diff --git a/doc/guide.html b/doc/guide.html
index ca79772d5..60d233f43 100644
--- a/doc/guide.html
+++ b/doc/guide.html
@@ -690,6 +690,12 @@ Handles incoming HTTP connections.<BR>
 </P><DL CLASS="description"><DT CLASS="dt-description">
 <B><TT>{access, AccessName}</TT></B></DT><DD CLASS="dd-description"> This option defines
 access to the port. The default value is <TT>all</TT>.
+</DD><DT CLASS="dt-description"><B><TT>{backlog, Value}</TT></B></DT><DD CLASS="dd-description"> The backlog value
+defines the maximum length that the queue of pending connections may
+grow to. This should be increased if the server is going to handle
+lots of new incoming connections as they may be dropped if there is
+no space in the queue (and ejabberd was not able to accept them
+immediately). Default value is 5.
 </DD><DT CLASS="dt-description"><B><TT>{certfile, Path}</TT></B></DT><DD CLASS="dd-description"> Full path to a file containing the default SSL certificate.
 To define a certificate file specific for a given domain, use the global option <TT>domain_certfile</TT>.
 </DD><DT CLASS="dt-description"><B><TT>{service_check_from, true|false}</TT></B></DT><DD CLASS="dd-description"> 
diff --git a/doc/guide.tex b/doc/guide.tex
index 4a34e4601..2f3c2171a 100644
--- a/doc/guide.tex
+++ b/doc/guide.tex
@@ -823,6 +823,12 @@ This is a detailed description of each option allowed by the listening modules:
 \begin{description}
   \titem{\{access, AccessName\}} \ind{options!access}This option defines
     access to the port. The default value is \term{all}.
+  \titem{\{backlog, Value\}} \ind{options!backlog}The backlog value
+    defines the maximum length that the queue of pending connections may
+    grow to. This should be increased if the server is going to handle
+    lots of new incoming connections as they may be dropped if there is
+    no space in the queue (and ejabberd was not able to accept them
+    immediately). Default value is 5.
   \titem{\{certfile, Path\}} Full path to a file containing the default SSL certificate.
     To define a certificate file specific for a given domain, use the global option \term{domain\_certfile}.
   \titem{\{service\_check\_from, true|false\}} \ind{options!service\_check\_from}
diff --git a/src/ejabberd_listener.erl b/src/ejabberd_listener.erl
index 26167351f..fa1209626 100644
--- a/src/ejabberd_listener.erl
+++ b/src/ejabberd_listener.erl
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ init(PortIP, Module, RawOpts) ->
     SockOpts = lists:filter(fun({ip, _}) -> true;
 			       (inet6) -> true;
 			       (inet) -> true;
+			       ({backlog, _}) -> true;
 			       (_) -> false
 			    end, Opts),
     if Proto == udp ->