diff --git a/couchbase/defaults/main.yml b/couchbase/defaults/main.yml
index df48ead0..c781d429 100644
--- a/couchbase/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/couchbase/defaults/main.yml
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ couchbase_backup_dest_dir: /var/cache
 couchbase_backup_command: /opt/couchbase/bin/cbbackup
 couchbase_backup_type: full
 
+couchbase_swappiness: 1
+
 couchbase_ganglia_plugin_enabled: True
 #couchbase_ganglia_url_username:
 #couchbase_ganglia_url_password:
diff --git a/couchbase/tasks/main.yml b/couchbase/tasks/main.yml
index c2c927e1..8de0d4fd 100644
--- a/couchbase/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/couchbase/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 - include: couchbase.yml
+- include: swappiness.yml
 - include: ganglia-plugin.yml
   when: ganglia_enabled
 
diff --git a/couchbase/tasks/swappiness.yml b/couchbase/tasks/swappiness.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a4b0490c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/couchbase/tasks/swappiness.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+
+- name: couchbase swappiness
+  sysctl: name=vm.swappiness value={{ couchbase_swappiness }} state=present reload=yes
+  tags:
+    - couchbase_swap