diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c48f313..43ec997 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -552,6 +552,12 @@ run with redis 2.8 or later.
 
 Configure logrotate rules for redis server. Default: true
 
+##### `sentinel_maxopenfiles`
+Systemd LimitNOFILE change to allow sentinel change maxclients. Default: 12288
+
+##### `sentinel_somaxconn`
+Sysctl change to allow sentinel change TCP backlog. Default: 1024
+
 ## Limitations
 
 This module is tested on CentOS 6.5 and Debian 7 (Wheezy) and should also run without problems on
diff --git a/manifests/sentinel.pp b/manifests/sentinel.pp
index 1bead19..9de9f19 100644
--- a/manifests/sentinel.pp
+++ b/manifests/sentinel.pp
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@
   $running          = true,
   $enabled          = true,
   $manage_logrotate = true,
+  $sentinel_maxopenfiles = 12288,
+  $sentinel_somaxconn    = 1024,
 ) {
   $sentinel_user              = $::redis::install::redis_user
   $sentinel_group             = $::redis::install::redis_group
@@ -159,13 +161,21 @@
     }
   }
 
+  exec { 'sysctl_sentinel':
+    command  => "sysctl -w net.core.somaxconn=${sentinel_somaxconn}",
+    path     => '/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/bin',
+    provider => shell,
+    onlyif   => "test `sysctl -n net.core.somaxconn` -lt ${sentinel_somaxconn}",
+  }
+
   # manage sentinel service
   service { "redis-sentinel_${sentinel_name}":
     ensure     => $running,
     enable     => $enabled,
     hasstatus  => true,
     hasrestart => true,
-    subscribe  => File[$conf_file],
+    require    => Exec['sysctl_sentinel'],
+    subscribe  => [File[$conf_file],Exec['sysctl_sentinel']],
   }
 
   if ($manage_logrotate == true){
diff --git a/templates/systemd/sentinel.service.erb b/templates/systemd/sentinel.service.erb
index 97a1213..59ab292 100644
--- a/templates/systemd/sentinel.service.erb
+++ b/templates/systemd/sentinel.service.erb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ ExecStart=/usr/bin/redis-sentinel  <%= @sentinel_run_dir %>/<%= @conf_file_name
 ExecStop=/usr/bin/redis-cli -p <%= @sentinel_port %> shutdown
 User=<%= @sentinel_user or 'root' %>
 Group=<%= @sentinel_group or 'root' %>
+LimitNOFILE=<%= @sentinel_maxopenfiles %>
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target