diff --git a/roles/koschei/backend/templates/config-backend.cfg.j2 b/roles/koschei/backend/templates/config-backend.cfg.j2
index ae6cc00ea7..339d3e4e27 100644
--- a/roles/koschei/backend/templates/config-backend.cfg.j2
+++ b/roles/koschei/backend/templates/config-backend.cfg.j2
@@ -19,7 +19,11 @@ config = {
             "ca": "/etc/koschei/fedora-ca.cert",
             "serverca": "/etc/koschei/fedora-ca.cert",
         },
+        {% if env == 'staging' %}
+        "max_builds": 4,
+        {% else %}
         "max_builds": 40,
+        {% endif %}
         "build_arches": ['i386', 'x86_64', 'armhfp'],
         "load_threshold": 0.65,
         "task_priority": 30,