diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index d751f9a060..b9440b100c 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -217,7 +217,16 @@ v2.0.0-rc1 (2014-02-28)
 * added collection status "loading"
 
 
-v1.4.12 (XXXX-XX-XX)
+v1.4.13 (XXXX-XX-XX)
+--------------------
+
+* fixed too eager compaction
+  
+  The compaction will now wait for several seconds before trying to re-compact the same
+  collection. Additionally, some other limits have been introduced for the compaction.
+ 
+
+v1.4.12 (2014-03-05)
 --------------------
 
 * fixed display bug in web interface which caused the following problems:
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/compactor.c b/arangod/VocBase/compactor.c
index 6641162275..01149cd79e 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/compactor.c
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/compactor.c
@@ -77,12 +77,32 @@
 
 #define COMPACTOR_MAX_FILES 4
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief maximum multiple of journal filesize of a compacted file
+/// a value of 3 means that the maximum filesize of the compacted file is
+/// 3 x (collection->journalSize)
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#define COMPACTOR_MAX_SIZE_FACTOR (3)
+
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief maximum filesize of resulting compacted file
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#define COMPACTOR_MAX_RESULT_FILESIZE (128 * 1024 * 1024)
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief datafiles smaller than the following value will be merged with others
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 #define COMPACTOR_MIN_SIZE (128 * 1024)
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+/// @brief re-try compaction of a specific collection in this interval (in s)
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+
+#define COMPACTOR_COLLECTION_INTERVAL (15.0)
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief compactify interval in microseconds
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -266,6 +286,7 @@ static void DropDatafileCallback (TRI_datafile_t* datafile, void* data) {
   TRI_FreeString(TRI_CORE_MEM_ZONE, name);
 
   if (datafile->isPhysical(datafile)) {
+    // copy the current filename
     copy = TRI_DuplicateStringZ(TRI_CORE_MEM_ZONE, datafile->_filename);
 
     ok = TRI_RenameDatafile(datafile, filename);
@@ -1031,6 +1052,7 @@ static void CompactifyDatafiles (TRI_document_collection_t* document,
 static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
   TRI_primary_collection_t* primary;
   TRI_vector_t vector;
+  uint64_t maxSize;
   int64_t numAlive;
   size_t i, n;
   bool compactNext;
@@ -1057,6 +1079,15 @@ static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
     return false;
   }
 
+  // get maximum size of result file
+  maxSize = (uint64_t) COMPACTOR_MAX_SIZE_FACTOR * (uint64_t) primary->base._info._maximalSize;
+  if (maxSize < 8 * 1024 * 1024) {
+    maxSize = 8 * 1024 * 1024;
+  }
+  if (maxSize >= COMPACTOR_MAX_RESULT_FILESIZE) {
+    maxSize = COMPACTOR_MAX_RESULT_FILESIZE;
+  }
+
   // copy datafile information
   TRI_InitVector(&vector, TRI_UNKNOWN_MEM_ZONE, sizeof(compaction_info_t));
   numAlive = 0;
@@ -1065,6 +1096,7 @@ static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
     TRI_datafile_t* df;
     TRI_doc_datafile_info_t* dfi;
     compaction_info_t compaction;
+    uint64_t totalSize = 0;
     bool shouldCompact;
   
     df = primary->base._datafiles._buffer[i];
@@ -1076,7 +1108,7 @@ static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
     if (dfi == NULL) {
       continue;
     }
-  
+
     shouldCompact = false;
   
     if (! compactNext && 
@@ -1086,8 +1118,8 @@ static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
       shouldCompact = true;
       compactNext = true;
     }
-    else if (numAlive == 0 && dfi->_numberDeletion > 0) {
-      // compact first datafile already if it has got some deletions
+    else if (numAlive == 0 && dfi->_numberAlive == 0 && dfi->_numberDeletion > 0) {
+      // compact first datafile(s) already if they have some deletions
       shouldCompact = true;
       compactNext = true;
     }
@@ -1136,6 +1168,8 @@ static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
               (unsigned long long) dfi->_sizeTransaction,
               (unsigned long long) dfi->_sizeShapes,
               (unsigned long long) dfi->_sizeAttributes);
+    
+    totalSize += (uint64_t) df->_maximalSize;
 
     compaction._datafile = df;
     compaction._keepDeletions = (numAlive > 0 && i > 0);
@@ -1149,7 +1183,8 @@ static bool CompactifyDocumentCollection (TRI_document_collection_t* document) {
     // delete the collection in the middle of compaction, but the compactor
     // will not pick this up as it is read-locking the collection status)
 
-    if (TRI_LengthVector(&vector) >= COMPACTOR_MAX_FILES) {
+    if (TRI_LengthVector(&vector) >= COMPACTOR_MAX_FILES ||
+        totalSize >= maxSize) {
       // found enough to compact
       break;
     }
@@ -1454,10 +1489,11 @@ void TRI_CompactorVocBase (void* data) {
   while (true) {
     // keep initial _state value as vocbase->_state might change during compaction loop
     int state = vocbase->_state;
-  
+ 
     // check if compaction is currently disallowed
     if (CheckAndLockCompaction(vocbase)) {
       // compaction is currently allowed
+      double now = TRI_microtime();
       size_t i, n;
       numCompacted = 0;
 
@@ -1503,16 +1539,24 @@ void TRI_CompactorVocBase (void* data) {
             continue;
           }
 
-          ce = TRI_CreateBarrierCompaction(&primary->_barrierList);
+          if (primary->_lastCompaction + COMPACTOR_COLLECTION_INTERVAL <= now) {
+            ce = TRI_CreateBarrierCompaction(&primary->_barrierList);
 
-          if (ce == NULL) {
-            // out of memory
-            LOG_WARNING("out of memory when trying to create a barrier element");
-          }
-          else {
-            worked = CompactifyDocumentCollection((TRI_document_collection_t*) primary);
+            if (ce == NULL) {
+              // out of memory
+              LOG_WARNING("out of memory when trying to create a barrier element");
+            }
+            else {
+              worked = CompactifyDocumentCollection((TRI_document_collection_t*) primary);
+                
+              if (! worked) {
+                // set compaction stamp
+                primary->_lastCompaction = now;
+              }
+              // if we worked, then we don't set the compaction stamp to force another round of compaction
 
-            TRI_FreeBarrier(ce);
+              TRI_FreeBarrier(ce);
+            }
           }
         
           // read-unlock the compaction lock
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.c b/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.c
index 3e4af328ce..0dc0125ef3 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.c
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.c
@@ -582,6 +582,7 @@ int TRI_InitPrimaryCollection (TRI_primary_collection_t* primary,
   primary->_capConstraint      = NULL;
   primary->_keyGenerator       = NULL;
   primary->_numberDocuments    = 0;
+  primary->_lastCompaction     = 0.0;
 
   primary->figures             = Figures;
   primary->size                = Count;
diff --git a/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.h b/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.h
index 0cd8c04438..140b2d2d98 100644
--- a/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.h
+++ b/arangod/VocBase/primary-collection.h
@@ -311,6 +311,7 @@ typedef struct TRI_primary_collection_s {
 
   int64_t                      _numberDocuments;
   TRI_read_write_lock_t        _compactionLock;
+  double                       _lastCompaction;
 
   int (*beginRead) (struct TRI_primary_collection_s*);
   int (*endRead) (struct TRI_primary_collection_s*);