diff --git a/libsql-server/src/lib.rs b/libsql-server/src/lib.rs
index 8cc1f19372a..af4c397f5fd 100644
--- a/libsql-server/src/lib.rs
+++ b/libsql-server/src/lib.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ pub struct Server<C = HttpConnector, A = AddrIncoming, D = HttpsConnector<HttpCo
     pub heartbeat_config: Option<HeartbeatConfig>,
     pub disable_namespaces: bool,
     pub shutdown: Arc<Notify>,
+    pub max_active_namespaces: usize,
 }
 
 impl<C, A, D> Default for Server<C, A, D> {
@@ -117,6 +118,7 @@ impl<C, A, D> Default for Server<C, A, D> {
             heartbeat_config: Default::default(),
             disable_namespaces: true,
             shutdown: Default::default(),
+            max_active_namespaces: 100,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -384,6 +386,7 @@ where
                     db_config: self.db_config.clone(),
                     base_path: self.path.clone(),
                     auth: auth.clone(),
+                    max_active_namespaces: self.max_active_namespaces,
                 };
                 let (namespaces, proxy_service, replication_service) = replica.configure().await?;
                 self.rpc_client_config = None;
@@ -422,6 +425,7 @@ where
                     extensions,
                     base_path: self.path.clone(),
                     disable_namespaces: self.disable_namespaces,
+                    max_active_namespaces: self.max_active_namespaces,
                     join_set: &mut join_set,
                     auth: auth.clone(),
                 };
@@ -487,6 +491,7 @@ struct Primary<'a, A> {
     extensions: Arc<[PathBuf]>,
     base_path: Arc<Path>,
     disable_namespaces: bool,
+    max_active_namespaces: usize,
     auth: Arc<Auth>,
     join_set: &'a mut JoinSet<anyhow::Result<()>>,
 }
@@ -517,7 +522,12 @@ where
             disable_namespace: self.disable_namespaces,
         };
         let factory = PrimaryNamespaceMaker::new(conf);
-        let namespaces = NamespaceStore::new(factory, false, self.db_config.snapshot_at_shutdown);
+        let namespaces = NamespaceStore::new(
+            factory,
+            false,
+            self.db_config.snapshot_at_shutdown,
+            self.max_active_namespaces,
+        );
 
         // eagerly load the default namespace when namespaces are disabled
         if self.disable_namespaces {
@@ -583,6 +593,7 @@ struct Replica<C> {
     db_config: DbConfig,
     base_path: Arc<Path>,
     auth: Arc<Auth>,
+    max_active_namespaces: usize,
 }
 
 impl<C: Connector> Replica<C> {
@@ -605,7 +616,7 @@ impl<C: Connector> Replica<C> {
             max_total_response_size: self.db_config.max_total_response_size,
         };
         let factory = ReplicaNamespaceMaker::new(conf);
-        let namespaces = NamespaceStore::new(factory, true, false);
+        let namespaces = NamespaceStore::new(factory, true, false, self.max_active_namespaces);
         let replication_service = ReplicationLogProxyService::new(channel.clone(), uri.clone());
         let proxy_service = ReplicaProxyService::new(channel, uri, self.auth.clone());
 
diff --git a/libsql-server/src/main.rs b/libsql-server/src/main.rs
index 57c557324a9..4f850ff6b65 100644
--- a/libsql-server/src/main.rs
+++ b/libsql-server/src/main.rs
@@ -195,6 +195,10 @@ struct Cli {
     /// Enable snapshot at shutdown
     #[clap(long)]
     snapshot_at_shutdown: bool,
+
+    /// Max active namespaces kept in-memory
+    #[clap(long, env = "SQLD_MAX_ACTIVE_NAMESPACES", default_value = "100")]
+    max_active_namespaces: usize,
 }
 
 #[derive(clap::Subcommand, Debug)]
@@ -506,6 +510,7 @@ async fn build_server(config: &Cli) -> anyhow::Result<Server> {
         disable_default_namespace: config.disable_default_namespace,
         disable_namespaces: !config.enable_namespaces,
         shutdown,
+        max_active_namespaces: config.max_active_namespaces,
     })
 }
 
diff --git a/libsql-server/src/namespace/mod.rs b/libsql-server/src/namespace/mod.rs
index bb4501d9b53..dda6717796a 100644
--- a/libsql-server/src/namespace/mod.rs
+++ b/libsql-server/src/namespace/mod.rs
@@ -360,7 +360,12 @@ struct NamespaceStoreInner<M: MakeNamespace> {
 }
 
 impl<M: MakeNamespace> NamespaceStore<M> {
-    pub fn new(make_namespace: M, allow_lazy_creation: bool, snapshot_at_shutdown: bool) -> Self {
+    pub fn new(
+        make_namespace: M,
+        allow_lazy_creation: bool,
+        snapshot_at_shutdown: bool,
+        max_active_namespaces: usize,
+    ) -> Self {
         let store = Cache::<NamespaceName, NamespaceEntry<M::Database>>::builder()
             .async_eviction_listener(|name, ns, _| {
                 Box::pin(async move {
@@ -374,7 +379,8 @@ impl<M: MakeNamespace> NamespaceStore<M> {
                 })
             })
             // TODO(marin): configurable capacity
-            .max_capacity(25)
+            .max_capacity(max_active_namespaces as u64)
+            .time_to_idle(Duration::from_secs(300))
             .build();
         Self {
             inner: Arc::new(NamespaceStoreInner {
diff --git a/libsql-server/src/test/bottomless.rs b/libsql-server/src/test/bottomless.rs
index 20b04428cbe..b265fb4a1c3 100644
--- a/libsql-server/src/test/bottomless.rs
+++ b/libsql-server/src/test/bottomless.rs
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ async fn configure_server(
         },
         path: path.into().into(),
         disable_default_namespace: false,
+        max_active_namespaces: 100,
         heartbeat_config: None,
         idle_shutdown_timeout: None,
         initial_idle_shutdown_timeout: None,