diff --git a/src/gvmd.c b/src/gvmd.c
index a07e1f953..c5d73a51b 100644
--- a/src/gvmd.c
+++ b/src/gvmd.c
@@ -1886,6 +1886,7 @@ gvmd (int argc, char** argv, char *env[])
   static gchar *broker_address = NULL;
   static gchar *feed_lock_path = NULL;
   static int feed_lock_timeout = 0;
+  static int vt_ref_insert_size = VT_REF_INSERT_SIZE_DEFAULT;
   static gchar *vt_verification_collation = NULL;
 
   GString *full_disable_commands = g_string_new ("");
@@ -2210,6 +2211,11 @@ gvmd (int argc, char** argv, char *env[])
           &print_version,
           "Print version and exit.",
           NULL },
+        { "vt-ref-insert-size", '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_INT,
+          &vt_ref_insert_size,
+          "Max number of VT refs to insert per statement during VT update,"
+          " 0 for unlimited, default: "
+          G_STRINGIFY (VT_REF_INSERT_SIZE_DEFAULT), "<number>" },
         { "vt-verification-collation", '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,
           &vt_verification_collation,
           "Set collation for VT verification to <collation>, omit or leave"
@@ -2293,10 +2299,12 @@ gvmd (int argc, char** argv, char *env[])
   /* Set the connection auto retry */
   set_scanner_connection_retry (scanner_connection_retry);
 
-  /* Set SecInfo update commit size */
+  /* Set SQL sizes */
 
   set_secinfo_commit_size (secinfo_commit_size);
 
+  set_vt_ref_insert_size (vt_ref_insert_size);
+
   /* Set VT verification collation override */
   set_vt_verification_collation (vt_verification_collation);
 
diff --git a/src/manage_sql_nvts.c b/src/manage_sql_nvts.c
index 956a4a495..9cd32cb35 100644
--- a/src/manage_sql_nvts.c
+++ b/src/manage_sql_nvts.c
@@ -50,13 +50,6 @@
  */
 #define G_LOG_DOMAIN "md manage"
 
-/**
- * @brief Rows per statement when inserting VT refs for update/rebuild.
- *
- * There are about 500k vt_refs.
- */
-#define VT_REFS_BATCH_SIZE 50000
-
 
 /* Headers from backend specific manage_xxx.c file. */
 
@@ -66,6 +59,11 @@ create_tables_nvt (const gchar *);
 
 /* NVT related global options */
 
+/**
+ * @brief Max number of rows inserted per statement.
+ */
+static int vt_ref_insert_size = VT_REF_INSERT_SIZE_DEFAULT;
+
 /**
  * @brief File socket for OSP NVT update.
  */
@@ -129,6 +127,20 @@ check_osp_vt_update_socket ()
 
 /* NVT's. */
 
+/**
+ * @brief Set the VT ref insert size.
+ *
+ * @param new_size  New size.
+ */
+void
+set_vt_ref_insert_size (int new_size)
+{
+  if (new_size < 0)
+    vt_ref_insert_size = 0;
+  else
+    vt_ref_insert_size = new_size;
+}
+
 /**
  * @brief Ensures the sanity of nvts cache in DB.
  */
@@ -1721,7 +1733,7 @@ update_nvts_from_vts (element_t *get_vts_response,
      * To solve both cases, we remove all nvt_preferences. */
     sql ("TRUNCATE nvt_preferences;");
 
-  vt_refs_batch = batch_start (VT_REFS_BATCH_SIZE);
+  vt_refs_batch = batch_start (vt_ref_insert_size);
   vt = element_first_child (vts);
   while (vt)
     {
diff --git a/src/manage_sql_nvts.h b/src/manage_sql_nvts.h
index 2e58fb6f4..117b2a779 100644
--- a/src/manage_sql_nvts.h
+++ b/src/manage_sql_nvts.h
@@ -97,6 +97,14 @@
    { NULL, NULL, KEYWORD_TYPE_UNKNOWN }                                     \
  }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Default for vt_ref_insert_size.
+ */
+#define VT_REF_INSERT_SIZE_DEFAULT 50000
+
+void
+set_vt_ref_insert_size (int);
+
 const char *
 get_osp_vt_update_socket ();