diff --git a/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter.rb b/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter.rb
index c418e60..d940b6d 100644
--- a/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter.rb
+++ b/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ def self.new(*args)
       end
 
       class Adapter
+        QUEUE_FLUSH_SIZE = 100
         SUPERVISOR_INTERVAL = {
           :execution_interval => 1.5, # seconds
           :timeout_interval => 1, # seconds
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ def initialize(new_redis_pool)
         def publish(route, payload, exchange_name, options = {})
           message = ::ActivePublisher::Message.new(route, payload, exchange_name, options)
           queue << ::Marshal.dump(message)
-          flush_queue! if queue.size >= 20 || options[:flush_queue]
+          flush_queue! if queue.size >= QUEUE_FLUSH_SIZE || options[:flush_queue]
 
           nil
         end
diff --git a/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter/redis_multi_pop_queue.rb b/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter/redis_multi_pop_queue.rb
index 80ecbf9..154b2b3 100644
--- a/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter/redis_multi_pop_queue.rb
+++ b/lib/active_publisher/async/redis_adapter/redis_multi_pop_queue.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ module ActivePublisher
   module Async
     module RedisAdapter
       class RedisMultiPopQueue
+        RABBITMQ_PAUSED_KEY = "ACTIVE_PUBLISHER_RABBITMQ_PAUSED".freeze
+
         attr_reader :list_key, :redis_pool
 
         def initialize(redis_connection_pool, new_list_key)
@@ -36,6 +38,12 @@ def empty?
           size <= 0
         end
 
+        def pause_publishing?
+          redis_pool.with do |redis|
+            redis.exists?(RABBITMQ_PAUSED_KEY)
+          end
+        end
+
         def pop_up_to(num_to_pop, opts = {})
           case opts
           when TrueClass, FalseClass
@@ -73,6 +81,7 @@ def pop_up_to(num_to_pop, opts = {})
         def shift(number)
           number = [number, size].min
           return [] if number <= 0
+          return [] if pause_publishing?
 
           messages = []
           multi_response = []