diff --git a/api.go b/api.go
index 49bf679..0904919 100644
--- a/api.go
+++ b/api.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 	"net/http"
 	"strconv"
 	"time"
+	"sync"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -82,25 +83,44 @@
 
 func distributeEvents() {
 	subscribers := make(map[chan string]struct{})
-	for {
+	mut := sync.Mutex{}
+	msg := ""
+	debouncer := func() {
 		select {
-		case msg := <-deploymentsChanged:
-			// todo: add a debounce w/ timeout to avoid sending on every single deployment?
+		case <-time.After(debounceDuration):
+			mut.Lock()
 			subs := subscribers
-			log.Debugf("Delivering deployment change %s to %d subscribers", msg, len(subs))
 			subscribers = make(map[chan string]struct{})
+			m := msg
+			msg = ""
+			mut.Unlock()
+			log.Debugf("Delivering deployment change %s to %d subscribers", m, len(subs))
 			incrementETag()
 			for subscriber := range subs {
 				select {
-				case subscriber <- msg:
-					log.Debugf("Handling deploy response for: %s", msg)
+				case subscriber <- m:
+					log.Debugf("Handling deploy response for: %s", m)
 				default:
 					log.Debugf("listener too far behind, message dropped")
 				}
 			}
+		}
+	}
+	for {
+		select {
+		case newMsg := <-deploymentsChanged:
+			mut.Lock()
+			log.Debug("deploymentsChanged")
+			if msg == "" {
+				go debouncer()
+			}
+			msg = newMsg
+			mut.Unlock()
 		case subscriber := <-addSubscriber:
 			log.Debugf("Add subscriber: %v", subscriber)
+			mut.Lock()
 			subscribers[subscriber] = struct{}{}
+			mut.Unlock()
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/api_test.go b/api_test.go
index b371ea6..f267303 100644
--- a/api_test.go
+++ b/api_test.go
@@ -27,6 +27,17 @@
 			Expect(res.StatusCode).Should(Equal(http.StatusNotFound))
 		})
 
+		It("should debounce requests", func() {
+			var listener = make(chan string)
+			addSubscriber <- listener
+
+			deploymentsChanged <- "x"
+			deploymentsChanged <- "y"
+
+			id := <-listener
+			Expect(id).To(Equal("y"))
+		})
+
 		It("should get current deployments", func() {
 
 			deploymentID := "api_get_current"
@@ -97,7 +108,6 @@
 			defer res.Body.Close()
 
 			Expect(res.StatusCode).Should(Equal(http.StatusOK))
-
 		})
 
 		It("should get new deployment after blocking", func(done Done) {
diff --git a/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go b/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go
index a43fb41..803a8b3 100644
--- a/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go
+++ b/apidGatewayDeploy_suite_test.go
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	SetDB(db)
 
+	debounceDuration = 1 * time.Millisecond
+
 	router := apid.API().Router()
 	// fake an unreliable bundle repo
 	backOffMultiplier = 10 * time.Millisecond
diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index 12f1339..74a8548 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@
 	"github.com/30x/apid"
 	"os"
 	"path"
+	"time"
 )
 
 const (
-	configBundleDirKey = "gatewaydeploy_bundle_dir"
+	configBundleDirKey     = "gatewaydeploy_bundle_dir"
+	configDebounceDuration = "gatewaydeploy_debounce_duration"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@
 	log        apid.LogService
 	data       apid.DataService
 	bundlePath string
+	debounceDuration time.Duration
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -28,6 +31,12 @@
 
 	config := services.Config()
 	config.SetDefault(configBundleDirKey, "bundles")
+	config.SetDefault(configDebounceDuration, 1 * time.Second)
+
+	debounceDuration = config.GetDuration(configDebounceDuration)
+	if debounceDuration < 1 * time.Millisecond {
+		log.Panicf("%s must be a positive duration", configDebounceDuration)
+	}
 
 	data = services.Data()