o400
+    Server.vhosts["/"].declare_queue("repli", true, false)
+  end
+
+  after_each do
+    FileUtils.rm_rf data_dir
+  end
+
+  it "should shut down gracefully" do
+    repli = LavinMQ::Replication::Client.new(data_dir)
+    3.times do
+      spawn do
+        repli.follow("127.0.0.1", LavinMQ::Config.instance.replication_port)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "min_followers" do
+    before_each do
+      LavinMQ::Config.instance.min_followers = 1
+    end
+
+    after_each do
+      LavinMQ::Config.instance.min_followers = 0
+    end
+    it "should publish when min_followers is fulfilled" do
+      q = Server.vhosts["/"].queues["repli"].as(LavinMQ::Queue)
+      repli = LavinMQ::Replication::Client.new(data_dir)
+      spawn do
+        repli.follow("127.0.0.1", LavinMQ::Config.instance.replication_port)
+      end
+      with_channel do |ch|
+        ch.basic_publish "hello world", "", "repli"
+      end
+      q.basic_get(true) { }.should be_true
+      repli.close
+    end
+
+    it "should not publish when min_followers is not fulfilled" do
+      done = Channel(Nil).new
+      client : AMQP::Client::Connection? = nil
+      spawn do
+        with_channel do |ch, conn|
+          client = conn
+          q = ch.queue("repli")
+          q.publish_confirm "hello world"
+          done.send nil
+        end
+      end
+      select
+      when done.receive
+        fail "Should not receive message"
+      when timeout(0.1.seconds)
+        # ugly hack to release replicator from waiting for lag
+        repli = LavinMQ::Replication::Client.new(data_dir)
+        done = Channel(Nil).new
+        spawn do
+          repli.follow("127.0.0.1", LavinMQ::Config.instance.replication_port)
+          done.send nil
+        end
+        done.receive
+        client.try &.close(no_wait: true)
+        repli.try &.close
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "max_lag" do
+    before_each do
+      LavinMQ::Config.instance.max_lag = 1
+    end
+
+    after_each do
+      LavinMQ::Config.instance.max_lag = nil
+    end
+
+    it "should publish when max_lag is not reached" do
+      LavinMQ::Config.instance.max_lag = 10000
+      q = Server.vhosts["/"].queues["repli"].as(LavinMQ::Queue)
+      repli = LavinMQ::Replication::Client.new(data_dir)
+      spawn do
+        repli.follow("127.0.0.1", LavinMQ::Config.instance.replication_port)
+      end
+      with_channel do |ch|
+        ch.basic_publish "hello world", "", "repli"
+      end
+      q.basic_get(true) { }.should be_true
+      repli.close
+    end
+
+    it "should not publish when max_lag is reached" do
+      Server.vhosts["/"].declare_queue("test123", true, false)
+      repli = LavinMQ::Replication::Client.new(data_dir)
+      done = Channel(Nil).new
+      spawn(name: "repli_sync") do
+        repli.sync("127.0.0.1", LavinMQ::Config.instance.replication_port, true)
+        done.send nil
+      end
+      done.receive
+
+      client : AMQP::Client::Connection? = nil
+      spawn(name: "with_channel") do
+        with_channel do |ch, conn|
+          client = conn
+          ch.basic_publish_confirm "hello world", "", "test123"
+          ch.basic_publish_confirm "hello world2", "", "test123"
+          done.send nil
+        rescue e
+        end
+      end
+
+      select
+      when done.receive
+        fail "should not receive mssage"
+      when timeout(1.seconds)
+        Server.vhosts["/"].queues["test123"].message_count.should eq 1
+      end
+    ensure
+      client.try &.close(no_wait: true)
+      repli.try &.close
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.cr b/spec/spec_helper.cr
index c395a9dbf1..b766a76df4 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.cr
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.cr
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def with_channel(file = __FILE__, line = __LINE__, **args, &)
   args = {port: LavinMQ::Config.instance.amqp_port, name: name}.merge(args)
   conn = AMQP::Client.new(**args).connect
   ch = conn.channel
-  yield ch
+  yield ch, conn
 ensure
   conn.try &.close(no_wait: false)
 end
@@ -160,6 +160,11 @@ start_http_server
 Spec.after_each do
   Server.stop
   FileUtils.rm_rf("/tmp/lavinmq-spec")
+end
+
+Spec.before_each do
+  Server.stop
+  FileUtils.rm_rf("/tmp/lavinmq-spec")
   Server.restart
 end
 
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/config.cr b/src/lavinmq/config.cr
index de1cdc8d4b..1ac4999f09 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/config.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/config.cr
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ module LavinMQ
     property max_deleted_definitions = 8192 # number of deleted queues, unbinds etc that compacts the definitions file
     property consumer_timeout : UInt64? = nil
     property consumer_timeout_loop_interval = 60 # seconds
+    property min_followers : Int64 = 0
+    property max_lag : Int64? = nil
     @@instance : Config = self.new
 
     def self.instance : LavinMQ::Config
@@ -141,6 +143,8 @@ module LavinMQ
         when "systemd_socket_name" then @amqp_systemd_socket_name = v
         when "unix_proxy_protocol" then @unix_proxy_protocol = true?(v) ? 1u8 : v.to_u8? || 0u8
         when "tcp_proxy_protocol"  then @tcp_proxy_protocol = true?(v) ? 1u8 : v.to_u8? || 0u8
+        when "min_followers"       then @min_followers = v.to_i64
+        when "max_lag"             then @max_lag = v.to_i64
         else
           STDERR.puts "WARNING: Unrecognized configuration 'amqp/#{config}'"
         end
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/http/controller/nodes.cr b/src/lavinmq/http/controller/nodes.cr
index 01d42ae489..648e7a08e4 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/http/controller/nodes.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/http/controller/nodes.cr
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ module LavinMQ
           run_queue:          0,
           sockets_used:       @amqp_server.vhosts.sum { |_, v| v.connections.size },
           followers:          @amqp_server.followers,
+          max_lag:            LavinMQ::Config.instance.max_lag,
         }
       end
 
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/replication/client.cr b/src/lavinmq/replication/client.cr
index 67881cba70..d46f9ba9d9 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/replication/client.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/replication/client.cr
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ module LavinMQ
       @data_dir_lock : DataDirLock?
       @closed = false
 
-      def initialize(@data_dir : String)
+      def initialize(@data_dir : String, pwd : String? = nil)
         System.maximize_fd_limit
         @socket = TCPSocket.new
         @socket.sync = true
         @socket.read_buffering = false
         @lz4 = Compress::LZ4::Reader.new(@socket)
-        @password = password
+        @password = pwd || password
         @files = Hash(String, File).new do |h, k|
           path = File.join(@data_dir, k)
           Dir.mkdir_p File.dirname(path)
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/replication/follower.cr b/src/lavinmq/replication/follower.cr
index 0c35da4fd6..8c085a23dc 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/replication/follower.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/replication/follower.cr
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module LavinMQ
   module Replication
     class Follower
       Log = ::Log.for(self)
-
+      @ack = Channel(Int64).new
       @acked_bytes = 0_i64
       @sent_bytes = 0_i64
       @actions = Channel(Action).new(4096)
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@ module LavinMQ
         spawn action_loop, name: "Follower#action_loop"
         loop do
           read_ack(socket)
+          if max_lag = Config.instance.max_lag
+            if lag < max_lag
+              @ack.try_send lag
+            end
+          end
         end
       rescue IO::Error
       end
@@ -55,6 +60,15 @@ module LavinMQ
         @acked_bytes += len
       end
 
+      def wait_for_max_lag
+        if max_lag = Config.instance.max_lag
+          current_lag = lag
+          until current_lag < max_lag
+            break unless current_lag = @ack.receive?
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
       private def action_loop(socket = @lz4)
         while action = @actions.receive?
           action.send(socket)
@@ -157,6 +171,7 @@ module LavinMQ
         Log.info { "Disconnected" }
         wait_for_sync if synced_close
         @actions.close
+        @ack.close
         @lz4.close
         @socket.close
       rescue IO::Error
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/replication/server.cr b/src/lavinmq/replication/server.cr
index c285631f90..a0ad1710bf 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/replication/server.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/replication/server.cr
@@ -24,13 +24,15 @@ module LavinMQ
       include FileIndex
       include Replicator
       Log = ::Log.for("replication")
+      getter followers_changed = Channel(Nil).new
+      getter? closing
       @lock = Mutex.new(:unchecked)
       @followers = Array(Follower).new
       @password : String
       @files = Hash(String, MFile?).new
+      @closing = false
 
-      def initialize
-        @password = password
+      def initialize(@password = password)
         @tcp = TCPServer.new
         @tcp.sync = false
         @tcp.reuse_address = true
@@ -59,11 +61,19 @@ module LavinMQ
 
       def append(path : String, obj)
         Log.debug { "appending #{obj} to #{path}" }
+        unless closing?
+          wait_for_min_followers
+          wait_for_max_lag
+        end
         each_follower &.append(path, obj)
       end
 
       def delete_file(path : String)
         @files.delete(path)
+        unless closing?
+          wait_for_min_followers
+          wait_for_max_lag
+        end
         each_follower &.delete(path)
       end
 
@@ -106,6 +116,21 @@ module LavinMQ
         end
       end
 
+      def wait_for_min_followers
+        return unless min_followers = Config.instance.min_followers
+        until closing? || @followers.size >= min_followers
+          @followers_changed.receive
+        end
+      end
+
+      def wait_for_max_lag
+        return unless Config.instance.max_lag
+        each_follower do |f|
+          f.wait_for_max_lag
+        end
+      rescue Channel::ClosedError
+      end
+
       private def password : String
         path = File.join(Config.instance.data_dir, ".replication_secret")
         begin
@@ -143,13 +168,8 @@ module LavinMQ
           follower.full_sync
           @followers << follower
         end
-        begin
-          follower.read_acks
-        ensure
-          @lock.synchronize do
-            @followers.delete(follower)
-          end
-        end
+        followers_changed.try_send nil
+        follower.read_acks
       rescue ex : AuthenticationError
         Log.warn { "Follower negotiation error" }
       rescue ex : InvalidStartHeaderError
@@ -160,9 +180,14 @@ module LavinMQ
         Log.warn(exception: ex) { "Follower connection error" } unless socket.closed?
       ensure
         follower.try &.close
+        @lock.synchronize do
+          @followers.delete(follower)
+        end
+        followers_changed.try_send nil
       end
 
       def close
+        Log.debug { "closing" }
         @tcp.close
         @lock.synchronize do
           done = Channel({Follower, Bool}).new
@@ -175,9 +200,16 @@ module LavinMQ
           end
           @followers.clear
         end
+        @followers_changed.close
+        Log.debug { "closed" }
         Fiber.yield # required for follower/listener fibers to actually finish
       end
 
+      def closing
+        @closing = true
+        @followers_changed.try_send? nil
+      end
+
       private def each_follower(& : Follower -> Nil) : Nil
         @lock.synchronize do
           @followers.each do |f|
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/server.cr b/src/lavinmq/server.cr
index 411e4fad53..6c643999b7 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/server.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/server.cr
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ module LavinMQ
     def restart
       stop
       Dir.mkdir_p @data_dir
+      # @replicator = Replication::Server.new
       Schema.migrate(@data_dir, @replicator)
       @users = UserStore.new(@data_dir, @replicator)
       @vhosts = VHostStore.new(@data_dir, @users, @replicator)
@@ -171,10 +172,12 @@ module LavinMQ
 
     def close
       @closed = true
+      @replicator.closing
       @log.debug { "Closing listeners" }
       @listeners.each_key &.close
       @log.debug { "Closing vhosts" }
       @vhosts.close
+      @log.debug { "Closing replicator" }
       @replicator.close
     end
 
diff --git a/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr b/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr
index 62f3924b39..29e0028cc1 100644
--- a/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr
+++ b/src/lavinmq/vhost.cr
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ module LavinMQ
       headers = msg.properties.headers
       find_all_queues(ex, msg.routing_key, headers, visited, found_queues)
       headers.delete("BCC") if headers
+
       if found_queues.empty?
         ex.unroutable_count += 1
         return false
@@ -456,8 +457,11 @@ module LavinMQ
         sleep 0.1
       end
       # then force close the remaining (close tcp socket)
+      @log.debug { "force closing connection" } unless connections.empty?
+
       @connections.each &.force_close
       Fiber.yield # yield so that Client read_loops can shutdown
+      @log.debug { "Closing queues" }
       @queues.each_value &.close
       Fiber.yield
       compact!
diff --git a/static/js/nodes.js b/static/js/nodes.js
index c90db1e3c2..ee9accff6a 100644
--- a/static/js/nodes.js
+++ b/static/js/nodes.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ function render (data) {
   document.querySelector('#version').textContent = data[0].applications[0].version
   for (const node of data) {
     updateDetails(node)
+    updateFollowerSettings(node)
     updateStats(node)
   }
 }
@@ -72,6 +73,11 @@ const updateDetails = (nodeStats) => {
   document.getElementById('tr-disk').textContent = diskUsage
 }
 
+const updateFollowerSettings = (nodeStats) => {
+  document.getElementById('tr-max-lag').textContent = nodeStats.max_lag || 'No max_lag value specified'
+  document.getElementById('tr-min-followers').textContent = nodeStats.min_followers
+}
+
 const stats = [
   {
     heading: 'Connection',
diff --git a/views/nodes.ecr b/views/nodes.ecr
index f3e9b96b9b..bcd073cbe4 100644
--- a/views/nodes.ecr
+++ b/views/nodes.ecr
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
         <h3>Queue churn</h3>
         <div class="chart-container" id="queueChurnChart"></div>
       </section>
-      <section class="card">
+      <section class="card cols-10">
         <h3>
           Followers
           <small id="followers-count"></small>
@@ -94,6 +94,18 @@
           </table>
         </div>
       </section>
+      <section class="card cols-2">
+        <h3>Follower Settings</h3>
+        <table class="details-table">
+          <tr>
+            <th>Minimum amount of followers</th>
+            <td id="tr-min-followers"></td>
+          </tr>
+          <tr>
+            <th>Maximum amount of lag</th>
+            <td id="tr-max-lag"></td>
+          </tr>
+        </table>
     </main>
     <% render "footer" %>
   </body>